Abstract

The state of New York’s Cornell University has recently launched a Master of Professional Studies degree programme in collaboration with Ethiopia’s Bahir Dar University. Starting this November, faculty members from the US institution will teach modular courses to an initial cohort of 20 Ethiopian students, each of whom was specifically selected by a written application and entrance exam. The new degree programme is Cornell’s first in Africa, yet importantly, only a few days after announcing its sponsorship of the Ethiopian Master’s degree, the institution declared that it likewise intends to support a new doctoral programme to train African students in genetics and plant breeding at the University of Ghana. The University’s activities provide a timely example of what appears to be a growing concern amongst institutions across the world, namely, international partnerships which contribute to capacity building and development in developing countries. What are the details behind Cornell’s new degree in Africa? Why are universities increasingly interested in developing innovative partnerships with institutions in developing countries, and specifically in Africa?