Background
The African Network for Internationalization of Education (ANIE) is an independent, non-profit making, non-governmental African network committed to the advancement of high quality research, capacity building and advocacy on internationalization of higher education with prime focus on Africa. ANIE is a membership based association serving its members, their institutions and organizations, and others engaged understanding internationalization.The network aims to be the leading organization in enhancing the understanding and development of the international dimension of higher education in Africa by expanding both knowledge and building, strengthening and sustaining a cohort of competent professionals in this field. ANIE is an autonomous institution whose secretariat has been set up at Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya.

Evolution of the network
ANIE developed out of a project on internationalization of higher education in Africa which was concluded in early 2008. The project Higher Education in Africa: The International Dimension was funded by Ford Foundation and Carnegie Corporation of New York and undertook a comparative analysis of the current issues and emerging trends related to internationalization of higher education in Africa. The results of this study has been published in a book co-published by the Association of African Universities (AAU) and the Centre for International Higher Education (CIHE), Boston College, USA. The project co-directors Damtew Teferra (CIHE, Boston College) and Jane Knight (Ontario Institute of Studies in Education, University of Toronto) are also the co-editors of the new book which comprises articles on internationalization and case studies from 11 African countries. The project brought together lead authors and young scholars from the selected countries. The team had a series of workshops and meetings held in different parts of Africa i.e. Cairo, Egypt (March 2007), Pietermaritzburg, South Africa (August, 2007) and Nairobi, Kenya (April, 2008). These meetings were also important in building the organizational structures of ANIE.

ANIEs objectives
ANIE has the following main objectives

• To contribute to the development and understanding of internationalization of higher education in Africa through high impact research projects and publications
• To inform policy decisions related to the international dimension of higher education in Africa with high quality research evidence.
• To build/strengthen and sustain Africa’s research capacity on internationalization of higher education

To achieve these objectives, the network brings together African scholars to take the lead in developing priority research programs and enhancing use of research findings for policy formulation and policy development in the African higher education sector.