‘Towards a Common Future’

1. ‘Towards a Common Future’ Higher Education and SADC Regional Development

2. Neil Butcher and Associates (NBA) Research Team • Neil Butcher • Merridy Wilson-Strydom • Sarah Hoosen • Cathy Macdonald • Andrew Moore • Lindsay McDonough

3. Presentation Overview • Research Design and Methodology • Gathering SADC HE Data • Overview of HE in the SADC Region • Discussion

4. SADC Region • Diverse Region with wide variation in populations, poverty levels, education contexts • Population (2006) ranged from 1.146 million people in Swaziland to 61.532 million people in DRC • GDP per capita (2006) ranged from $175 in Malawi to $5,720 in Botswana • Human Development Index (HDI) rankings (2007) range from Mauritius (65) to Mozambique (172) • Some variation in key economic sectors, but agriculture remains major economic sector for most countries. • In most cases (not all) principal exports are primary products

5. SADC Regional Development Priorities (1) • ‘The SADC vision is one of a common future, a future in a Regional community that will ensure economic well-being, improvement of the standards of living and quality of life, freedom and social justice and peace and security for the peoples of Southern Africa’ (SADC website, emphasis added)

6. SADC Regional Development Priorities (2) • Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) Priority Intervention Areas • Cross-Sectoral Intervention Areas: • Poverty eradication; • Combating HIV and AIDs • Gender equality and development • Science and Technology • ICTs • Environment and sustainable development • Private sector • Statistics • Sectoral cooperation and integration Intervention areas: • Trade/economic liberalisation and development • Infrastructure support for Regional integration and poverty eradication • Sustainable food security • Human and social development (RISDP, 2001)

7. SADC Protocol on Education • Elements relevant to HE: • Mechanisms to support access with the region, including student and staff mobility • Mechanisms to allow representation of different member countries (esp. post-graduate level) • Cooperation in design of learning programmes and materials • Bilateral and multilateral links in support of collaborative research and joint/split-site teaching • Cooperation in examination of academic programmes and quality assurance • National support of HE to ensure provision of qualified staff, infrastructure, library holdings, scientific and other equipment • Promotion of participation for socially excluded groups • Establishment of Centers of Specialization to build capacity in the Region

8. Research Design and Methodology

9. Research Objectives • Describe HE in the SADC Region, with a focus on collection and analysis of institutional data and an analysis of national HE contexts; • Understand the current status and potential of Regional collaboration in the HE arena; • Collect baseline data that can be used as a starting point for the collection of Regional HE data in the longer term; and • Reflect on the processes of gathering comparative Regional HE data where national contexts differ widely.

10. Study Population • Ministries of Education in the 14 participating countries • 64 Public Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) currently members of SARUA • No private HEIs included in the study

11. Methodology • Two questionnaires (translated into French and Portuguese), one targeting HEIs and one targeting MoEs, with sections focused on: • Institutional data • Funding data • Quality assurance • Regional collaboration • Multiple data gathering methods: • Emailing (faxing and couriering in some instances) of questionnaires to MoEs and HEIs • Intensive email and telephone follow-up by English, French and Portuguese speakers • Visits to a sample of countries (Angola, Botswana, DRC, Namibia, Tanzania and Zambia) • Review of MoE websites, HEI websites and literature.

12. Ensuring data quality and comparability • Questionnaire development based on review of existing HE data sources and research to define data categories best applicable across the range of country contexts • Quality mechanisms: • Data verification spreadsheet prepared to check tallying of responses received • Where data was not accurate or was unclear a verification request was prepared • Data subjected to second round of checking during preparation of country reports • Final versions of reports sent back to participants for verification • Data captured in consolidated regional spreadsheets cross-checked against final versions of country reports to ensure consistency

13. Response rates • Challenging to get responses • In some cases internet access was noted as a challenge, in others, the breadth of data being collected was noted as too time consuming to complete • Where responses not received, additional data sources were consulted in an effort to extract data. • 5 SA HEIs did not submit responses, HEMIS data was used

14. Summary of Response Rates

15. Reporting • Individual HEI reports prepared for each of the participating HEIs • Overview of HE at the national level was prepared based on MoE responses and literature • National level review and HEI reports compiled into individual country reports • Regional report – based on review of country reports, as well as analysis of data at a regional level

