Polymer Science Education - A (Southern) African Perspective

Polymer science and technology are two key areas for the development of novel materials and processes that influence all aspects of our daily routine from construction, computer science and health care to the exploitation and processing of natural resources. The advancement of these key areas requires basic and advanced polymer science education at school as well as at university level. Africa, being rich in natural resources including crude oil, metals and minerals, will be developing from a rural, agriculture dominated continent to a more industrialized continent with modern production facilities and a growing research and development sector within the next two decades. Such a development requires top education facilities including polymer science education and training. The present review addresses the status of polymer science education in sub-saharan Africa in the field of tertiary education. As typical examples, the situation in larger countries including Nigeria, Tanzania and Zimbabwe is discussed and compared to the situation in South Africa.