Enhancing Innovation: The Idea, Validity and Higher Education Reflections from the Field amid COVID-19 Crisis

Abstract

The changes experienced by African higher education institutions over the past decade remain unprecedented. An increasing external pressure, linked to the broader and modern concept of higher education that looks beyond to bringing about a new level of self-empowerment and graduate’s employability has consequently, brought about a need for overhauling higher education systems in African countries. Eventually, the validity of higher education reflections from the field amid COVID-19 crisis, casts back a light to conducting a serious educational discussion. This chapter argues neither recognized framework established nor innovative strategies are considered beyond teaching and learning to observe higher education as a fulcrum of knowledge based learning in African higher education. Findings from a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews with 30 creative entrepreneurs and arts alumni from the University of Dar-Es-Salaam and other East African universities, reveal that many suffer a social undermining problem. Hence, there is an importance of enhancing educational innovation by cultivating social capital while at university.

1. Introduction

The definition, idea, validity and purpose of higher education reflections from the field may vary subject to the policy, practices, time, laws and culture of a respective country. However, throughout this book chapter, the term “higher education” refers to post-secondary education, training, and research guidance that is offered in institutional settings like universities, colleges and vocational-technical schools or centres [1]. Besides, this chapter paints higher education as a link between education as a process, cultural life, creativity and innovation within a person. It acts as one’s route to success, enhances one’s social and cultural connections that are important to maintaining and fulfilling expectations or needs of equality and productivity [2, 3]. In brief, higher education is an evolving concept based on the freeing of the mind that looks ahead to bringing about a new level of self-actualization and empowerment to an individual student and institutional level for the sound growth of a modern society [4]. It is a process that helps an individual to acquire knowledge and skills necessary for appreciating and adapting to the environment and ever changing social, political and economic conditions of a society by means of which one can realize his or her full potential [5].

The importance of higher education is universally recognized because the entire development of either a developing or developed country is linked to the type, vision, mission, objectives and quality of higher education, that respective country provides. Nevertheless, higher education reflections from the field amid COVID-19 pandemic, provides the reasons why this study opted to base on the topic in question, with African countries higher education perspective. The COVID-19 crisis has created havoc and disrupted a good number of lives and livelihoods. This book chapter discusses why there is a need of developing competency and matching skills with the labour market in the student body while at the university, college or vocational training institute. Equally important, the chapter addresses what happens when we unleash the talent of higher education students, and analyses how can digital solutions contribute to helping creative entrepreneurs and arts alumni from higher education learning institutions recover and achieve better lives? The chapter seeks to trigger serious educational discussion so as to find sustainable ways of transforming the world of higher education in African countries paradigm for global sustainability. Hence, a serious educational debate has to be taken on board so as to rationalize a need for the transformation, including the content of the curriculum with special attention to the educational process, identification of a missing link to reflections from the field amid COVID-19 crisis.

To achieve the aims stipulated above, this chapter examines the views of 30 creative entrepreneurs and arts alumni from the University of Dar-Es-Salaam and other East African universities interviewed, to test the major hypothesis that “there is a strong relationship between the importance of higher education and its being termed as a fulcrum of the academic community in Africa” From the findings, this chapter develops some implications to support future higher education graduates to advocate for framework establishment through a structured way of conducting serious higher education debates.

Eventually, enhance “social relations” as carriers of knowledge that facilitate graduates to keep on learning new things, reinforce old ideas, solve problems, be creative and able to make decisions [6]. Consequently, develop social and cultural connections that are vital for the maintaining of the idea, and validity of higher education reflections from the field through satisfactory conditions of equality and innovative approaches.

2. Literature review

2.1 Higher education as a fulcrum of knowledge based learning

It is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore that higher education has become a real part of the globalization process and not strictly an isolated single nation’s property but a cross border matching of supply and demand entity [7]. So far, however, there has been little discussion about the new notion and a broader definition of higher education as an institution and its relevance to beyond teaching and learning settings, knowledge, skills, economy and labour market promotion in the modern world. The past two decades have seen the rapid development of higher education as a fulcrum or a tool that plays a central, essential role and a turning point of creativity, innovation, critical thinking skills enhancement and a stimulant towards lifelong learning, decent work and economic growth.

