Like their counterparts in Europe, African universities will soon begin to benefit from a high-speed connectivity network system to improve on academic research.
The bandwidth connectivity system is to ensure that downloading materials in universities on the continent on specific research topics happens in a matter of seconds as against the current phenomenon where such exercise sometimes take up to four hours.
The system will also hook onto the internet, university libraries on the continent to ensure an expanded access to the facility by students.
Currently, stakeholders including vice-chancellors and communication service providers describe connectivity of African institutions of higher learning as poor and time-consuming, and unsuitable for serious academic research activities.
It is against this background that the Association of African Universities (AAU), which has a membership of about 253 African universities, is holding a two-day High-Level Conference which opened in Accra on Monday.
The meeting which is on the theme: "Connectivity of West and Central African Higher Education Institutions," aims at analysing two key studies conducted by the AAU towards realising such an objective.
About 120 delegates comprising ministers and representatives of governments, higher education and research institutions, continental and regional bodies, telecommunications regulatory authorities and operators, development agencies and other stakeholders are attending the conference, which was organised by the AUU in partnership with the Ministry of Education of Ghana.
The studies were "Connectivity of African Higher Education Institutions: Addressing the Demand for Connectivity in the West and Central Africa Region" and "Connecting West and Central Africa Higher Education Institutions to the Global Research and Education Network".
The objective of the studies was to assess the current situation in comparison with situations in other parts of the world and to eventually suggest measures to be taken by national governments to significantly improve the connectivity of African higher education and research institutions at an affordable cost.
Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, Minister of Education, who opened the conference on behalf of Vice President John Dramani Mahama, underscored the need for considerable investment in research and collaboration to generate knowledge on how to address global challenges such as environmental conservation, spread of disease and food security among other things.
He said building a strong education and research community is a cornerstone for prosperity, societal development, stability and regional integration for enhanced development.
He enumerated Ghana's strides in enhancing science and technology education and improving curriculum in computer science and engineering, coupled with availability of submarine cable landing stations, saying they had made a substantial boost for enhanced connectivity of the country's universities and research institutions.
He lauded various ongoing continental interventions such as the incorporation of West and Central African Research and Education Network, establishment of National Research and Education Networks and called for effective collaboration to realise the objectives of the conference.
Professor John Sebuwufu, Acting Secretary-General of the AAU called for fruitful deliberations to chart the way forward for connecting the institutions to a high-speed bandwidth.