Impact of higher education on human development –

a recent DfiD review and its implications for the SDG agenda post-2015

Peter McEvoyDublin City University

What is a rigorous lit review?Attempts to:-identify critical evidence gaps, -guide future research programmes, and- present existing evidence for the development of effective interventions.

Aims to bring the rigour of primary studies to secondary studies. Adheres to some core principles of ‘full’ systematic reviews, but also allows scope within the process for innovation and reflexivity

Rationale

• Gap exists in bringing together and analysing the empirical evidence of HE impact on a comprehensive range of development outcomes in low and lower-middle income countries (LLMICs).

Scope• A search of 21 bibliographic databases, 7 institutional websites, and

7 existing literature reviews• identified 6,677 studies of interest published since 1990.• Following screening, 147 English-language studies were identified

as demonstrating empirical evidence of impact of HE in at least one LLMIC.

• Another 48 studies were excluded at this stage, leaving 99 studies. • Of these 99 included studies:

– 66 consider impact via increased earnings – 24 via improved individual capabilities – 13 via increased productivity – 13 via institutions – 8 via technological transfer.

Scope of Development Outcomes

‘Development’ encompasses wide range of desirable outcomes beyond mere improvement in GDP, including •Poverty reduction, •increased income equality, •improved health, •literacy, •access to high-quality primary and secondary education, civic participation, good governance and the protection of human rights. •environmental protection

“Impact”• Not limited to studies that use an experimental

or quasi-experimental methodology,• Includes studies that use a wide range of

empirical methods to examine ‘causal pathways’ between development outcomes and HE

• Three major pathways through which HE impacts development:

o teaching; o research and innovation; (endogenous growth theory)o service / community engagement (HE as ‘public good’)

Impact of teaching + learning

• Impact through increased productivity and earnings (Bloom & Canning 2006). Contested

• Impact through increased capabilities - ‘human development’ paradigm; broad range of development outcomes, such as health, longevity, literacy and respect for human rights (Sen 1992, Nussbaum, 1999)

• institutional and systemic improvements result in non-market social benefits, e.g democratic institutions, media, judiciary (McMahon 2009)

Demonstrable benefits• HE appears to have a stronger impact on economic growth than was

previously assumed, with some studies suggesting that HE has a stronger impact than do lower levels of education.

• A strong impact on the earnings of graduates;• Some evidence to suggest that HE has a positive impact on productivity in

the workplace, although significant barriers remain.• HE provides a range of broad, measurable benefits to graduates relating

to health, gender equality and democracy, among other areas.• In addition, it contributes to the strengthening of institutions, and the

forming of professionals in key areas such as education and healthcare, nutrition, political participation and women’s empowerment. .

Challenges• Impact of HE on poverty reduction harder to discern, given the severe

lack of evidence on this topic; very few studies on inequality and social mobility.

• Access is still restricted to those of a high socio-economic status, and the prior education and economic advantage of parents determine the educational progression and life chances for their children.

• Studies suggest that research output in universities in LLMICs is generally low, and there is limited transfer of technology to local industries.

• Very little macro-level evidence that TE contributes to development in LLMICs through research and innovation.

• Existing models in the literature do not fully explain the complexities of interaction between HE and development in LLMIC.

3 main conclusions1. There is a significant lack of research into impact of HE on development.•Studies are needed, in particular, to show how inputs and interventions to TEIs and systems are related to different forms of outcome and levels of impact.

2. The returns to TE have been underestimated.•There is evidence that HE may provide greater impact on economic growth than lower levels of education.•However, all levels of education are interdependent and must be addressed holistically.

3. HE provides a range of broader, measurable benefits to graduates -•health, gender equality and democracy•contributes to the strengthening of institutions, and the forming of professionals in key areas, such as education and healthcare.

The diverse functions of the university, in addition to its direct impact on economic growth, should be acknowledged and supported.

Gaps + shortcomings of study

Acknowledged• Despite extensive literature on

HE, there is a lack of research gauging its impact on development.

• Strong evidence of micro-level impact, but macro-level impact is harder to identify.

• Studies considering impact tend not to address the conditions that affect the impact of HE on development.

Silent• Key contributors to discourse

on HE and development are missing – e.g. K. King; D Teferra; J Knight

• Confined to English language tradition

• ‘Context’ under-valued: impossible for any particular effect to apply uniformly across contexts

• Fragile states? Conflict?

Policy + practice implications• a resurgence of donor interest in HE in recent years. with growing

recognition that HE is likely to have played an important role in the development of formerly low-income countries

• Higher education underpins all SDG development targets, from poverty reduction to employability, health to environmental sustainability.

• Higher education institutions are well placed to feed research evidence into the design of national development policy and strategy (BUT bridge-building needed between research + practice).

• Meeting the SDGs depends upon skilled graduates.• Harmonisation of education strategy from primary through to

higher education can ensure sustainable paths for students and can lay the groundwork for accommodating growth in enrolment at all education levels.

SDGs

References

• Bloom, D., Canning, D. and Chan, K. (2006). Higher Education and Economic Development in

Africa. Washington, D.C.: World Bank.

• McMahon, W. (1999). Education and Development: Measuring the social benefits. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

• Nussbaum, M.C. (1997). Cultivating humanity: A classical defense of reform in liberal education. Cambridge, M.A., and London: Harvard University Press.

• Sen, A. (1999). Development as freedom. New York: Knopf.