In the new context of higher education, this book chapter argues that a special attention has to be paid on four major issues, these include: firstly, fresh thinking in regard to education and training policy direction. Secondly, the content of the curriculum reform and thirdly, the entire educational process including pedagogical approaches. Fourthly, the new sociological perspective of higher education. In clarification, fresh thinking to the new education and training policy direction must be aligned to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015. The set of ideas or plan that have been agreed upon as well articulated in Goal 4 on quality education, Goal 8 on decent work and economic growth and Goal 10 based on reduced inequality, must be observed and reflected into our African higher education and training policies. However, the sustainable goals are an urgent call for action by all countries either developed or developing as agreed in our global partnership. With the content of the curriculum reform, this chapter’s argument is largely based on the current demands, and, trends within higher education and the contribution that curriculum plays in relation to inequality [8], and what is its output to the enhancement of a knowledge based-learning. Study reports show that Universities and higher learning institutions are mainly offering interdisciplinary subjects and programs as an alternative to and in other circumstances alongside disciplinary subjects [8]. Therefore, the focus in the changing world interdisciplinary curriculum reform in the lens of enhancing the knowledge that graduates already have, and for the sake of their understanding what they are going to achieve through practice should be to solve their societies’ big challenges. Recent evidence suggests that the knowledge based learning should not be “characterized as an encyclopaedia, with independent entries for information about separate topics, but rather as an interconnected network organized according to relational links between concepts” [9]. In that context, the entire education process including pedagogical approaches at higher education level must help in shaping institution’s structure and resources, accommodate social practices, help in nurturing student’s talents and give a spotlight on societies problems. Additionally, examine the sociological perspective as a new look at their familiar surroundings and the world with acknowledgement of higher education as a “global academy” [8, 10]. In any case, students from both developing or developed countries, will keep on crossing borders and joining higher learning institutions. In that context, higher education as a fulcrum of knowledge based learning, goes beyond the teaching and learning process by freeing the students mind and making individual graduate to look beyond to bringing about a new level of self-empowerment. Eventually, the situation remains as a call for a more socially just higher education system.

2.2 Giving a creative workforce the right future skills

The integration of art-rich education that enhances “human capital” being the right skills, knowledge, experience embedded in an individual, critical thinking and problem solving based in real life cycles and grounded in the knowledge of work [11] is of great importance. At all levels of education, the shaping of human capital is of great value because it stimulates graduates’ right future skills, enhances employability chances, practices and creative workforce livelihoods. In any case, the integration’s importance is due to the growing dependence on science, technological advancement and placing creative works paradigm at the heart of sustainable development policies as a social phenomenon in the twenty-first century [12].

On the whole, this book chapter reviews the literature concerning the usefulness of integrating the arts, cultural and creative industries in institutional settings due to sociological and epistemological perspectives. The uptake of cultural, creative industries (CCI) and creative economy in Africa and developing countries has been due to the new global economy. As a result, it has motivated youngest people, artists, creative entrepreneurs and arts alumni from various universities, colleges and vocational-technical schools to engage in creative works for the betterment of their future [3]. However, this chapter argues that lack of enhancing higher education systems including establishment of relevant policy frameworks and curriculum reform discourses have significantly contributed to the suffering of employability to many African university graduates. Even so, learners or graduates, policy makers and curriculum developers lack of understanding entry points to the CCI approach and its implications. Under certain circumstances, it has been hard to have in place examples of developed teaching materials by experts’ and educational practitioners in Africa Universities that can give proven results and impact [13]. To policy makers, there is a challenge of understanding the sectors value chain, its potential, richness, contribution, application, and marketing strategies of its products, services and goods. That is to say, African governments, policy makers and many curricular developers have let down higher education graduates on every step of their journey from universities or colleges to entering the labour market [14]. These have extended graduates suffering due to the unleashing of the talent of every learner and many graduate without creativity and matching skills for the job market. In clarification, the matching skills include but are not restricted to digital skills for the future workforce like: animation, multimedia production, design in engineering, building and maintaining, IT systems and networks, research and quantitative data analysis [15].

2.3 The missing link to reflections from the field

One question that needs to be asked, however, is what are the missing links to the idea, validity and higher education to reflections from the field amid COVID-19 pandemic. In recent years, there has been an increasing amount of literature on higher education and labour market policy. Several studies have revealed that through improving the relevance of curricula, and creating new and demand-driven programs, including career management skills are aspects required so as to constitute to employability in university and tertiary students [16, 17]. Nevertheless, in the face of COVID-19 crisis, due to the lockdowns experienced, no corner of career, university and learning institutions shutdowns and businesses in either developed or developing country have been left unaffected by the pandemic. Therefore, the lockdowns bringing about some social and economic havoc to all including the Cultural and Creative Industries sector. In clarification, the situation, made artists, freelancers and cultural professionals being exposed to economic shocks due to the loss of their jobs or being destroyed, eventually, many were in a vulnerable position [18]. Admittedly, COVID-19 has proved that there is a need to equip graduates with the right knowledge and skills. So as to make graduates thrive in times of disruption also building a reputation for digital transformation that can help them to survive in the changing environment.

