Juma SHABANI Kigali, 5th October 2017   The impact of Regionalization of Quality Assurance on the Construction of the African Higher Education Area.     Juma SHABANI Kigali, 5th October 2017

2 Chapters by: Juma SHABANI Peter OKEBUKOLA Olusola OYEWOLE

Regionalization of African Higher Education Jane Knight Emnet Tadesse Woldegiorgios Sense Publishers 2017

Higher Education area (in Europe) Main characteristics Harmonized qualifications system: BMD; Harmonized programmes: comparability and compatibility; Harmonized QA systems Credit transfer and accumulation system

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND (1) Higher Education Area and Mobility UNESCO, 1947: Global Convention for mutual recognition of qualifications to promote Mobility; 1970s and 1980s - Regional Conventions for mutual recognition of qualifications For Africa: 1981: Arusha Convention Today: UNESCO-Global Convention

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND (2) Quality of Higher Education in Africa in 1980s and 1990s Declined since the 1980s MAIN REASONS Massification; Structural adjustment policies and their implications: Decline in per-unit costs and deterioration of quality of infrastructure

IMPROVING QA IN AFRICA Mid-1990s, consensus between stakeholders, World Bank, IMF Institutions, governments, and donors to improve quality and revitalize higher education; One of rationales for the 1998 World Conference on Higher Education

1st WORLD CONFERENCE ON HIGHER EDUCATION (WCHE) Organized by UNESCO and its partners; More than 4000 participants; One of main recommendations: to improve quality while ensuring relevance and equity

FOLLOW UP TO THE 1st WCHE 1999 Bologna process in Europe Main objectives of the process: Construction of the European Higher Education Area by 2010

BOLOGNA PROCESS (1) Main Strategies for Implementation of the Bologna Process (European HE area) Harmonize programmes and quality assurance mechanisms in order to promote mobility and recognition of qualifications Accreditation and QA of programmes now focus on Students learning outcomes and competencies and alignment with the needs of world of work

BOLOGNA PROCESS (2) Implementation of BMD Reform (comparability and compatibility of programmes and QA mechanisms) Increasing involvement of professional bodies and employers in accreditation and QA to ensure relevance and alignment with world of work; Now recommendation for alignment with SDGs

BOLOGNA PROCESS (3) Implementation of Bologna Process at European level mainly facilitated by: - The Lisbon Convention of mutual recognition of qualifications (Legal Framework)- ratified by all countries: - Harmonization of programmes with focus on Students learning outcomes (SLOs) : Tuning/NQFs-RQFs for definition of SLOs and referencing

BOLOGNA PROCESS (4) Harmonization of quality assurance mechanisms; Credit transfer and accumulation system since 1989- Erasmus Mundus mobility programme

HARMONIZATION OF PROGRAMMES AND EVOLUTION OF NQFs/RQFs Worldwide: from 6 in 1995 to 150 in 2015 Africa: from 1 in 1995 to 14 in 2015 RQFs: 8 including 2 in Africa Recognition of qualifications/ or studies through Referencing/self-certification

AFRICAN HIGHER EDUCATION AREA (1) Unlike in Europe (at continental level): Arusha Convention: 1981-2002 ratified by only 22 countries. Lack of trust in QA Mechanisms used; Addis Ababa Convention signed by a few countries but not ratified; Lack follow up

AFRICAN HIGHER EDUCATION AREA (2) African Union Harmonization Strategy adopted in 2007 by COMEDAF : weak implementation; No African Credit transfer and accumulation system; QA at the continental level still a challenge

AFRICAN HIGHER EDUCATION AREA: NEW OPPORTUNITIES (1) The Pan African Quality Assurance and Accreditation Framework (PAQAF) adopted by Heads of States: Political commitment Implementation of PAQAF through AU/EU partnerships: Tuning Africa

AFRICAN HIGHER EDUCATION AREA: NEW OPPORTUNITIES (2) African Quality rating mechanism: Sub-regional higher education space; Harmonisation, Quality Assurance and Accreditation (HAQAA) initiative – Consortium of institutions; African Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Higher Education

AFRICAN HIGHER EDUCATION AREA: NEW OPPORTUNITIES (3) New mechanism for payment of Member states contributions to the AU. This mechanism provides that member countries will implement a 0.2 percent levy, with effect from 2017, on all eligible imported goods to finance the AU’s operational projects, programs and peace and security operations budget.

THE IMPACT OF QA ON SUB-REGIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION AREAS BMD-Reform: French system vs English. From 7 degree levels to 3 Francophone countries: Credit transfer and accumulation systems built in the reform mechanisms African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education (19 countries)- French Acronym CAMES.

HARMONIZATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN FRANCOPHONE COUNTRIES Part of a wider economic and social integration system: 1 currency 1 airline- Air Afrique No visa in ECOWAS Joint higher education specialized institutions

African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education-CAMES Mutual recognition of qualifications/ studies in CAMES countries since 1972, i.e 9 years before Arusha Convention; Accreditation and QA at sub-regional countries Promotion of Academic staff at sub-regional; Member countries provide substantial contribution to the funding of CAMES;

REQUIREMENTS FOR CREDIT TRANSFER AND ACCUMULATION SYSTEMS Harmonization of programmes; and QA mechanisms Case studies 1. CAMES; 2. EAC Higher education area launched in May 2017; 3. ECOWAS

EAC Higher Education Area Regional credit transfer and accumulation system; EAC qualifications framework for Higher Education Operationalization of the area has started. Main activities: Harmonization of curricula - Implementation of Quality Assurance audits

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) West African Health Organization, has harmonized at least 6 curricula for Health professionals education. Council of Ministers of Health has established the Regional Council for Health Professionals Education for Accreditation and QA of Health professionals’ education. It involves Health Professional associations and CAMES

NEW CHALLENGES: ACADEMIC CORRUPTION Wake-up call at global level issued in 2016 In 2017 several conferences/workshop at national and global level Uganda 88 Makerere staff face degree forgery prosecution alteration of student marks Recall of some of the university’s law degrees dating back to 2011.

CONCLUSION Quality assurance is at the centre of development of a regional/continental higher education area; The construction of continental higher education area is facing some challenges Succesful stories at sub-regional level Need for research: How to move from sub-regional experiences to continental level

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