Report on Recognition of Higher Education in Eritrea and Ethiopia
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Report on recognition of higher education in Eritrea and Ethiopia A study trip to Eritrea and Ethiopia in October 2012 January 2013 Rapporttittel: Report on recognition of higher education in Eritrea and Ethiopia Forfatter(e): Anne-Kari Gulliksen and Erik Audensen Dato: 25.01.2013 Rapportnr: 2013 - 1 ISSN-nr: ISSN 1892-1604 1 Preface The aim of the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT) with this report on higher education in Eritrea and Ethiopia is to contribute to increased knowledge about conditions in higher education in the two countries. We hope it can provide useful knowledge and ideas for institutions and others dealing with recognition of degrees, from African countries. Over the last three years, there has been a steady increase in applications from both Eritrea and Ethiopia. The numbers of Eritrean applications have risen by over 10% per year up to 116 in 2012, while Ethiopian applications have risen to numbers 72. These numbers make Eritrea and Ethiopia the number one and number two country with regards to applicants from Africa. At the same time, NOKUT has been aware of reforms in higher education sector of both countries without a consistent idea of the scope of change. Conflicting information from applicants themselves as well as both national and international sources meant NOKUT was faced with the risk of denying recognition to applicants who should have had their education approved. Finding this to be unacceptable, NOKUT decided to undertake a study trip to Eritrea and Ethiopia in the fall of 2012. The delegation consisted of two members from the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education and two members from the Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service (NUCAS). From NOKUT: Erik Audensen, Adviser Anne-Kari Gulliksen, Adviser From NUCAS: Kristin Tambs, Head of Section Marianne M. L. Holen, Senior Executive Officer NOKUT would like to thank everyone who contributed to the outcome of this trip. Oslo, 25. January 2013 Terje Mørland Director General i Introduction The following pages contain a report from a study trip to Eritrea and Ethiopia in October 2012 by representatives from the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT) and the Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service (NUCAS). The purpose of the trip was to gather information for the work we do in our respective offices, but we hope the report can be helpful to others who work with foreign education. The report is written by NOKUT, and therefore our main focus has been the higher education system in Eritrea and Ethiopia. The system of secondary education, admission to higher education and technical/vocational education are areas which are also included in the report, however more briefly. There have been major reforms taking place in the higher education systems in both countries. We have experienced an increasing need for more updated information on the reforms themselves, and the effects they have had on higher education. For Eritrea it is the number of institutions that have increased. For Ethiopia, the diploma programmes have ceased to be a part of higher education, while the normative length of degree studies has changed. In addition, there has been a change at secondary school level which has had important implications for the higher education system. These findings will lead to changes in NOKUT’s evaluations when it comes to recognition of higher education from Eritrea and Ethiopia. During our visit in October 2012, we had meetings with the Norwegian embassies in Asmara and Addis Ababa, the national offices dealing with accreditation of higher education, the Ministry of Higher Education (only in Ethiopia), and the admission offices for higher education. In addition, we had the opportunity to visit several higher education institutions in both countries. In Asmara, we visited two of the post-reform new higher education institutions, the College of Health Sciences and the Eritrean Institute of Technology. In Addis Ababa, we visited the University of Addis Ababa, as well as the three private institutions, Unity University, St. Mary’s College and Admas University College. Even though we only spent a few days in each country, the short time we had at our disposal was spent very efficiently. We were able to meet with a number of key actors, institutions and offices in the higher education sector. The trip has been very educational and our conclusions are presented in this report. We would like to thank the Royal Norwegian Embassies in Asmara and Addis Ababa, the National Board of Higher Education (NBHE) in Eritrea and the Higher Education Quality Agency (HERQA) in Ethiopia in assisting us with scheduling meetings and solving the practical issues during our visit. We are most grateful. ii Summary Eritrea Eritrea has seen a change in its higher education system in the period 2004–2010. However, this reform is not a change in the system itself, but a change in the number of institutions offering higher education in the country. The system of diploma-, bachelor- (and master-) programmes has remained more or less the same, except for the fact that the number of programs has increased. The University of Asmara has been the only institution of higher education in the whole country. All issues related to higher education have been concentrated around the university. To be able to offer higher education to a larger number of students, the government decided to close the University of Asmara, with no new intake of students after 2003. Then they upgraded seven of the underlying colleges of the university to independent institutions of higher education. Some of the new colleges have also been moved to other parts of the country, and one could say that there has been a decentralisation of higher education in Eritrea. The result is that Eritrea today has seven institutions offering higher education, and the number of students attending programs of higher education has risen from around 5000 students at the University of Asmara in 2004 to around 17 000 students attending programs at the new colleges of higher education today. The University of Asmara’s main programme were the diploma programme and the bachelor degree; and was only able to introduce the master degree programme in 2004 just before closing. Today we see that most of the new colleges of higher education have already introduced many new master degree programmes or are planning to introduce master degree programmes in the near future. Ethiopia The reforms in neighbouring Ethiopia have been far more wide-reaching with changes in both secondary and higher education. Since the late 1990s, the number of higher education institutions has risen dramatically; as has the number of students. The government has opened up for private higher education institutions, and established more than 15 new public universities, bringing the total number of public institutions to just over 30. The private higher education sector has grown exponentially in number of institutions, but the majority of students still attend the public universities. Secondary education has changed with the introduction of the “Preparatory Year”, which in practice is an amalgamation between the 12th grade and the freshman year of higher education. The diploma programmes ceased to be higher education with the last batch of students graduating in 2006/2007. Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has today both taken on, and expanded, the role the older diplomas had in the Ethiopian educational system. The reforms in Ethiopia have moved back and forth on the question of normative length of degree studies, going from 4 to 3 and then back to 4 years again for a regular bachelors. Nor are the reform processes over. The government has recently started a drive for all higher education institutions to streamline subjects into a national plan favouring technical subjects. iii Table of Content 1 Preface ................................................................................................................................. i 2 Eritrea ................................................................................................................................ 1 1. Before 2004 ..................................................................................................................... 2 2. Reform ............................................................................................................................. 2 3. The system of education .................................................................................................. 5 4. Programmes and degrees ................................................................................................. 6 2.4.1 Diplomas .............................................................................................................. 6 2.4.2 Bachelor degrees .................................................................................................. 6 2.4.3 Master degrees ...................................................................................................... 7 5. Vocational institutions ..................................................................................................... 7 6. Documentation ................................................................................................................ 7 2.6.1 Official Student Record ........................................................................................ 8 2.6.2 Temporary Diploma ............................................................................................