So far, however, reflections from the field show that there has been little discussion about firstly, investing in a work based learning competency [19] so as to offer opportunities for further education study, learning new information and skills so as to enhance employability chances to graduates. Studies show that learning new information is an individual phenomenon and a socially situated process which has to have a dual impact of the global competition, on one side, offered by the new information technology, on the other side [3, 20]. Secondly, reflections from the field show that, higher education has become part and parcel of the globalization process [7] due to the fact that there is an increased higher education students’ opportunity and mobility. For example, UNESCO reports show that, currently, there are around 235 million students enrolled in universities around the world. Out of the above mentioned amount, 6 million are studying abroad. Whereas, more than half of the identified 6 million are studying outside their region, a figure that has become three times in the last 20 years [21]. Therefore, there is a need of enhancing networking so as to keep abreast interacting with other experts or professionals focused on exchanging information and developing professional social contacts [22]. This chapter argues that a step of cultivating social capital, is of vital importance due to the fact that it motivates the formulation of networks for creative entrepreneurs, creative experts as professionals, arts alumni from global Universities and other higher learning institutions. Thus, the networking allows individuals as graduates to exchange experiences, realize their entrepreneurial capabilities, establish connections, work together in a group, and eventually, achieve a common purpose [21, 22]. Thirdly, the research to date has tended to focus on higher education graduates and employability rather than the internal efficiency of pedagogy and pedagogical approaches in elementary schools [23] of the African settings so as to make a significant change. This chapter argues that the effectiveness of higher education merits mostly depends upon internal efficiency of primary, secondary and undergraduate education. In that context, esthetic literacy and future skills are two parallel aspects towards giving a creative workforce the right future skills for work and society. Hence, a relationship exists between esthetic literacy’s importance for work and society due to the fact that—esthetics has proved to play an important role in the workforce given the fact that jobs require an ability to formulate new ideas, or rework on something that already exist to produce works of art, cultural products, beauty, creativity, design and curation [24]. For example, in musical works, acrobatics, poetry, architecture, film making, technological inventions and creations, fashion and designing, animation and multimedia productions. Finally, another missing link include having in place inadequate qualities and resources in enhancing innovation as a practical implementation of ideas that result in the introduction of new goods, services and products through knowledge driven actions, realize graduate’s entrepreneurial capabilities for improved education system [25]. All identified challenges above, as missing links on the ground must be linked to transforming higher education so as to observe higher education graduate’s livelihoods, African countries sustainable development and for global sustainability. However, there is no reliable evidence that there are new strategies to the enhancement of innovation, linked to the social and cultural connections. The connections are important to facilitate graduates to learn new things, reinforce old ideas, solve problems and promote creativity as a core aspect of learning at statutory and tertiary levels of education [26, 27].

3. Methods

3.1 Research design

The study employed a survey research design as a plan, structure, and approach of investigation so as to obtain answers to the study questions or problem [28]. For this purpose, this study utilized an overarching case study strategy that incorporated qualitative research through internet survey approach, face-to-face and telephone interviews to 30 creative entrepreneurs, arts alumni from the University of Dar-Es-Salaam, Bagamoyo College of Arts (TaSUBa), Butimba Teachers’ College, Makumira University, Kampala University and other tertiary education institutes in East African region. Much research on innovation and the idea, validity and higher education reflections from the field amid COVID-19 crisis was conducted employing semi-structured interviews and observations to examine alumni reflections and implications from the field amid COVID-19 pandemic from African countries higher education perspectives (e.g. [7, 18, 26, 27, 29]). The study examined participant’s reflections through the following key research questions:

• RQ1. How important do graduates consider the lifelong learning notion and how did they draw their connectedness to enhance their social relations?

• RQ2. What are alumni’s implications on employability and higher education reflections from the field amid COVID-19 crisis?

The study addressed the questions above through qualitative approach, data collection, and finally, doing the data analysis. Employing a process of reviewing literature on innovation and the idea, validity and higher education reflections from the field amid COVID-19 crisis, this study aimed to extract and identify a broader perception of the participants (alumni) views from the data. The study needed to cast back a light to conducting a serious educational discussion so as to find ways of enhancing educational innovation, closing the gap to reflections from the field, and, looking into ways how to cultivate social capital while at university.

3.2 Participants and procedure

The researcher being a Tanzanian citizen, who has worked extensively in the field of education, arts, culture and the creative industries, understood well the sector. The situation helped to obtained adequate representation or participants using his extensive networks. Also as an insider observer, the researcher offered an advantage in terms of accessing through his deeper understanding of the relations and respondents’ views of their social and real world [30, 31]. Hence, all social research is a form of participant observation because the researcher cannot study the social world without being part of it [3, 32]. As identified above, thirty creative entrepreneurs and arts alumni from statutory and tertiary levels of education in Tanzania and other colleges in East Africa region were interviewed. The interview data were collected through audio recordings, and finally, transcribed. The respondents included who graduated 12–60 months prior to the interview due to the fact that these had adequate experience on their tertiary education.

