ABSTRACT
This chapter is concerned with conditions for improved, mutually beneficial partnerships between higher education institutions (HEIs) in the Global South and the Global North. From a South African perspective, it reflects on the challenging nature of North-South higher education (HE) partnerships and highlights the need that Southern institutions have for more equal and balanced engagements with their Northern counterparts. Illustrating that the global phenomenon of HE internationalisation cannot be delinked from its local context, this chapter highlights that partnerships with South African universities need to be aligned to the country’s transformation agenda. More specifically, it focuses on practical examples of how this can be achieved in the context of international partnerships facilitating student and staff mobility, research collaboration and capacity building. This chapter is aimed at deepened understanding of the South African HE environment, especially among those who wish to establish mobility and other partnerships with the country’s public universities. It considers practical implications and offers hands-on recommendations in that regard, including on HE marketisation. It argues that Northern institutions reaching out to potential partners in South Africa should abandon “one size fits all” models for niche approaches, demonstrating a commitment to openness, flexibility and responsiveness to local needs.
