The quest for quality postgraduate research productivity through education is on the increase. However, in the context of the African society, governance structures and policies seem to be impacting on the quality level of the provided education. Hence, this conceptual study explored the roles of governance structures and policies in enhancing and ensuring quality postgraduate education programmers in African institutions of higher learning. To this end, various relevant literature was reviewed. The findings showed amongst others that governance structures and policies affect the quality of education provided. Meanwhile, other factors such as curriculum, foreign influence, lack of resources, training, amongst others contribute to the quality of education provided. The study concludes that there is need for the current structures of governance and the designed and implemented policies for postgraduate education to be reviewed and adjusted towards ensuring the desired transformation.

Abe, I., & Mugobo, V. (2021). Low Research Productivity: Transformation, Institutional and Leadership Concern at A South African University. Perspectives in Education, 39(2), 113-127. http://dx.doi.org/10.18820/2519593X/pie.v39.i2.9

Acholonu, I., & Njie, S. (20 November 2020). African students’ access to higher education is a priority for the continent’s development. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/africaatlse/2020/11/20/african-students-access-higher-education-priority-for-development/.

Afolabi, O. & Idowu, H.A. (2019). African Universities Quality Management Challenges and Higher Education Agenda. In Quality Management Implementation in Higher Education: Practices, Models, and Case Studies. Chapter: 13. Publisher: Hershey, USA: IGI. 10.4018/978-1-5225-9829-9.ch013

Agbor, J. (26 September 2012). Poverty, Inequality and Africa’s Education Crisis. https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/poverty-inequality-and-africas-education-crisis/

Aithal, P. S. (2016). How to increase research productivity in higher educational institutions–SIMS Model. International Journal of Scientific Research and Modern Education (IJSRME), 1(1), 447–458. https://ssrn.com/abstract=2789711

Akareem H.S., & Hossain, S.S. (2016). Determinants of education quality: what makes students’ perception different? Open Review of Educational Research, 3(1), 52-67, DOI: 10.1080/23265507.2016.1155167.

American Council on Education (ACE). (2016). 2016 Annual Report. https://www.acenet.edu/Documents/ACE-2016-Annual-Report.pdf

Asongu, S.A., & Odhiambo, N.M. (2020). The Role of Governance in Quality Education in Sub-Saharan Africa. International Social Science Journal, 70(237-238), 221-238. https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3715703

Assan, T.E.B. (2021). Factors Which Influence Sustainable Implementation of Corporate Governance Systems in an Institution of Higher Learning. South African Journal of Higher Education, 35(1), 96‒112. https://dx.doi.org/10.20853/35-1-4414

Bacwayo, K.E., Nampala, P., & Oteyo, I.N. (2017). Challenges and Opportunities Associated with Supervising Graduate Students Enrolled in African Universities. International Journal of Education and Practice, 6(3), 29-39. DOI: 10.18488/journal.61/2017.5.3/61.3.29.39.

Beerkens, M. (2018) Evidence-based policy and higher education quality assurance: progress, pitfalls and promise. European Journal of Higher Education, 8(3), 272-287, DOI: 10.1080/21568235.2018.1475248

Beigi, F.H., Keramati, M.R., & Ahmadi, A. (2011). The quality curriculum evaluation in postgraduate studies of Educational Management and Planning in the public Universities of Tehran City. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 15 (2011) 3723–3730. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.04.363

Beigi, F.H., Yeganeh, M.V., & Mohammadi, E. (2011). Evaluation of Curriculum Quality of Postgraduate Studies of Actuarial Science Field at Public Universities of Iran. International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation, 5(5), 783-787. http://scholar.waset.org/1999.10/563.

Benabdallah, L., Murillo-Zamora, C., & Adetula, V. (19 November 2017). Global South Perspectives on International Relations Theory. E- International Relations, 1-4 https://www.e-ir.info/2017/11/19/global-south-perspectives-on-international-relations-theory/.

Boughey, C. & McKenna, S. (2021). Understanding Higher Education: Alternative Perspectives. African Minds: Cape Town.

Butter, M.C., Aguilera, E.M., Quintana, M.C.B., Pérez, L.J., & Valenzuela, E.S. (2017). Quality Assurance for Postgraduate Programs: Design of a Model Applied on a University in Chile. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 18(1).

