Internationalizing Uganda’s Higher Education Sector
Addis Ababa – June 5-6th, 2013
William BabigumiraDeputy Executive Director
Uganda Export Promotion Board
UEPB
Key Country Highlights
Geographical & Demographical
Male; 7.27Female;
7.04
Gender distribution in labor force (millions, 2012 est.)
17,127 primary schools, enrollment 8.2 million pupils
Urban Population:
13.5%
Population: 35.6 million (2012 est.), growth rate: 3.2%
31% SER
Rural Population:
86.5%
12,305 Gov’t 2,822 Private04/12/2023 2
10% IND 59% AGRIC
46% SER 22% IND 32% AGRIC
1987
2005
Source: UNCTAD
19601963
19661969
19721975
19781981
19841987
19901993
19961999
20022005
20082011
-
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00
35.00
Uganda: Exports of Goods & Services as % of GDP (1960 - 2011)
Series1
%
Edu. Sector emp. 2.6%
Source: The Conference Board Total Economy Database™
Introductory notes
Education in Uganda has grown very rapidly over the past 15 years.
This rapid expansion is owed, in part, to three major policy initiatives: Universal Primary Education (UPE), Universal Secondary Education (USE) and liberalization of the education sector (a painful process with multiple actors; dev’t partners, political class, civil society, private sector…) ...
This development has consequently caused enrollment in higher education Institutions to grow. Currently, Uganda’s Universities pass out over 30,000 graduates every year.
Internationalization has also occurred over the last decade. The National Council for Higher Education estimates that export of education services yielded US$ 36 million in the year 2010 (which infers 2% contribution to total services exports – est US$ 1.31 Billion in 2010)
UEPB developed first ever services exports strategy (2005) which highlights export of education services as a one of the priorities….04/12/2023 3
Uganda’s Higher Education sector• 148 tertiary Institutions in 2006 to 181 in
2010 of which there are now 29 Universities
• 2 “other degree awarding Institutions” and 3 University Colleges.
• In the decade 2000 - 2010, average annual growth in enrolment 15%
• Between 2006 - 2010, total student enrollment increased from 137,190 to 183,985
• In 2011, 196,570 students enrolled in in all tertiary Institutions with 140,096 (71.2%) enrolling in Degree Awarding Institutions (Educ. Abstract, 2011).
• However, overall enrollment remains below African & International Benchmarks
( Sources: NCHE, 2012)
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2006
2010
57,721
80,391
0
0
Uganda: Higher Education Female enrollment (2006, 2010)
%enrollment Femal Students
Source: UEBP/COMSEC/NCHE study
Foreign Students EnrollmentIn 2011, 9% of all students in tertiary
Institutions in Uganda are foreign students. The majority attend University.
There were a total of 15,293 foreign students enrolled in degree awarding Institutions in Uganda (Education abstract 2011)
51% are female students
Inbound mobility ratio (IMR) of 9% (2006 & 2010)
04/12/2023 5Male Female total
10,557
5,366
15,923
1,004 7821,786
Uganda: Foreign Student Enrollment in 2011
Degree Awarding Non-degree Awarding
Uganda
Tanzania
Rwanda
Kenya
Burundi
Continental weighted average
REC weighted average
0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0%
Outbound Mobility Ratio
20092006
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Number of Foreign Students
Education Sector: Ownership
The private sector continue to invest in the Education sector
Uganda Investment Authority statistics of planned/registered investments was US$ 154.7 million from 2002 – 2012, most of these were local investors
In year 2011, census shows that from a total of 164 tertiary Institutions, 115 are private (70.2%) and 49 government (29.8%)]
19.5% of these are degree awarding Institutions 04/12/2023
12%
30%58%
Uganda: Secondary schools by Ownership type (2010)
Community Government Private
70%
30%
Uganda: Share of Tertiary Education by Ownership
Private Public
Higher Education: Segmentation & Course Choice
• Majority of international students (22%) studied business related programs in Uganda.
• Information and communication technology programs were also popular (15%), health sciences (15%), peace and conflict studies (13%), education (11%) and law (11%)
• Science programmes were popular mainly in public universities, where there is a strong focus on science education.
• Students from Kenya pursued business related courses;
• Tanzanians pursued mainly education as a subject;
• Somalis studied mainly social sciences, peace and conflict management
• Rwandans concentrated mostly on information technology.
