National level

25 Feb 2010

Below is a schematic overview of the present status of the Higher Education Sector at the national level and the outcomes of NICHE projects in Zambia. This overview is based on Annex 1 of the Programme Outline.

Benchmark of the present status

The current university education system is characterized by:

  • high drop-out rates, low output rates, often gender specific;
  • a lack of curriculum responsiveness and relevance to individual, community, labour market and national needs;
  • hardly any reference to gender-specific needs;
  • a lack of studies providing reliable statistical data about the unit costs and university education outputs;
  • a lack of statutory government bodies with a special mandate to coordinate and regulate university education. Communication between universities, the MoE and the donor community on tertiary education development issues is unstructured and infrequent;
  • a lack of a comprehensive quality assurance and accreditation system for post-secondary education and training. Preparations and roll-out plans for a National Qualifications Framework have been made, but the Framework is not yet implemented and integrated into strategic sector plans.
  • a low number of female staff in high management positions or pursuing academic careers within universities.

Medium Term Outcome(s) - 4 years

  • Government, public universities and donors have improved communication and the sharing of statistical and analytical data on university education.
  • Reviews and studies have produced quantifiable and analytical data, insights and recommendations in the following areas:
    - governance, regulation and quality assurance;
    - cost-efficiency levels and output of public university education;
    - graduate employability;
    - gender imbalances;
    - productive partnerships between universities and public and private sector developments (PPPs).
  • A reform programme aimed at improving relevance, quality assurance and governance of (public and private) university education has been facilitated and supported with studies and research input, with a special focus on gender issues and labour market needs. This input will be used for policy-making processes on higher education.

Longer Term Outcome(s) - 8 years

  • Government, public universities and donors have a clear understanding of each other's perspectives and have reached an agreement on a long-term reform of university education in Zambia.
  • University education programmes have proven to be responsive to national and community needs while encompassing gender specific issues and labour market requirements.
  • A reform programme for university education, approved by all stakeholders, has been implemented with effective mechanisms for regulation, quality assurance, accreditation, budgeting and financing.
  • Increased funding from public and, in particular, private sources, such as increased tuition fee incomes, contract research and PPPs.
  • PPPs have been successful and have resulted in higher product quality, more profit and sustainable private sector involvement.
  • Trade and investment relations between public universities, the private sector and donors have been enhanced in terms of quality and sustainability.
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