This social research employed four basic methods of social research: interviews, questionnaires, observation and document for the collection of empirical data focused on getting a clear picture of the issue, an accurate measurement, facts and evidence about the subject matter [33]. Only selected carefully, the small, convenient and best sample as representatives of a large population [34, 35] were sent the internet survey to complete with well-articulated purpose of the survey on the front page and relevant instructions on completing specific sections throughout the survey. The emphasis was on gaining respondents’ perspectives, developing in-depth insights of the nature of innovation and sustainability, both for graduate’s employability and their professional careers [11, 16, 26, 27]. In investigating the social world, the study used semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions so as to gain the best outcome from the research [33]. The questions were about their current employment position be a freelancer or employed in a public or private sector after higher education—their views on internal efficiency of pedagogy and pedagogical approaches in elementary schools. Hence, linked to their human capital nature and new strategies to the enhancement of educational innovation, their employment situation and how this relates to social and cultural connections [35].

3.3 Data analysis

This study was designed as empirical research, thus, it was necessary to develop relevant ideas using empirical evidence as a key point in answering the research questions [33]. The data included recordings of the interviews that were transcribed employing Interpretative Phenomenology Analysis (IPA). The data analysis aimed to explore the details linked to how participants made sense of their personal and social world [36]. The transcription was thematically analyzed so as to enable the study to make connections between graduates, creative entrepreneurs and arts alumni views. The analysis allowed clustering of the themes and continuing the analysis with other rich and unanticipated related cases [37] pertaining to graduates’ social capital, educational innovation and implications beyond teaching and learning to observe graduate’s employability and higher education as a fulcrum of knowledge based learning.

4. Research findings

The results reflect emergent themes respondents (alumni and creative entrepreneurs) considered worth paying attention to during their studies. Key themes included enhancing educational innovation so as to overcome pressing pedagogy and pedagogical challenges, cultivating their human and social capital or relations as a career of knowledge and a way to boost their competence and talent related skills. More specifically, was the formulation of career networks while at university and beyond so as to facilitate them to keep on learning new things, practicing and reinforcing old ideas, solving problems, being creative and innovative, and, be able to make decisions [6]. Another thematic area was an inclusion of career embeddedness or job embedded professional learning. Eventually, alumni identified the social undermining behavioral challenge.

4.1 Enhanced educational innovation

Having analyzed the data, a key theme emerged was having in place enhanced educational innovation. Alumni emphasized on policy and educational frameworks reform for modernization of education, overcome pedagogy and pedagogical challenges, focused on the internationalization of higher education as a global issue in favor of the 2030 Agenda for development and beyond. Local initiatives (African countries in specific) was their emphasis so to improve the effectiveness in educational management, having strategic frameworks for African cooperation through joint venturing in education and training with abroad. An emphasis was on changes in policies related with curricula, teacher’s ability, accountability and institution administration and management. Hence, new ideas, need to be generated and converted into useful outcomes for graduate’s knowledge and skills enhancement, employability, decent jobs promotion and contribution to economic growth.

Lecturers or teacher’s ability in some higher education institutions was a feature of some respondents’ views in the study. The following sad story from the data describes the need to have competent teachers so as to make students graduate with skills and knowledge in their careers.

“I have a good example of what happened recently to Law School of Tanzania students results in October, 2022. Reports did show an alarming rate of failure to students studying to become advocates. According to the bar exam results, only 26 students, equivalent to 4.1 percent passed, while 342 were required to re-sit for some exams… At the same time 265 students, equivalent to 41.9 were disqualified. Unfortunately, the college administration did thrown blames to their former universities for the poor preparations of students in their degrees… in my opinion, I agree to what the Law school administration said… the poor results for the Law School of Tanzania graduates were due to the incapable teachers/lecturers in their former universities and lack of adequate practical work. Nevertheless, one of the key qualities of a teacher is to make sure that his students succeed with knowledge and skills relevant in their fields of study” L2.

Taken together, the above statement from the data and the following (below) quotation from the interview, reflect the feeling of the majority of participants of the study:

“With the globalization – Africa higher education system should never allow themselves to be swept away and lose their cultural heritage. Let young people as graduates be exposed to their cultural heritage to enable them to be creative and innovative so as to contribute to their global development” F 5.

In short the data above, show that the internationalization of higher education has to be based on a conceptual framework. In clarification, the conceptual framework has to stand as a representation of the relationships the African society expects to see between higher education system and balancing young graduate’s creative talents vis-à-vis the value of cultural heritage in the global higher education community all in favor of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and beyond.