Callaghan, C.W. (2020). Do benevolent and altruistic supervisors have higher postgraduate supervision throughput? The contributions of individual motivational values to South African postgraduate supervision throughput. South African Journal of Higher Education, 34, 6.

Chanda, T.C., & Chitondo, L. (2024). Leadership for Sustainable Development in Africa: A Comprehensive Perspective. International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews, 5(2), 2395-2410.

Damon, A., Glewwe, P., Wisniewski, S. & Sun, B. (2016). Education in Developing Countries What Policies and Programmes Affect Learning and Time in School? Rapport 2016:02 till Expertgruppen för biståndsanalys (EBA). Stockholm: Elanders Sverige AB

Dampson, D.G. & Edwards, A.K. (2019). Strategic Thinking, Leadership and Governance for African Universities: Lessons from Successful Universities. In Okechukwu Lawrence Emeagwali (Ed), Strategic Management - a Dynamic View. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.81196

Daramola, O. (2021). Lessons from Postgraduate Supervision in Two African Universities: An Autoethnographic Account. Education Science, 11, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11070345

De Sousa Santos, B. (2014). Epistemologies of the South: Justice against epistemicide. Paradigm Publishers.

De Sousa Santos, B. (2018). The end of the cognitive empire: The coming of age of epistemologies of the south. Duke University Press.

Department for International Development (nd). Growth Building Jobs and Prosperity in Developing Countries. OECD: UK. https://www.oecd.org/derec/unitedkingdom/40700982.pdf.

Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). (2016). Policies, procedures, standards and guides of the distance education accrediting commission. Distance Education Accrediting Commission. Washington, DC. http://www.deac.org/UploadedDocuments/2016-Handbook/2016-DEAC-Accreditation-Handbook.pdf

Drys, I. (10 September 2020). Governance structure – why is it so important in project management? Future Processing. https://www.future-processing.com/blog/governance-structure-why-is-it-so-important-in-project-management/

Du Plessis, M., Van Vuuren, C.J., Simons, A., Frantz, J., Roman, N., & Andipatin, M. (2022). South African Higher Education Institutions at the Beginning of the Covid-19 Pandemic: Sense-Making and Lessons Learnt. Frontiers in Education, 6, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.740016

Eaton, J.S. (2021). The Role of Quality Assurance and the Values of Higher Education. In H. van’t Land et al. (eds.), The Promise of Higher Education, pp. 181-186. Council for Higher Education Accreditation, Washington, DC, USA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67245-4_28

Evans, D.K., & Acosta, A.M. (2021). Education in Africa: What Are We Learning? Journal of African Economies, 30(1), 13–54, https://doi.org/10.1093/jae/ejaa009

Ezebuilo, H.C. (2020). African Identity and The Quest for Decolonization. Sapientia Journal of Philosophy, 12, 179-192

Fomba, B.K., Talla, D.F. & Ningaye, P. (2022). Institutional Quality and Education Quality in Developing Countries: Effects and Transmission Channels.Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 1-30. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-021-00869-9

Frantz, J.M., George, A., Hunter-Hüsselmann, M., Kapenda, H., & Yassin, Z. (2022). Institutional Policies, Practices and Initiatives Impacting Research Productivity: The Strengthening of Collaboration, Leadership and Professionalism in Research Management in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and European Union (EU) Higher Education Institutions (StoRM). The Journal of Research Administration, 53(2), 40-59.

Graml, G., Meyer-Lee, E., & Peifer, J.S. (2021). “Decolonizing Global Learning and Internationalization: A Human-Scale Case Study of Innovation.” In Gabrielle Malfatti (ed) People-Centered Approaches Toward the Internationalization of Higher Education. IGI Global: DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-3796-1.ch007

Griffiths, D. (2019). #FeesMustFall and the decolonised university in South Africa: Tensions and opportunities in a globalising world. International Journal of Educational Research, 94, 143-149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2019.01.004

Grigorescu, A. & Zaif, A. (2017). The concept of glocalization and its incorporation in global brands’ marketing strategies. International Journal of Business and Management Invention, 6(1), 70-74.

