Challenges facing Higher Education in Mauritius proposals of

Challenges facing Higher Education in Mauritius & proposals of Government and the EU to address these challenges

Mauritius at a glance § - Situated in the South West Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. § - Has a total area of 2040 sq km. § - Multicultural society with 1, 3 M inhabitants. § - Independent since 1968 and became a Republic in 1992. § - Is a member of SADC, COMESA and IOC § - Middle-income country with a per capita income of USD 7, 500

The Education Sector at a glance • - Target of the MDG on education already reached including • • • gender parity. - Primary and secondary education are free. - Important reform at primary level starting in 2017. - Gross Enrolment Rate at Tertiary level increased from 15. 1% in 2000 to 50. 1 % in 2013. - The Tertiary Education Strategic Plan 2013 - 2015 (TESP) geared towards transforming the country into a knowledgebased economy. - Government planning to transform Mauritius into a knowledge hub for Africa.

The challenge of the HE sector - Mismatch between qualifications and the requirement of the labour market - Lack of access to HE - Quality issue - Lack of a culture and opportunities for research and innovation

Mismatch between qualifications and the requirement of the labour market • - Unemployment among youths aged between 14 and 24 years (26, 3 %) compared to 7, 9 % for active population • - lack of human resources for some existing sectors of the economy (eg ICT …) • - Lack of human resources for sectors government is planning to develop so as to graduate into a high-income country (Blue Economy, renewable energies …)

Lack of access to HE • - Vulnerable groups particularly students coming from low income families • - students from outer islands • - potential of accessing HE abroad through elearning to be explored • Goal NO 1 of TESP 2013 -2025 – increasing access to HE to allow enrollment of 68, 000 students by 2025.

The quality issue Goal No 2 of TESP 2013 -2025 – achieve high quality standards of HE and improve ranking of HE institutions and ensure relevance of programmes to economic and social needs of the country and region. Goal No 4 of TESP – strengthen governance and financial sustainability – link funding to performance

Lack of a culture and opportunities for research and innovation • The government's programme aims at developing research and innovation, considered . as key drivers to achieve meaningful change and allowing the country to graduate from a middle income to a high Income country. • Goal no 4 of TESP – enhancement of research and innovation, increase of budget for research, encourage private sector participation in research

11 th EDF NATIONAL INDICATIVE PROGRAMME 2014 - 2020 Budget - EUR 9. 9 million. Allocated as follows: EUR 7. 9 million (80% of total) – Tertiary Education including research and innovation EUR 2 million (20% of total) – Technical Cooperation Facility

OBJECTIFS DU PIN BILATERAL • Objectif global • Appuyer la République de Maurice pour lui permettre de réussir sa transition d'un pays à moyen revenus à un pays a hauts revenus. • • Objectif specifique • Ammeliorer la pertinence, la qualité et l'equité dans l'education tertiaire et ainsi contribuer a transformer la République de Maurice en un pays dont le developpemnt sont basés sur la recherche, la connaissance et l'innovation.

PROGRAMME INDICATIF NATIONAL (PIN) - 11ème FED - BILATERAL 2014 - 2020 • Resultats attendus: • - Ammeliorer la pertinence de l'education tertiaire notamment à travers une meilleure adéquation entre l'offre de formation et les besoins du marché de l'emploi ainsi ammeliorant l'employabilité des gradués après leurs etudes. • •

PROGRAMME INDICATIF NATIONAL (PIN) - 11ème FED – 2014 - 2020 Resultats attendus: • - Plus d'equité dans l'education tertiaire afin que l'acces aux groupes vulnerables en soient égalemant amméliorés. • • - Mise en place d'un cadre institutionnel pour le developpement de la recherche et de l'innovation. • - Renforcement des liens entre la recherche et l'industrie. •

PROGRAMME INDICATIF NATIONAL (PIN) - 11ème FED – 2014 - 2020 EDUCATION TERTIAIRE RESULTATS ATTENDUS INDICATEURS Ammeliorer la pertinence … 1) Taux de gradués des institutions de formation publiques embauché dans leur filières d'etudes deux ans après avoir été diplomés. 2) Nombre de nouveaux programme d'éstudes developpés dans les universités publiques… Plus d'équité dans l'education … 1) Nombre de bourses d'etudes attribuées aux enfants issus de groupes vulnerables.

PROGRAMME INDICATIF NATIONAL (PIN) - 11ème FED (2014 -2020) RECHERCHE ET INNOVATION RESULTATS ATTENDUS INDICATEURS Mise en place d'un cadre 1) Le National Research and institutionnel pour le Innovation Fund operationnel developpement de la recherche et 2) Le budget injecté dans ce Fond de l'innovation Renforcement des liens entre la recherche et l'industrie. 3 Nombre de propositions de recherche ayant été financé

PROGRAMME INDICATIF NATIONAL (PIN) - 11ème FED – 2014 - 2020 • Intervention aligned with sectoral, national and global development priorities • - avec les priorities of Government articulés dans le ''Tertiary Education Strategic Plan 2013– 2025'' et le ''Science, Technology and Innovation Policy and Strategic Plan 2014 -2025. '' • - avec les grands axes du programme gouvernmental 20152019 relatifs à la transformation de Maurice en un ''economically vibrant and innovative country'' et ''warding off unemployment". • - avec l'objectif N° 4 des Objectifis de Developpement Durable (SDG) – "Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all".