1

The Higher Education system in Mauritius

MS H.D.KOMAL BOODHUNLECTURER IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE

UNIVERSITY OF MAURITIUS

2Background of the educational system in

MauritiusPre primary: 3-5 yearsPrimary: 5-11 yearsSecondary: 11-18 yearsTertiary: > 18 years

Introduction of 9 year schooling

3The Higher Education Landscape in Mauritius

Consists of both public and private providers. Public providers: 10

Private providers: 5652- non awarding bodies

4 - awarding bodies

Amity institute of Higher Education

Business Mauritius

Charles Telfair Institute

Rushmore Limited

4Public providers 11. University of Mauritius - UOMOffers programmes of international standards at undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD levels. Aims to provide quality education and a service of excellence.2. The University of Technology, Mauritius - UTMSet up in 2000. It aims to provide quality education in several areas of excellence.3. The Mauritius Institute of Education – MIESet up in 1973 to engage in Teacher Education, Curriculum Development and Research. 4. The Mahatma Gandhi Institute - MGISet up in December 1970. Offers diploma, degree and postgraduate courses in Indian Studies, Performing Arts, Fine Arts, Indological Studies and Mauritian and Area Studies.

5Public providers 25. The Rabindranath Tagore Institute - RTI

Set up in 2002. The Institute offers Tertiary level programmes in Film Production, Arts & Crafts and Dramatic Arts.

6. Open University of Mauritius – OU

Established in July 2012 OU is a Public University with full awarding powers, fostering open and distance learning to enable access to both local and international students.

7. Université des Mascareignes - UdM

UdM Act was proclaimed in September 2012. This public university offers an innovative approach to higher education and learning.

6Public providers 38. The Mauritius Institute of Training and Development - MITD

Became operational in 2009. Most of the programmes run are of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) nature. The programmes are offered on full-time, part-time and apprenticeship modes from basic to diploma levels.

9. Mauritius Institute of Health - MIH

Statutory Body established in 1989. Operates as training & research arm of the Ministry of Health & Quality of Life. Also acts as the Awarding Body for courses in Health and Social Studies delivered by other registered Training Institutions.

10. The Fashion and Design Institute - FDI

Officially launched in 2009. Aims to promote excellence in the field of design education. Set up by Government to rationalize resources in this sector and fostering a uniform and a focused development of the fashion industry.

7Private Providers 56 private institutions have joined the tertiary education sector in the past few years.

They offer all types of programmes in an extensive number of disciplines such as Management, Accountancy, Medicine, Dentistry and Information Technology.

Most are local counterparts of overseas institutions and offer programmes ranging from sub-degree to postgraduate ones through a mixed-mode system, encompassing both distance learning and face-to face tutorials.

The examinations are, in general, conducted by the Mauritius Examinations Syndicate (MES), apart from a few which are organised and invigilated by overseas institutions themselves in collaboration with the local partner.

8Regulatory Framework 1

Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) Act was proclaimed on 15 August 1988. The TEC was setup under an Act of parliament, functioned as a body under the aegis of the Ministry of Education in Dec 1989.

Following major landscape changes in the tertiary education sector, the TEC Act was amended in 2005,

TEC given additional responsibilities in regard to quality assurance. TEC endeavors to provide accessible but quality postsecondary

education.

9Regulatory Framework 2 Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) oversees the tertiary education

institutions (TEIs). Responsible for allocating public funds and fostering, planning and

coordinating the development of post-secondary education and training. Since 2005, TEC has the mandate to regulate private post-secondary

education institutions locally through institutional registration and programme accreditation to assure quality.

TEC also determines the recognition and equivalence of post-secondary qualifications.

10Qualification Framework Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) has statutory responsibility to determine

the recognition and equivalence of academic or professional qualification at the postsecondary education level obtained in or outside Mauritius.

Recognition of qualifications is a process of formally acknowledging the appropriateness of a certain qualification for a specific purpose including enabling the qualification holder to access further and/or higher educational, and/or employment activities.

Equivalence of qualifications on the other hand is a process of formally establishing as to whether two or more qualifications are equal or deemed to be equal or comparable in value.

11Observations 1 There are both public and private service providers in Mauritius Private providers are mainly non awarding bodies, only 4 out of 56 are

awarding bodies. Courses given at certificate, diploma, degree, post graduate and doctoral

levels. Courses are offered full time, part time, online or even through distance

learning to address the needs of a variety of audience. Clientele of tertiary education range from students who have just completed

college to professionals wanting to increase their knowledge and market value in the world of work.

12Observations 2 Subjects on offer vary greatly from business, management, finance,

engineering, arts, humanities, law, social science, health sciences, fashion and design, travel and tourism, information and communication technology, science, oceanography.

Over the years there is an increase in number of service providers in the tertiary sector.

Many joint ventures and franchise agreements are being undertaken between local institutions and foreign ones.

13Observations 3 Several foreign universities have opened campuses in Mauritius. Beneficial for Mauritian students who can earn international degrees

while staying in Mauritius. Quality education is also more affordable Greater access to education to individuals of all social classes. UoM only public university not to have tuition fees for most of its

undergraduate full time programs.

14Conclusion

Quantity of services v/s quality of education Education determines the future of a country and quality of education

cannot be compromised. Issues with regulatory framework recently Institutions allowed to provide service without relevant qualifications. Students penalized when institutions closed. TEC needs to review its system so that all tertiary education providers

meet the relevant criteria and no political or other type of interference is allowed.

15

16Reference

http://tec.intnet.mu/public_institutions

Tertiary Education Commission website

World data on education, 6th edition, 2006-

2007.