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Most students are from Kenya, Tanzania, Sudan, Burundi and the D.R. Congo. International student are mostly found in private universities (KIU - 6,715, MUK - 2,444, BUGEMA - 862, IUU - 767, MUBS - 671, BUSOGA 575. Dominance of Kenyan students is driven by
i) high cost of education in Kenya, ii) close proximity, iii) close similarity in education
systems (standards, quality)
Higher Education: Attractiveness• Data from 2010 UEPB/COMSEC study suggests these choices are not
absolute, highlights some of the key manpower needs in these respective countries.
• Uganda’s education is cheap in terms of tuition fees, especially when compared to university education in other East African countries.
• The cost of living in Uganda is low, making it affordable for international students. A student can survive on US$230 for a whole semester in Uganda (including accommodation, feeding and transport). This compares very favourably with neighboring countries where costs are much higher.
• Uganda is a free country – foreigners have freedom in Uganda. International students can move about freely and not have their presence in the country challenged.
• The country provides a safe environment for studying.• International students described Ugandans as friendly and warm unlike
most of the neighbouring countries.• Uganda has a fairly strong education system; there are a diverse range of
academic programmes, types of university and quality of graduates.• Ugandan universities are also unique in the region in accommodating
special needs students, and in many cases these courses are the only ones offered in the region.
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Incentives for Investment in Education
Under Value Added Tax statute (1996), education services are treated as an exempt supply, therefore not subjected to VAT.
Qualifying education services under this statute include
• Pre-primary, primary or secondary• A technical college or university• An institution established for the promotion of
adult education, vocational training, technical education, or the education or training of physically or mentally handicapped person
• Education materials such as textbooks, laboratory equipment are zero-rated so an investor can claim for a refund from Government for any VAT they pay on inputs (items purchased as education materials)
• Government removed all forms of taxes on ICT and computer equipment .
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Regulating the Higher Education Sector For quality standards & regulation • Ministry of Education & Sports• Education Service Commission• National Curriculum Development
Centre• Uganda National Examinations
Board (UNEB)• Joint Admissions Board• NCHE: The National Council for
Higher Education (NCHE), a statutory agency and watch dog for quality of relevant higher education (set up by the Universities & other Tertiary Institutions Act 2001)
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For Internationalization• Ministry of Trade, Industry and
Cooperatives• Uganda Export Promotion Board
(UEPB)• Ministry of Foreign Affairs • the Commission for Higher
Education (CHE) in Kenya• the Tanzania Commission for
Universities (TCU)
Regional bodies• East African Community (EAC)
secretariat• Inter University Council for East
Africa (IUCEA)
Supportive Regulatory regime
04/12/2023 11
Statutory instruments No.63 (2007): Minimum entry
requirements for admissions to Universities or other tertiary institutions
Statutory instruments No.35 (2008):
The Universities and other tertiary
institutions (basic
requirements and minimum standards for procurement
education and training)
regulations, 2008
Statutory instruments No.35 (2008):
The Universities and other
tertiary institutions
(basic requirements and minimum standards for procurement
education and training)
regulations, 2008
Statutory instruments No.62 (2007):
Equating of degrees,
diplomas and certificates
Statutory instruments No.34
(2008): The universities and other
tertiary Institutions (quality assurance) regulations, 2008
Under sections 123 and 128 of the Universities & other Tertiary Inst. Act, the illustrated regulations are in force for effective management and enforcement of standards at the tertiary education level
Supportive Regulatory regime – Cont’d
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Under sections 123 and 128 of the Universities & other Tertiary Inst. Act 2001, the following regulations are in force for effective management and enforcement of standards at the tertiary education level
Statutory instruments
No.80 C Application
for a provisional licence to
establish and operate a
private university
Statutory instruments No.85 (2005) Institutional standardsStatutory
instruments No.61 (2007)
Letters of Interim
Authority for private
Universities and
provisional licence for
private other degree
awarding Institutions
Statutory instruments No.80 (2005) Establishment & operation
of Private Universities and private
tertiary Institutions.