16. Gathering SADC HE Data Challenges and suggestions for future efforts

17. Regional Statistics • High quality, up to date and comparable data on HE in SADC is needed if HE is to fulfill its developmental potential • Putting in place processes for gathering Regional level data within SADC is one of the priority areas of the RISDP – aim is to have harmonized statistics and an integrated database of key statistics in place by 2015 • The challenge of gathering Regional level data (within SADC and many other regions) has been documented • Inter-dependence of national and international (regional data gathering and management processes)

18. Gathering quality HE data in the SADC Region (1) Challenge One: Getting a First Response: • Many contact details and people provided had changed • Reaching the final response rate of 83% required time consuming follow-up procedures • MoE example • HEI example

19. Gathering quality HE data in the SADC Region (2) Challenge Two: Data Accuracy • On receipt of questionnaire responses, data was checked using verification spreadsheet – tallying of numbers within tables and also across questions • In most instances, responses needed to be send back at least once for verification • Some responses to verifications requests provided accurate data, sometimes new inconsistencies were introduced • 20 initial verification requests remain outstanding despite follow up email and telephone calls

20. Illustrative examples of verification requests • Example One: The number of contact students (15, 710) and distance students (384) add up to 16, 907. the number of full time (12, 602) and part time (2, 724) students add up to 15, 326. The number of national students (14, 942), SADC students (136) and other international students (632) add up to 15, 710. • Example Two: The total number of academic and research staff provided in question 8 (38, 736) are much higher than the total numbers broken down by field of study/faculty (905).

21. Gathering quality HE data in the SADC Region (3) Challenge Three: Defining comparable units of analysis/data categories • Examples of data categories, definitions not followed accurately, data not presented according to data categories in the questionnaires • Headcount data was used as the basis for this study. Some HEIs record data based on full time equivalents (FTEs). FTE and Headcount data do not always tally • Most common, were differing definitions of ‘major fields of study’ and ‘levels of study’ • Data was cleaned as far as possible, but in some instances inconsistencies remain

22. Gathering quality HE data in the SADC Region (4) Challenge Four: Reference Year and Actual versus Estimate data • Respondents were asked to provide data for the ‘most recent academic year available’ and to note the reference year. • Also asked to specify whether data was ‘actual’ or ‘estimate’ • In most cases actual data was presented, but a few examples of estimated data were found (noted as such in country reports) • Data provided by different respondents did not always refer to the same reference year – specified in individual reports, but treated in the same way in regional level analyses • Data provided was mostly from 2006/07 year, but in some cases 2005 and in a few instances 2008 data was provided.

23. Gathering quality HE data in the SADC Region (5) Challenge Five: Question Types • Study brief included broad focus on HE sector in SADC countries, including: • HE data, • Information about quality assurance, • Information about capacity building needs, • Funding data, and • Information on extent of regional collaboration, as well as the extent to which collaboration is valued. • Used quantitative and qualitative questions in which more descriptive responses could be provided. • Qualitative responses useful when preparing country reports and to better understand a specific country, but were of less value at regional level as comparability became more challenging. • Also difficult to assess accuracy of more subjective, qualitative responses – country visits showed the different meanings very similar responses might have. • Respondents asked to provided explanations for some quantitative data, but in few cases were such responses sufficient to allow accurate interpretation. • Suggestion – smaller, focused studies that examine specific topics in greater depth

24. Higher Education in the SADC Region Summary of findings

25. Introductory considerations • Need to interpret data within the complex historical context of African HE. • Findings presented in this section are based on the data provided by public HEIs that are currently SARUA members. No data from private providers was collected. In some countries, newer public HEIs may not yet be SARUA members. • Study was very broad, not possible to present all findings in detail – summaries are captured here. • Focus of this presentation is at Regional level, not country specific

26. Regional Overview

27. Regional Overview (2) • 0.434% of the total SADC population are enroled in HE – when SA is excluded this drops to 0.162% • In all countries (except Malawi and Zimbabwe) private institutions outnumber public institutions  need to better understand the private HE sector in order to properly plan for HE in the Region • Predominantly contact provision with 72% of students in region enroled as contact students and 28% as distance students • All MoEs reported funding challenges, yet only 8 noted that support from business and industry was part of their funding strategy • HE policy and regulatory environment shows some similarities and some differences: • In most countries increasing access and addressing gender disparities are noted • A range of statutory bodies playing a significant role in HE were provided • 8 of the 14 MoEs reported monitoring institutional level governance and management, but only 4 set targets in this area

