Research is one of ANIE’s core activities. ANIEs research focuses on improving the understanding of the international dimension of higher education through the development and implementation of innovative research programs to address the key challenges and benefits of internationalization to Africa. The research priorities respond to needs identified by African higher education institutions, countries and regional bodies or frameworks. Within each theme or research area, we particularly focus on areas where there are considerable knowledge gaps and where our current strengths hold the greatest potential.

ANIE 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 Africa’s higher education sector. Part of the MRCI funding from the Association of African Universities (AAU) has been used to support fifteen young scholars from across Africa to carry out research on internationalization and the MDGs. They are expected to be through with their studies by September 2011. Their outcomes will be presented at the ANIE 2011 conference. ANIE is also in the process of developing a strategy for disseminating the research output which will include the launch of an African Journal for Internationalization of Education.

As an outcome of the 2nd ANIE Conference, ANIE developed a research strategy that will guide its research in the coming years.