Grossman, E.S., & Crowther, N.J. (2015). Co-supervision in postgraduate training: Ensuring the right hand knows what the left hand is doing. South African Journal of Science, 111(11-12), 1-8. https://dx.doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2015/20140305

Habitat for Humanity. (nd). Poverty and Education in East Africa: Breaking the Cycle. Habitat for Humanity, Great Britain. https://www.habitatforhumanity.org.uk/blog/2017/04/poverty-and-education-east-africa/

Harris, K.J. (2000). Integrated Justice Information Systems: Governance Structures, Roles and Responsibilities — A Background Report. California: National Criminal Justice Association

Hénard, F. (n.d). Learning our lesson: Review of Quality Teaching in Higher Education. https://www.oecd.org/education/imhe/44146968.pdf

Hénard, F., & Mitterle, A. (n.d). Governance and quality guidelines in Higher Education: A Review of Governance Arrangements and Quality Assurance Guidelines. OECD/Directorate for Education Programme on Institutional Management in Higher Education (IMHE): Paris Cedex

Hollington, A., Salverda, T., Schwarz, T., & Tappe, O. (2015). Concepts of the Global South. Cologne, Germany: Global South Studies Center Cologne.

Houston, D. (2015). Quality in postgraduate research. Quality in Higher Education, 21(1), 1-6, DOI: 10.1080/13538322.2015.1049440

Igiri, B.E., Okoduwa, S.I.R., Akabuogu, E.P., Okoduwa, U.J., Enang, I.A., Idowu, O.O., Abdullahi, S., Onukak, O.E., Onuruka, C.C., Christopher, O.P.O., Salawu, A.O., Chris, A.O., & Onyemachi, D.I. (2021). Focused Research on the Challenges and Productivity of Researchers in Nigerian Academic Institutions Without Funding. Frontiers in Research Metrics and Analytics, 6, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.3389/frma.2021.727228

Jung, J. (2012). Faculty Research Productivity in Hong Kong across Academic Discipline. Higher Edu. Stud., 2(4). doi:10.5539/hes.v2n4p1

Kigotho, W. (24 June 2021). Funding levels of higher education a grave concern. University World News. https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20210623083759827

Kowalski, A. M. (2020). Global South – Global North Differences. In: No Poverty. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (pp. 1–6), W. Leal Filho, A.M. Azul, L. Brandli, P. Özuyar, T. Wall (eds.). Cham: Springer. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-69625-6_68-1.

Kwasi-Agyeman, F., Langa, P., & Swanzy, P. (2020). Higher Education Funding and Student Access in the Global South. Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education, 12(Fall):83-98. DOI: 10.32674/jcihe.v12iFall.1020

Lam, A.M. (18 March 2022). Shaping a curriculum framework: the fundamental principles. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/shaping-curriculum-framework-fundamental-principles

Lange, L. (2017). 20 Years of higher education curriculum policy in South Africa. Journal of Education, 1(68), 31-57. http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2520-98682017000100004&lng=en&nrm=iso.

Liu, Q. (2020). The Impact of Quality Assurance Policies on Curriculum Development in Ontario Postsecondary Education. Canadian Journal of Higher Education | Revue canadienne d’enseignement supérieur, 50(1), 53-67.

Masenya, M. (2023). Policies in Higher Education: The Impact of Global Trends on the Operation of the South African Universities. EDUCATIO: Journal of Education, 8(3), 201-215.

Mba, J.C. (3 May 2017). Challenges and Prospects of Africa’s Higher Education. https://www.globalpartnership.org/blog/challenges-and-prospects-africas-higher-education

Mbabazi, P.B. (2013). Quality in Learning in Rwandan Higher education: different stakeholders’ perceptions of students’ learning and employability. Linköping: Linköping University.

Mbati, M.D., & Beauty, J.L. (2024). “The Role of Governance Structures in Monitoring and Evaluation of Higher Education Institutions’ Performance in South Africa”. In: Nabaho, L., Turyasingura, W. (eds) Higher Education Governance and Management in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-59148-8_10

Müller, U., Hancock, D.R., Wang, C., Stricker, T., Cui, T., & Lambert, M. (2022). School Leadership, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), and the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives of Principals in China, Germany, and the USA. Education Sciences, 12, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12120853

Musau, Z. (2018). Africa grapples with huge disparities in education Higher enrolment numbers mask exclusion and inefficiencies. United Nations Africa Renewal. https://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/december-2017-march-2018/africa-grapples-huge-disparities-education.