Similar examples were outlined by other graduates, highlighting the overcoming pressing pedagogy and pedagogical challenges. As E3 said regarding pedagogical challenges: “most candidates who graduate from some universities in Tanzania and in some African countries lack requisite academic competence and practical training, at any rate, lecturers specialized in theories need not to be allocated to teach students in higher learning institutions” While, respondent H8, describes the situation as follows:

“Ok, my argument is based on policy and educational frameworks modernization. What I would like to refer to is, a five-year Higher Education for Economic Transformation (HEET) project in Tanzania through the World Bank support. The project’s main objective is to increase enrolment, improve the training quality and labour market relevant to degree programs. However, I think we have a lesson to learn with reference to global disruption to higher education systems created by the COVID-19 in particular…responding to the challenges, policy makers in Tanzania and East Africa region have got to go back to the drawing board and discuss about ways to reshape ideas and practices in higher education by giving priority to cultural, creative industries and creative economy be at the heart of higher education policy due to its multiple-benefits” H8.

The respondents’ views reflect what they believe is happening on the ground compared to what should happen as well stipulated by UNESCO that higher education has to be based from a human rights perspective. Thus, higher education must be built on a framework for sustainable development linked to Agenda for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 4 that: “respect for life and human dignity, equal rights, social justice, cultural diversity, international solidarity and shared responsibility for a sustainable future” [38].

4.2 Cultivating human and social capital

Multiple creative entrepreneurs and alumni mentioned the importance of cultivating human and social capital, creativity, competence, knowledge and talent related skills while at university. M4 expressed about her passion as a pathway to literacy and employment as follows: “being at school, from secondary to college level, my early interest in music developed into a feeling and memory of interest I had for a very long time…that one day to become an outstanding musician…thanks “God” after pursuing my degree in Music, I am now self-employed. I think developing talents, skills, knowledge and experience possessed by an individual is of great value not only to an individual but the entire society” C9 emphasized the importance of cultivating networks of relations between people, groups and entities while at university so as to remain as a social investment after graduation and in times of uncertainty and danger as observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, fuel and food shortage due to climate change. The following comment expounds on that initiative: “I think of social capital as links, interacts undertaken in a large market place as I experience…me as an IT expert through WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram during the COVID-19 crisis… I managed to train women creative entrepreneurs how to link or market their products through the internet, sharing their values and understandings, building trust to each other, and eventually, make them work together” T6 encourages on the importance of enhancing proactive behavior in the workplace as an attribute of social capital for a greater educational achievement, improved employment outcomes and observance of a well-developed sense of mutual trust. “I believe proactive behaviour in the workplace can help workers to identify and solve challenges before they occur …it can help them to think out of the box by planning and preparing for upcoming tasks while bearing in mind what to do to others in need of their help…certainly this is one of the most valuable thing someone can have…it builds trust”.

In interpreting the findings, there are similarities between the attitude expressed by most respondents on human and social capital cultivation. However, the loss of human capital (skills, knowledge and experience) embodied in an individual graduate and social capital (being the networks of relationships among graduates who live and work in a particular field) were a feature of most respondents’ views. The comments and information collected from participants show that higher education system changes in (i.e. policies, curriculum, norms, structures, pedagogy and pedagogical strategies) must be made as far as modernization of higher education is concerned. This will arguably equip graduates with the knowledge and skills for their employability, livelihoods, economic, lifelong learning and contribution to African countries and global education sustainable development. In clarification, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) as well stipulated by UNESCO means:

“integrating key sustainable development issues such as climate change, disaster risk reduction and biodiversity into teaching and learning… applying participatory teaching and learning methods to empower learners to take action for sustainable development… building the capacity of policy-makers and educators to equip learners with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values they need to address the social, environmental and economic challenges of the 21st century” [39]. In multiple cases, respondents prescribed that through the curriculum the integration of cultural heritage can effectively contribute to education for sustainable development. F7 said, “the integration of culture in the teaching and learning profile has to start from primary level, secondary schools to University level so as to nurture talents, creativity and innovation… thus, motivate graduates to meet their dreams or their passion in the labour market attained. Hopefully, this will reduce the unemployment challenge and influx of graduates into African big cities with their certificates in search of jobs within the public sector” However, a lack of funding, start-up finance or capital for expansion of their businesses as freelancers (to graduates) in the arts, cultural and creative industries, as well as marketing of their products due to the monopolization of international markets by a few multinationals has been alumni feeling and a challenge faced by the sector across African countries. In a broader perspective this analysis from the qualitative data suggests: “Yeah, policy makers, governments and private sector in African countries need to come-up with plans of financing the cultural and creative industries so as to help creative entrepreneurs and graduates from the sector fulfil their desire for better lives,…stimulate employment within the creative sector and contribution to sustainable development through creative economy…rather than the sector remaining poorly resourced and depending on foreign financial support” G2.