28. HEI Functions (Source: HEI questionnaire data)

29. HEI Functions • Majority focus heavily on teaching and learning • Regional averages: • Teaching and learning – 63% • Research – 26% • Community engagement/service/outreach – 10% • In all but two countries, HEIs focus less than 30% of their attention on research – implications for knowledge economy • Research output low

30. Illustrative examples of Research Capacity Constraints Madagascar: Research shows that, in 2006, only 64% of the Faculty in universities had their PhDs or the equivalent, and that very few of the faculty were engaged in research or publishing. Limited research capacity among Faculty undermines their ability to train and stimulate students. Tanzania: The university receives insufficient money from government to fund all research and other academic activities. In response to this challenge HEI X seeks to generate some revenue internally, and has a plan to develop additional income sources. • 59% of HEIs reported that they have research policies/strategies in place (although few examples were provided) • 53% of HEIs report having plans in place for collaboration with business and industry.

31. Enrolment Patterns • In general, the gross tertiary enrolment ratios of SADC countries are low, ranging from 1-17%, but with most countries falling into the 2-4% range • Gender representivity remains skewed: • All SADC countries – 49.89% female students, 50.11% male • SA exclude – 36.84% female students, 63.15% male • Gender disparity greatest in the SET area

32. Headcount number of students (all levels of study) per major field of study

33. Levels of study

34. Qualifications awarded

35. Staff Capacity and Development - Academic and research staff (gender and staff qualifications)

36. Illustrative examples of national level capacity challenges noted by MoEs • Malawi: ‘Retention of qualified and experienced teaching staff, perpetual problems of underfunding, lack of teaching and learning materials, dilapidated physical infrastructure and facilities’ • Mauritius: ‘Difficulties in attracting high quality faculty because of limited research programme infrastructure’ • Swaziland: Brain drain of lecturers caused by poor salaries and other conditions of work. Lack of up to date equipment and faculties required to provide training and skills development that is commensurate with the changing socio-economic environment’ • Zambia: ‘The HE curriculum is not sufficiently responsive to current local and global needs. There are high levels of brain drain for lecturers and instructors’ • Zimbabwe: ‘Financial resources in HE are inadequate for teaching and research faculties in both old and new institutions. Brain drain/flight of skills is resulting from inadequate human resources, in terms of quality and quantity. Addressing the negative effects of HIV and AIDs is also a challenge. There are losses of qualified human resources and reduced performance’

37. Areas of critical staff shortages reported by participating HEIs

38. Regional Cooperation • All HEIs submitting responses reported that regional cooperation in HE was valued and most (73%) reported that they derive benefit from such collaboration • Enrolment of students from SADC countries was also valued by most HEIs • Student and staff mobility is a key element of the SADC Protocol • Previous research has shown that most movement of staff and students is from SADC countries to South Africa

39. Student mobility

40. Academic and Research Staff Mobility

41. Institutional collaboration • Examples of collaborative academic and research work provided by 63% of HEIs • Examples of collaborative community projects provided by 56% of HEIs • Examples of collaboration with business/industry provided by 39% of HEIs • Much of this collaboration is with HEIs outside of the SADC Region

42. Selected examples of Institutional collaboration within SADC • Rhodes University in South Africa offers postgraduate qualifications in Education to students from Namibia • Faculty of Engineering at the University of Botswana administers a Project Management Programme in partnership with the University of Dar es Salaam • Ardhi University in Tanzania has academic staff and student exchange programmes with University of Cape Town and University of Botswana • University of Malawi has an agriculture programme administered by the Faculty of Agriculture in partnership with Sokoine University in Tanzania

43. Examples of challenges to Regional Collaboration among HEIs • ‘Maintaining effective communication’ • ‘Lack of funding for regional collaboration’ • ‘Lack of awareness of benefits of Regional collaboration’ • ‘South African universities often have a dominant position in partnerships’ • ‘Poor infrastructure and facilities that support learning and teaching’ • ‘Staff turnover’ • ‘Very little or no involvement by researchers in practical research which involves their local environment’ • ‘Internal apathy’ • ‘National ICT infrastructure and bandwidth prices’

44. Summary of key factors influencing the potential of HE in the SADC Region

45. Summary of key factors influencing the potential of HE in the SADC Region (cont)

46. Points for further discussion 1. Reflection on the data gathering challenges and implications for longer term data gathering processes 2. Comments on the findings – do these present an accurate reflection of SADC HE? 3. Areas requiring additional, more in-depth research 4. Recommendations to support regional collaboration