CPCHEA is an initiative of Africans for Africans. It is an organisation that is grounded in a community. The Executive Director and Secretariat are servants of that community. This priority of community is both an African and Christian value that we can share with the rest of the world.

The Secretariat has developed a cost effective operation with plans to expand in order to facilitate the effective functioning of this community.

However, CPCHEA cannot be effective without the active participation of the members. This requires a commitment by all members to making an appropriate contribution to the fulfilment of the CPCHEA Vision and Mission. This means the active participation of members in CPCHEA programmes.

The Vision of CPCHEA

That African Christians develop Christian educational programmes that show the world a better way forward incorporating the best features of Western education while enriching this with the valuable features of African culture to develop a coherent educational system that supports a society in which the gifts of all are utilised to the full and the well-being of every human is the top priority.

The Mission of CPCHEA

Is to facilitate this vision by providing collaborative links and facilities, together with resources and to promote an understanding of the essential features of an authentic Christian approach to education. This does not mean ways of "contextualising" programmes based on Western cultural values, but rather a critically creative approach that brings genuine transformational character to Christian educational endeavours

Operating Strategies

Periodical conferences will continue to play a part in facilitating communal interaction. However these will not be enough to achieve this vision and mission. Conferences provide a stimulus that MUST be followed up by ongoing collaborative endeavours. To facilitate this CPCHEA already provides valuable facilities. These are:

Online Directory

An online Directory of African Christians in higher education and related endeavours. This is based on CPCHEA membership with information organised in accordance with the four African regions. Note that CPCHEA membership is not restricted to Christians in Christian institutions. Any Christian serving in higher education, including public universities, is welcome as a member provided they support the CPCHEA Vision and Mission.

Academic Journals

African Journal for Transformational Scholarship (AJTS): a free online, refereed, interdisciplinary journal. This is the only journal of its kind: free, peer reviewed, Africa focussed, Although no new issues have appeared for the last 3 years, people are still accessing this journal, thus showing its value. So far calls for papers has been placed in the website and in our fortnightly updates. Articles for this are are welcomed from all, whatever their location, provided they conform to editorial policy. In order to effectively manage AJTS, we are in the process of establishing an editorial committee and Managing Editor.

 

Christian Higher Education (CHE): a peer-reviewed academic journal co-sponsored by CPCHEA. It is also the only journal of its kind as an international journal and affiliated with any church, religious association, or denomination. It is commercially published by Taylor & Francis, Publishers in London, England. This journal is also calling for papers.

See under "Resources" for more about both these journals.

eArticles

If you submit an article to AJTS that does not meet the peer-review requirements, but is judged by the Editorial Committee to have merit, it will be published as a stand alone online article.

Regional and Inter-regional Networks

We will shortly be launching discussion forums to facilitate an exchange of informaion and ideas, including ways of optimising the effectiveness of CPCHEA. These will be open to all members and seen as a way of mutual encouragement and stimulus

1. 

We aim to establish and maintain partnerships with other bodies enaged in Christiann higher education, such as the CHE journal, ACTEA, that played a significant role in the success of the 2005 conference, Amani Educational Services Inc,. etc

2.

We plan to fully utilise the the state of the art web technology donated to CPCHEA. A major upgrade to provide for the more effective operation of CPCHEA is nearly complete. We have identified a qualified person who will operate and update it on more regular basis, giving our administrator more time to pay attention to more sophisticated operations. Already added are CPCHEA News Briefs that will give you a quick look at new developments with a link to where further informaion is avaliable on the web site.

3.

The first issue of the planned periodical newsletter, or bulletin, "Transforming Africa Higher Education" has already been posted to the web. We look in the near future to have this available in French, and ultimately also in Portuguese and Spanish, to cover all national languages of Africa, We will also explore whether some members may need it in some other way than a web version

4.

Plans are under way to provide resources such as CDs with extended CPCHEA presentations.

5.

Then there is the need for a mechanism by which members can nominate and directly vote for the CPCHEA's council members.

We also need the financial support of all, individuals and institutions, according to their means. The present of funding is not even adequate for the present level of activity. To achieve the full potential of CPCHEA requires additional funds to cover te operating costs

  

WE NEED YOUR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THIS IMPORTANT PROGRAMME