Governance reforms in higher education in Africa

16 October 2011
Launch of a new project in Francophone Africa

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Yaoundé II, IPAGU, AUF and IIEP
Seminar participants representing University

IIEP organized a seminar in Yaoundé, Cameroun, on 6–7 October 2011, to launch a new research phase on “the role of steering policies and governance reforms in the management of higher education” in Francophone Africa. Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Morocco and Senegal – all of which have introduced major governance reforms since 2000 – will take part in the research, which will focus on both national and institutional levels.

Governance reform in higher education varies from one country to the other: some follow the general trend of introducing “increased autonomy with strengthened accountability”, while others concentrate on the national and institutional governing structures. In the four countries involved in the study, governing councils are increasingly composed of external members, such as local authorities and the private sector, to enhance linkages between universities and their socio-economic environment.

The situation in these countries creates an interesting combination of contexts, which include more market-driven as well as state planned and regulated HE systems. It will thus be possible to study the effects of governance reform in a variety of contexts of political systems and higher education sectors.  

The research seminar was jointly organized with the Pan-African Institute for University Governance (IPAGU), a joint initiative of the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie and the Association of Commonwealth of Universities.

The research builds on earlier work conducted by IIEP in the area of governance and management, and in particular on the recent work on governance reform in higher education in Asia.