Mzangwa, S.T. (2019) The effects of higher education policy on transformation in post-apartheid South Africa. Cogent Education, 6(1), DOI: 10.1080/2331186X.2019.1592737

Ndlovu, M. (2018), ‘Coloniality of Knowledge and the Challenge of Creating African Futures’, Ufahamu: A Journal of African Studies, 40(2), 95–112.

Ndlovu-Gatsheni, S.J. (2016). El movimiento estudiantil «Rhodes debe caer» (Rodhes Must Fall): las universidades sudafricanas como campo de lucha. Tabula Rasa, (25), 195-224.

Nerad, M., Bogle, D.L., Kohl, U., O’Carroll, C., Peters, C.& Scholz, B. (Eds.). (forthcoming) Towards a global core value system in doctoral education. University College of London Press.

Nkala, P., & Ncube, M. (2020). Institutional Structures for Student-Inclusivity in Quality Assurance Promotion in Higher Education: The Case of One University in Zimbabwe. South African Journal of Higher Education, 34(5), 92-108. https://dx.doi.org/10.20853/34-5-4243

Norad (30 June 2015). Key elements of quality: Six basic elements influence the quality of education. https://www.norad.no/en/front/thematic-areas/education/education-quality/six-key-elements-of-quality/

Olivier, J. (2021). ‘The affordances of open educational resources and student-centred open pedagogy for the decolonisation of teacher education in South Africa’, in F. Maringe (ed.), Higher Education in the melting pot: Emerging discourses of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and decolonisation (Disruptions in higher education: Impact and implication Volume 1), pp. 145–162, AOSIS, Cape Town. https://doi.org/10.4102/aosis.2021.BK305.09

Owoyokun, D. (19 February 2022). Poor Quality Education in Africa: The Trends and Threats. Fettersoff. https://fettersoff.com/poor-quality-education-in-africa-the-trends-and-threats/

Patrinos, H.A., Bustillo, E.V., & Wang, C.Y. (19 February 2014). The Six A’s of Quality Education. https://blogs.worldbank.org/education/six-s-quality-education

Pavel, A. (2012). The Importance of Quality in Higher Education in an Increasingly Knowledge-Driven Society. International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, 2(1), 120-127.

Peden, T. (31 July 2017). 10 Bad Reasons NOT to Study Abroad. https://www.goabroad.com/articles/study-abroad/ten-bad-reasons-not-to-study-abroad

Peterson Institute for International Economics (24 August 2021). What Is Globalization? And How Has the Global Economy Shaped the United States? https://www.piie.com/microsites/globalization/what-is-globalization

Pinto, R. (2019). The Effect of Western Formal Education on the Ghanaian Educational System and Cultural Identity. The Journal of Negro Education, 88(1), 5–16. https://doi.org/10.7709/jnegroeducation.88.1.0005

QPR. (2022). Quality in Postgraduate Research: What is QPR? http://www.qpr.edu.au/whatisqpr.

Quimbo, M. A. T., and Sulabo, E. C. (2014). Research Productivity and its Policy Implications in Higher Education Institutions. Stud. Higher Edu., 39(10), 1955–1971.

Rathod, L. (27 February 2020). The Importance of Good Governance in Higher Education. https://www.boardeffect.com/en-gb/blog/the-importance-of-good-governance-in-higher-education/

Roudometof, V. (2015). Theorizing glocalization: Three interpretations. European Journal of Social Theory, 1(1), 1-18.

Saikia, R., & Bezborah, P. (2014). Quality and Relevance in Higher Education. International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, 5(2), 945-953.

Sengupta, E., Blessinger, P., & Nezaami, N. (2022), "Introduction to Governance and Management in Higher Education", Sengupta, E., Blessinger, P. and Nezaami, N. (Ed.) Governance and Management in Higher Education (Innovations in Higher Education Teaching and Learning, Vol. 43), Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 3-11. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2055-364120220000043001

Surbhi, S. (17 April 2020). Difference Between Developed Countries and Developing Countries. https://keydifferences.com/difference-between-developed-countries-and-developing-countries.html.

