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Developing the next generation of academics:

The need to change national policy frameworks

A.B.K.Kasozi

1.Factors influencing the Academic Landscape in Uganda

• National macro policies have conditioned the academic staff creation and retention.– The market models policies, 1990-2006– The SAP– The neglect of HE by both the state and the

international financial institutions– Failure of African states to integrate HE in

Poverty Alleviation Programs and MDGs


• Expenditure per student in Uganda, 1970-1985

• From 1997 to 2006, public universities share as a %age of GDP was 0.35%. Kenya 0.9%

• Research and postgraduate training received almost 0% from the state

Year US$(1990 prices)

1970 2,532

1980 1,113

1985 639

1. World Bank financing for Education in sub-Saharan Africa, 2003-2006 in US$ (millions)

Year 2003 2004 2005 2006

Total Education

424 363 369 339

Tertiary 0 5 61 29

% of total 0 1 17 9

Technical 2 17 16 27

% of total 0 5 4 8


• Higher Education not integrated and linked to national development strategies which centered on:– Poverty Eradication Alleviation Plan (PEAP)– The MDGs and – Sectoral plans– HE not seen as a denominator in skills

needed for development.


• Universities and Colleges not listed for funding as part of national innovation system but mere education institutions.

• PEAP and MDGs do not pin down core competences required for realization of development strategies.

• Knowledge as a basis of development is not stressed as is the role of its creators, the academic staff.

• Research and postgraduate training not funded by state since the 1990s

2. The academic landscape in Uganda, 2006

Nature Enrollment

Staff Ratio Need-ed

Gap %Gap

Public 56005 2092 26 4273 2181 51

Private 36553 1816 20 2499 683 27

Total 92558 3908 24 6772 3367 42

2. The academic landscape in Uganda, 2006

• Brain drain reduces the number of academic staff. In 2005, some 1.07million people left Africa, 30% believed to be highly skilled.

• Infectious disease and malaria continue to decrease number of skilled people.

• Retirement policies at age 60rob the university system of skilled people.

• Therefore brain drain must be factored in academic staff creation; its positives and negs.

3.The regulatory framework in Uganda and its role in advances quality

• Good academics can only be developed in high quality institutions.

• NCHE QA Framework– Macro (national level) includes institutional

and program accreditations; merit addimision of students, setting minimum requirements for courses of study.

3.The regulatory framework in advancing quality

• The Micro level at the institution– Each institution is required to put in a placea

QA unit, do an internal audit each 2-5 years and report to NCHE

– An external Audit is carried out one every five years.

– All Academic staff and students must have given qualifications. For staff, next table.

3.The regulatory framework in advancing quality

Academic Research Library Qualifications

T. Assistant R. Assistant Ass. LIB Good 1st degree

Ass. Lecturer Ass.Research Fellow

ASS. Librarian

Masters

Lecturer Res. Fellow Librarian Masters

Sen.Lec. Sen. Fellow Senior Librarian

PhD

Assoc. Prof. Asso. R.Prof Dep.Chief Lib PhD

Professor Res. Prof. Chief Lib PhD

4. The way forward

• The way forward in creating the next generation of leaders is to:– Adequately finance institutions of higher

learning to enable them do their work well;– As states cannot come up with all funds

needed, innovative diversified national funding models must be designed.

– HE must be integral to national deve. Strategies.

4. The way forward– Increase institutional autonomies of

institutions to increase the confidence of leaders to take decisions;

– Increase accountability of institutional leaders so that populations have confidence in them,

– Design attractive packages of salaries, retirement benefits, work environment, improved upward social mobility,

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