In his classic critique, Canclini describes the above stipulated case as follows: “instead of the death of traditional cultural forms, we now discover that tradition is in transition, and articulated to modern processes. Reconversion prolongs their existence. To reconvert cultural capital means to transfer symbolic patrimony from one site to another in order to converse it, increase its yield, and better the position of those who practice it” [40].

4.3 Career networks and new information technology

The results of the study did show that graduates as respondents across diverse programs agreed in principle the formulation of career networks while at university and beyond. They also mentioned embarking on new information technology as a way towards the enhancement of social relations as career of knowledge and a step that facilitate them to keep on learning, practising new things and reinforcing traditional cultural heritage elements. “I think, in order to survive in our creative jobs, its high time for us to give fresh impetus to e-commerce channels and social media platforms use so as to connect us with audiences and consumers … We need to find new ways to supplement our income since Coronavirus pandemic has decimated our creative products income stream” J4.

Creative business graduates describe that Information Technology (IT) and digital revolution have been to a great deal enablers of development. “When being at the University, I used to see my colleagues networking through WhatsApp, Instagram and Twitter – I couldn’t really see a need of joining the social media platforms. Then, when I graduated, and specifically, in the middle of COVID-19 crisis and lockdown, I came to realise the usefulness of developing networks and adopting digital strategies…use of e-commerce in marketing our organization’s creative products, goods and services…thanks, technology and digital revolution have opened a new window for graduates and creative entrepreneurs to go digital” P1. Creative entrepreneurs and business graduates emphasized the value of digital literacy and inclusion of new Information Technology (IT) in the learning and teaching environment. Many respondents did suggest that the inclusion of digital literacy studies, should be from kindergarten schools to university level so as to enhance pedagogy and pedagogical approaches, literacy and skills needed in the labour market and modern education system. Evidently, the quotation below corroborate what graduates emphasized above:

“…the world is changing quickly, and the uses of new Information Technology (IT) do prepare students for more connected interactions within the learning environment and teaching profession” [41].

When commenting about the learning experiences at university, graduates illustrated their views with stories of their own experiences in the field when undertaking a range of internships, project courses and formal placements as follows: “in undertaking my Performing and Fine Arts Degree, the internship help me to gain experience also satisfy the requirements for the qualification…I got to see a theatrical production process and the conversion of a dramatic text into a theatrical performance is done through an inclusion of a diverse range of art forms from acting, directing, production, lighting stage props, costume design, back ground music and back stage support” P3. Again, most respondents described the issue as follows. E6 said, “In my Engineering degree… my course project got me to see how different engineering and technical solutions are made, for example, a plan for a structure, calculations for designs of structures, machinery and equipment and practical implementation related to regulations of construction/production”.

The above data analysis from respondents are in sympathy with a recent investment made by HEVA Fund, the first dedicated East Africa Creative Business Fund, a business fund that supports the region’s economy; CCI growth dynamics and knowledge facility for creative industries. It underscored the financial impact of COVID-19 and supported the transition to low-touch and digital capabilities on creative businesses in the East African region [42]. Similarly, the data analysis from graduates reflect Cunningham et al. comment as put in the following extract: “the harnessing of creativity brings with it a potential of new wealth creation, the cultivation of local talent and the creation of creative capital, the development of new export markets, significant multiplier effects throughout the broader economy, the utilization of information-communication technologies and increased competitiveness in an increasingly global economy” [43].

4.4 Job embedded professional learning

This book chapter argues that a marked change in form, nature and appearance of a graduate is a product of a two-way traffic. Hence, influenced strongly by a teacher’s learning that is grounded in his day-to-day teaching practice, having in place an effective communicative instructional interaction in the entire education process, and student’s critical and self-reflection, open learning by throwing light on the content of the core curriculum [44]. In providing a reasonable argument for the notion of a two-way traffic between vocational education and training and higher education, Harris et al. continue by saying:

“In a society committed to lifelong learning, and with an economy requiring a knowledgeable, skilled, flexible and adaptable labour force, it is essential that there are clear and easy pathways between the vocational education and training (VET) and higher education sectors for reasons of equity and efficiency” [45].

Commenting on the learning and teaching as a two-way traffic, most respondents made these observations:

“I think, the transformation of a trainee into the learning environment, is influenced strongly by the ability of her or his teacher in the entire learning and teaching environment…and activities that are included so as to enhance instructional practices to improving student’s knowledge, skills and sociological perspectives all focused on the learner’s core curriculum” B10.

“My feeling is that the governments in African countries must be bold on… I mean, must discourage the act of many teachers conducting tutoring in addition to regular school instructions. It is through this many students from poor families who can’t afford the tuition fee are half baked or badly taught simply because students are taught less during the normal school hours so as to increase demand for the tuition…Consequently, as observed recently to the failure of many Law School students in Tanzania, one of the reasons could certainly be that!” L9.