Statutory instruments No.80 B A: Checklist of quality and Universities
capacity Indicators for assessment
of Universities
and Programmes
Universities and other tertiary Institutions act is a dynamic piece of legislation which embraces a dynamic higher education sector, however needs urgent revisitation to address chartering and accreditation issues …
Marketing Uganda’s Higher Education • Uganda Export Promotion Board (UEPB) Partnered with the Commonwealth
Secretariat (COMSEC), the NCHE and selected Universities to improve the competitiveness of Uganda’s higher education sector in the EAC and COMESA. Project dubbed, “Strategic Marketing Framework and Internationalisation Survey Findings”
• Basic field research conducted (survey, data analysis)
Post research, discussion symposium noted the following:
1. Delegates agreed with developing a collective brand name for Uganda’s Higher Education sector (the makings of a “hub”).
2. The Symposium provided a useful opportunity to develop a platform for universities to lobby for support and to influence government policy.
3. Universities working collectively could approach the Ugandan embassies in the region and overseas to market Uganda’s HE sector.
4. A framework for joint promotion & marketing could include both the UEPB and NCHE, but clarity was needed about the relationship between the sector and these agencies. 04/12/2023 13
A brief competitiveness perspective• From a competitiveness perspective, Uganda’s higher education sector is able to
provide the right quantity but not the fully desired quality of education services
• Able to provide the service at “cost” and in “time”
• However, inadequate strategy or lack of it thereof, continues to inhibit full competitiveness potential
• Understanding the needs, expectations, purchasing habits of the target segment is critical for packaging the right quality and quantity of service.
• Addressing acquisition, allocation and monitoring of the right quantity and quality of human, financial, physical, Information and network resources makes the service delivery best suited for private channels of distribution.
• H.E COMSEC/UEPB initiative could only address network resource development (VC forum…) and information resource (web portal, study guide etc.), but is ill equipped to deal with financial, physical and human resource development.
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Marketing Uganda’s Higher Education Education Symposium in 2010 agreed to the following action plan.• setting up international marketing (IM) work plans and
objectives; • using the assets of foreign embassies and the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs (MFA) to market themselves and their programmes;
• working jointly to set up “Study in Uganda” as a single web portal with links to all the universities’ websites;
• reorganising the VCs Forum to form a strategic umbrella body (“Universities Uganda”) for the higher education sector to provide active leadership on the burning issues affecting the sector;
• creating a network of university marketing executives and managers to implement a national Uganda HE marketing campaign and develop a community of practice to share ideas, experiences and promote collaboration;
• participate in a NCHE education fair as individual universities and collectively as the Uganda HE sector;
• using support from the UEPB to scale- up university marketing activities at education fairs in the EAC.
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UEPB, COMSEC & NCHE developedThe first ever“Guide to Studying In Uganda”
Marketing Uganda’s Higher Education • In July 2012, UEPB held an
education fair in Rwanda, took 9 Ugandan Universities into the market
• Fair was a resounding success registering over 2000 visitors and over 300 enquiries. Fair beefed up by a concerted media campaign in Rwandan newspapers and radio.
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The Ugandan Minister of Education and Minister of Trade open the Kigali Education fair, July 2012
Harmonising education in the EAC common market
Partner States have agreed to create comparable frameworks to: • promote equal access to education opportunities ….• harmonised competencies … • harmonised curriculum, quality assurance and accreditation
systems …(EAC Education Harmonisation report, April, 2011).
But progress remains the preserve of partner states. Little harmonization
• Liberalization of education services is to be achieved in accordance with the Schedule on the Annex on Free Movement of Persons (EAC treaty) … developments in this area are not up to speed.
• These reforms could be further cemented by various MRA’s
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Challenges to Internationalization of H.E
Countervailing factors preventing significant growth in numbers of international students in Uganda• Inadequate university/tertiary infrastructure: • poor teaching facilities, • the quality of teaching, • overcrowding, poor student services • lack of focus on the needs of international students. • Low ‘export intensity’ together with growing demand
from local students …
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Conclusion• Policy reforms are needed to support the sector to achieve
appropriate quality standards and also export readiness
• Policy initiatives supportive of regional marketing activities,
• Policy synergies to link supportive sectors (edu-tourism)
• Support for multi- lingual and -multi-religious students,
• Statistical collection competencies and capacities are urgently needed (IMR, OMR, enrollment, revenue, etc …)
• Supportive policies towards opportunities for job placements with industry.
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