Swuste, P., Galera, A., Van Wassenhove, W., Carretero-Gómez, J., Arezes, P., Kivistö-Rahnasto, J., Forteza, F., Motet, G., Reyniers, K., Bergmans, A., Wenham, D., & Van Den Broeke, C. (2021). Quality assessment of postgraduate safety education programs, current developments with examples of ten (post)graduate safety courses in Europe. Safety Science, 141, 1- 11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2021.105338.

Thambinathan, V. & Kinsella, E.A. (2021). Decolonising methodologies in qualitative research: Creating transformative praxis. The International Journal of Qualitative Methods. May 2021. doi:10.4102/koers.v77i2.47. http://www.koersjournal.org.za.

The World Bank, UNESCO and UNICEF (2021). The State of the Global Education Crisis: A Path to Recovery. Washington D.C., Paris, New York: The World Bank, UNESCO, and UNICEF.

Thondhlana, J. & Garwe, E.C. (2021). Repositioning of Africa in knowledge production: shaking off historical stigmas — introduction. Journal of the British Academy, 9(s1), 1–17. DOI https://doi.org/10.5871/jba/009s1.001

Tsui, C. (2009) Quality assurance in higher education: a Hong Kong perspective. PhD thesis, University College London.

Turner G. (2010). “I didn’t really appreciate how hard work it would be! – New supervisors’ experiences of doctoral supervision”. Society for Research into Higher Education Annual Research Conference; 2010 December 14–16; Newport, UK. http://www.srhe.ac.uk/conference2010/abstracts/0104.pd

UNESCO - International Bureau of Education (2022). Quality Education system. http://www.ibe.unesco.org/en/geqaf/annexes/technical-notes/quality-education-system

UNESCO. (2024). HLPF 2024: Advancing Sustainable Development Through Education and Innovation. UNESCO. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/hlpf-2024-advancing-sustainable-development-through-education-and-innovation

UNICEF and the African Union (nd). Transforming Education in Africa: An evidence-based overview and recommendations for long-term improvements. https://www.unicef.org/media/106691/file/Transforming%20Education%20in%20Africa.pdf

Uwizeye, D., Karimi, F., Thiong’o, C., Syonguvi, J., Ochieng, V., Kiroro, F., Gateri, A., Khisa, A. M., & Wao, H. (2022). Factors associated with research productivity in higher education institutions in Africa: a systematic review. AAS open research, 4, 26. https://doi.org/10.12688/aasopenres.13211.2

Varghese, N.P. (2016). Governance reforms in higher education: A study of selected countries in Africa. Paris: International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP).

Von Wendorff, F. (10 April 2022). Top 5 Challenges of Studying Abroad. https://www.topuniversities.com/blog/top-5-challenges-studying-abroad.

White, J. (19 March 2019). Great Curriculum Is Important. But It’s Not Enough. https://www.educationnext.org/great-curriculum-important-not-enough/

Williams, M. (10 September 2019). Why is curriculum important? https://www.classcraft.com/blog/why-is-curriculum-important/

Williams, R., & de Rassenfosse, G. (2020). Quality of Higher Education Systems. In: Teixeira, P.N., Shin, J.C. (eds) The International Encyclopedia of Higher Education Systems and Institutions. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8905-9_38

Winthrop, R. (11 February 2022). Improving access to quality public education in Africa. https://www.brookings.edu/testimonies/improving-access-to-quality-public-education-in-africa/

World Population Review (2022). Global South Countries 2022. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/global-south-countries.

Yalcin, B. (2009). Comparative Social Policy Programme. Oxford: University of Oxford. 10.13140/RG.2.2.16793.93288

Youmatter (6 October 2020). Globalization: Definition, Benefits, Effects, Examples – What is Globalization? youmatter. https://youmatter.world/en/definition/definitions-globalization-definition-benefits-effects-examples/

Zaman, K. (2015). Quality guidelines for good governance in higher education across the globe. Pacific Science Review B: Humanities and Social Sciences, 1(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psrb.2016.01.001.

Zeleza, P. (06 July 2021). Quality higher education ‘indispensable’ for Africa’s future. https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=202107051145016