The qualitative unit of analysis and the respondents’ views above, interprets the notion and context behind a clear definition of the phrase “job embedded professional learning”. Hence, always the intent of a teacher in the teaching and learning environment or pedagogical implications should be that of improving student’s learning as stipulated in the respective educational policy and core curriculum. Again, the respondent’s feeling in the quotations above are in agreement with those of other related studies which showed, after-school tutoring in African and developing countries is an incentive to teach badly [44, 45, 46].

4.5 Social undermining behavioral challenge

Multiple creative entrepreneurs and alumni in the field mentioned the social undermining behavior as a challenge they do experience in their careers that hinder their job success, their reputation and positive relationships. P3 said “during my internship, I worked with a mentor who bad-mouthed me to the company boss… that attitude of saying bad things about me ruined my reputation and image but now in my new work station… I enjoy… things have changed” Similarly, some graduates lamented that social undermining behavior at work places distorts one’s creativity and innovative spirit as a crucial mind-set that actively seeks change to the continuing success of an individual or an organization. “I think social undermining behaviour is probably one of the most crucial aspect that prevents someone or something from doing something… it restrains one’s creativity at a place of work” G7. Others noted the value of nurturing talents, abilities, creativity and developing capabilities for sustainable change in the current changing business market characterized by competition. Graduates went further by lamenting that bad-mouthing hinders worker’s success due to the fact that the attitude keep job-related frustrations, and eventually, causes workers to suffer both a sociological and epistemological undermining. M5 emphasized, “We must get rid of the patriarchal system of despising creative artists, especially, female musicians, fine artists, actresses and others against men…this situation of saying bad things hurts them and sets them back in their career development”.

A change in behavior and attitude was the main concept and a feature of most respondents’ view referred to above. The respondents’ comments, take a broad view and incorporate factors that are hard to eliminate in a social context because they are features that affect an individual person’s behavior, interpersonal factors, attitude, ability, values and motivations. However, such statements are in sympathy with those of Khan et al. based on social undermining and employee’s creativity: “our study results indicated a significant negative association between social undermining and employee’s creativity, while serial mediation analysis showed that interpersonal distrust and knowledge hiding partially mediated the above linkage” [47].

5. Serious educational discussion and its implications

The findings in this study highlight several implications from the creative entrepreneurs and alumni reflections in connection to a need for enhancing innovation as far as the idea, validity and higher education reflections from the field amid COVID-19 crisis are concerned. The findings as well stipulated above, support a need for conducting a serious educational discussion. Hence, neither recognized framework established nor innovative strategies are considered beyond teaching and learning to observe higher education as a fulcrum of knowledge based learning in African higher education system. Higher education as a central point institution (a shaft on which a mechanism turns or fulcrum) can be termed as an equilibrium of a public policy in the “learning profiles and achievement” [48].

In clarification, the term learning profile and achievement summarize a range of factors. These include but are not restricted to individual development and characteristics or intelligence, gender and culture as issues to be considered or given priority in the serious educational discussion and its implications in the African context. Furthermore, this chapter argues that framework establishment has to retrieve the designing of learning experiences premised behind intelligence preferences, and, special consideration to be put on differentiated learning styles or approaches. Hence, study reports show that students learn in different ways and the teaching and learning would be more effective if students could explore content in ways that work best for them [48]. In that context, a special attention in the student’s learning must be paid in the content of the curriculum and the entire respective educational process through knowledge based learning. I mean, all that can occur through the “learning paradigm” as the students’ active role in learning and her or his purpose of learning as opposed to “instruction paradigm” (learning and teaching as a two-way traffic) all which have proved to be strong motivators for students. This chapter suggests the following to be taken on board so as to realize a genuine purpose of the 21st Century Education Framework in the African context:

Firstly, Human Capital: As viewed by graduates and confirmed by the findings above, there is a need to transform the traditional education system, formulas and structure towards raising the level of “personalization” in education for graduate’s employability, livelihoods and global development (emotional and cognitive). Therefore, this chapter acknowledges that the model or education framework has to be for guidance, insight and inspiration based on access, attention and specialization embedded in the skills, knowledge, and experience possessed by an individual. As a result, make each and every graduate learn to the highest, deepest, and broader possible levels so as to accommodate the individual intelligence in favor of his or her expectations, needs, gift or talent, experience, preferences, personal traits and knowledge level [49].

Secondly, new Information Technology (IT): study reports and the findings show that the COVID-19 pandemic forced many governments to shift their instructions to e-learning or virtual learning modalities. However, many students in African countries lacked regular access to the internet that could allow them to participate fully into their learning environment [38, 39, 41]. Again, creative entrepreneurs and alumni interviewed confirmed that during COVID-19 crisis and the lock down enhanced their use of e-commerce business (the buying and selling of their creative goods or services using the internet, including the transferring of money and data to execute their transactions). In that context, digital literacy competencies (i.e. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) literacy, media literacy) are very essential skills or supportive systems that students need so as to succeed in their work, lives, businesses and sustainable development.

