Higher education
18 Nov 2010
On this page
Short description of the higher education system
Benin established its first university, the Université du Dahomey, in 1970, which became the Université Nationale du Bénin (UNB) in 1975. Benin's higher education system is centralized and mostly public. The UNB catered to most of the demand for post-secondary education in the country. However, the late 1990s saw the emergence of private institutions, which are becoming a major feature of the system. In 2001, a second university, the Université de Parakou, was established. UNB became the University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC) in 2000.
UAC is scattered over six campuses. Enrolments at the main campus, Abomey-Calavi, have grown considerably from 350 students in 1970 to 7,253 in 1986, 10,595 in 1995, 18,753 in 2000 and 42,789 in 2007, at which time about 36% were women. Student enrolment in higher education represents only 1% of the age group. In 2007, four of the traditional faculties enrolled a total of 36,162 students, or 83% of the entire university student population.
Technological development in Benin has generated a growing need for specialized skills that the two universities cannot meet satisfactorily. Private institutions are filling this gap. A recent study identified 27 private higher education institutions with enrolments ranging from 20 to 521 students, even though no such institutions existed in the early 1990s. Most of these schools are located in the country’s main city and are rather small institutions offering two-year courses in industrial, business and secretarial areas. Some of them are affiliated with foreign higher education institutions (mainly in France) and provide joint higher-level courses. Private higher education institutions in Benin together enrol about 18,000 students, which represents 23% of enrolments in higher education in the country. Most of their teachers work part-time and come from the civil service.
Types of degrees
Post-secondary vocational programmes are two to three years. Two-year programmes lead to the Brevet de Technicien Supérieur / BTS (Higher Technician Certificate) or the Diplôme Universitaire de Technologie / DUT (University Diploma of Technology). Three-year programmes lead to the Diplôme ďEtudes Techniques Supérieures (Diploma of Higher Technical Studies).
First-cycle university programmes require a Baccalauréat de ľEnseignement Secondaire (Secondary Education Baccalaureate) for admission. They are two years and lead to the Diplôme Universitaire ďEtudes Littéraires / DUEL (University Diploma of Literary Studies) in the humanities, the Diplôme Universitaire ďEtudes Scientifiques / DUES (University Diploma of Scientific Studies) in the sciences, and the Diplôme ďEtudes Universitaires Générales / DEUG (University Diploma of General Studies) in law and economics. An additional year of study following these programmes leads to the Licence (licentiate). A Maîtrise (master’s) is awarded after one year of study following a Licence.
Graduate programmes are one year and require a Maîtrise for admission. Students in management, the arts and the humanities are awarded a Diplôme ďEtudes Approfondies / DEA (Diploma of Advanced Studies), and students in demography and natural resources are awarded a Diplôme ďEtudes Supérieures Spécialisées / DESS (Diploma of Higher Specialized Studies). Doctoral programmes are also offered in a number of areas such as agronomy, economics and law.
Quality assurance and accreditation
The Ministry of National Education is responsible for the quality of education at all levels. It is unclear, however, whether Benin has a regular quality assessment system in place. Several private higher institutions are accredited by the Ministry of National Education. The country also has a National Commission for the Study of the Equivalence of Degrees, a government organization responsible for accreditation of foreign degrees in the country.
