Internationalization and Development of Higher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Meta-ethnography

The internationalization of higher education (IoHE) is an indispensable force driving educational evolution and policy reform across the globe. This phenomenon, gaining paramount importance, prompts a myriad of nations, especially in the developing spectrum, to adopt diverse strategies amidst facing significant challenges. This article delves into the IoHE within the context of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), a region that embodies a unique educational dynamic yet shares commonalities in challenges and strategies with its counterparts. Through a methodologically rigorous review, this study harnesses the power of meta-ethnography to synthesize qualitative insights from 12 pertinent studies sourced from acclaimed databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCO-host and ERIC, spanning a decade from 2014 to 2024. Our findings unveil five pivotal themes central to the discourse on the internationalization strategies in SSA’s higher education sector. Parallelly, the study illuminates the spectrum of challenges faced in these endeavours and suggests avenues for further exploration.