Thirdly, Social Capital: Despite the fact that the term “social capital” is a complex phenomenon as viewed by many respondents, the data of analysis managed to paint-out a picture of social capital as networks of relationships among people who live and work together and enables them to function effectively [38, 39]. Hence, the findings did show how the established networks helped them to create and facilitate, for example, student-industry relationships through internships, business opportunities and program showcase events like: festivals, exhibitions, competitions and awards, research, education and training programs effectively. This chapter suggests that the inclusion of social capital component in the learning profile is particularly useful for students to cultivate credibility, make big bets on transformational ideas, technology and social wellbeing, especially, for those who are searching for opportunities beyond their boundaries of work, society, area of study and community [40].

6. Conclusion

This book chapter has focused on the idea, validity and higher education reflections from the field amid COVID-19 crisis in African countries. It has articulated ways that are linked to innovation, changes in the core curriculum and learning styles, developing education for creativity focused on producing creative learners in higher education. The chapter has discussed, emphasized and dwelt on higher education beyond instructional activities. How can higher education be observed as a process that can help an individual to acquire knowledge and skills necessary for graduates to adapt to the environment socially, politically and economically at the same time realizing their full potential or intelligence? (emotional and cognitive).

This chapter has outlined why there is a need of conducting a serious higher education discussion and its implications. It has painted why higher education is a real part of the globalization process and embodiment practice that encompasses the interaction of one’s body, thoughts and actions in learning as a lifelong process. Additionally, this book chapter has suggested and outlined some recommendations. It has pointed out why there is a need of having in place a recognized framework as a guide with key issues to be taken on board in the serious higher education discussion, and, remain as strong motivators for students. These motivators include but are not restricted to:

• Prioritizing of “human capital” so as to designate traits, qualities or nurturing a talent a student has that can make him or her unique, determine one’s effectiveness and sustainability for a job, when paired with knowledge and skill learned through experience. Thus, priority has to be put on the enhancement of the level of “personalization” in education for graduate’s employability, livelihoods and global development.

• “Digital skills (ICT) and job coalition” focused on strengthening of ICT as core components of learning at statutory and tertiary levels of education. These being central to innovation skills linked to individual, social, cultural economic and 21st Century workforce or business development.

• For the higher education achievement in both curriculum and the entire educational process, “social capital” as the drawing of networks of relationships support graduated to build greater awareness of the “real-world” insight and experience. Its practice as reflected in the findings will help students to build a portfolio of core, technical, digital, creative, innovative ways across their careers by delivering career-based learning in partnership with i.e. colleges, universities and the community. Eventually, develop a coherent business investment through strategic partnership environment in support of the skills investment plan for the higher education academic achievement.

One implication of the motivators above as new codes of practice for improving the situation, policies for the enhancement of creativity and higher education policy reforms need to be taken into account. This chapter has argued that the best long-term option to change the educational process and classroom perspectives in higher education for graduates’ employability and economic development is to conduct a serious educational discussion. Though difficult to achieve in the African context, it is essential to ensuring a lifelong learning and educational innovation is observed by cultivating graduates’ social capital while at university (Table 1).

Code	Gender	Year of graduation	Degree/major	Occupation
L2	Male	2021	Law	Advocate, Private Firm
F5	Female	2020	Fine and Performing Arts	Creative expert, Freelancer CCI
E3	Male	2019	Engineering	Founder, Manager Engineering/Architecture
M4	Female	2021	Music	Self employed
H8	Female	2019	Culture and Heritage	Community Manager, Cultural Heritage site
C9	Female	2018	Computer science	CEO, Founder Private Company
T6	Male	2019	Theater Arts	Creative Expert: Public Office, District Cultural Officer
F7	Male	2018	Film and Television	CEO, Creative Hub
G2	Male	2019	Graphic Design	Founder, Managing Director Private Company
J4	Female	2020	Journalism	Journalist, TV and Radio
P1	Male	2019	Performing and Fine Arts	Founder, CEO, Creative Organization
P3	Female	2020	Performing and Fine Arts	Founder, Self-employed
E6	Male	2019	Engineering	Founder, Project Manager (Engineering company)
B10	Male	2018	BA with Education Degree	Teacher, Vocational institute (VETA)
L9	Male	2021	Law (LLB)	Advocate, self-employed
G7	Female	2019	Graphic design	Founder, CEO, Graphic artist
M5	Female	2020	Music	Musician, self-employed

Table 1.

Participants.