FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THE RELEVANCE OF A TUNING …



Country Report: MALAWI

Karola Hahn (team leader) and Hanneke van Bruggen

December 2010

Background of Higher Education in Malawi

The Malawi higher education system is shaped by the colonial legacy of the British. In 1964, the former: British Central African Protectorate and later Nyasaland Protectorate gained independence from Britain under Dr. Hastings Banda.

Malawi is considered one of the poorest countries in the world. More than 50 % of the population is living below the poverty line. Higher education was therefore for a long time perceived as a luxury which was only open to an elite of students.

The higher education system in Malawi is small compared to the size of its country and the size of its population. It is still in its infancy but it is rapidly expanding. Higher education in Malawi presents an “emerging” binary system which consists out of three types of institutions:

• Universities

• Polytechnics

• Colleges

In 2007, it comprises 4 government accredited universities (2 public and 2 private) and 3 non-university polytechnic-type institutions (2 public and 1 private). The course offerings among the latter tend to emphasize management and information technology (World Bank 2007). In addition, a range of teacher training colleges, technical colleges, nursing and agricultural institutions provide professional and vocational training in these areas at both the higher and further education levels. In 2010, there are already 9 HEIs, with only two State and 7 private Universities. However the 2 State Universities remain the core of the HE system with by far the largest numbers of enrollments and graduations.

overview HE institutions

2 State Universities

• University of Malawi (including 5 constituent Colleges) (see annex)

o Bunda College of Agriculture, BCA (1964),

o Chancellor College (1964),

o College of Medicine (1991),

o Kamuzu College of Nursing (1979),

o Malawi Polytechnic (Blantyre, 1964))

• Mzuzu University (1997)

4 private Universities:

• Catholic University of Malawi (CUNIMA)

o Founded 2004

• University of Livingstonia (UNILIA)

o Funded 1875 as Livingstonia Mission, HE since 1895, present title since 2003

• Shareworld University

o with campuses in Blantyre, Lilongwe, and Mzuzu

o Started offering degree programs in 2006

• Adventist University of Malawi

o in Ntcheu

o established in 2007

So far, there is little differentiation within the HE sector. The borders between University type and Polytechnic type are blurring and the UNIMA represents a binary institution itself, comparable to the new type of HEI that emerged in South Africa as Comprehensive University.

The governmental education expenditure is 5.8% of GDP (2003) (thereof 27 % for HE). The amount of the education budget allocated to higher education (27 percent) is higher than the average (21 percent) for Sub-Saharan African countries. Government subsidization of higher education is a source of great inequity because over 90 percent of university students come from the wealthiest 20 percent of Malawi households.

The Objectives for the Higher Education

Since independence, (higher) education policy has been linked to development policies. The role of education is laid down in the latest ten years National Education Sector Plan (NESP) covering the years of 2007-2016. According to the vision laid out in the plan, education is supposed to be a catalyst for socio-economic development and industrial growth of the country. Education is expected to lead to the realization of the Malawi Growth Development Strategy. The sector plan emphasizes four core values: professional, moral, transparent and accountable.

While in previous years there was a strong focus on primary education and later also secondary education, e.g. within the Education For All (EFA) and Millennium Development Goals (MDG) initiatives, the focus of the new government under Dr. Bingu Wa Mutharika, State President of the Republic of Malawi, also comprises higher education and vocational education. There is a revitalized emphasis on HE and its explicit linkage to the social needs and national labour market.

The higher education section of the NESP addresses the identified challenges which are mainly attributable to “restrictive statutory prescriptions, the public policy vacuum and the opaque relationship with government of the sector”. These challenges are:

• Weaknesses and deficiencies in university management system

• There is lack of mechanism to monitor productivity, which is adversely impacted upon by staff absenteeism and private work,

• Governance problems are in the system, such as poorly defined governance structures, lines of authority and delegation of powers,

• Throughput and drop-out rates are not being monitored, documented and acted upon,

• Unemployment among Malawi university graduates is thought to be relatively high,

• Teaching staff remains largely junior in terms of academic rank, with only twenty (20) percent of staff in UNIMA and one (1) percent at Mzuzu holding PhD or equivalent qualifications,

• Quality is further undermined by inadequacies and deficiencies in the teaching and learning resources such as the library, laboratories, computer access etc. (NESP, 2007, p. 13-14)

The priorities in HE laid down in NESP are:

Priority 1: Governance and management

• Develop policies designed to encourage private providers of services to be in line with minimum quality requirements set aside at institutional level,

• Prepare and put in place a Higher Education Act that articulates values and goals of Malawi higher education, creates and defines its governance and generally, institutionalizes a Universities Regulatory Board (URB) responsible for accreditation and regulating the system for greater efficiency and effectiveness in its public purposes,

• In collaboration with relevant government departments, institute a semi-autonomous accreditation and quality assurance agency under the supervision of the Universities Regulatory Board, and

• Strengthen governance, management, oversight, transparency, and accountability of higher education institutions.

Priority 2: Access and equity

• Double enrolment over the next 5 years focusing on critical academic areas.

Priority 3: Quality and relevance

• Focus infrastructure development on science and technology laboratories, workshops and ICT,

• Monitor quality, accreditation standards and advise government on higher education policy,

• Upgrade teaching and learning infrastructure in colleges so that the learning environment and college facilities are conducive to efficiency and effective facilitation of academic instructions, and

• Improve staff qualifications, especially lecturers without PhDs and rationalizing the use of those with PhDs so as to enhance the quality of teaching, learning, research and development.

The governmental plans are ambitious: While heading for a doubling of enrolments, the overhead costs of HE shall be reduced from 185 US (2007) to 65 USD or below until 2016. Another strategic aim is the increasing and rationalizing staffing levels with appropriate qualification from 20 percent to 75 percent.

A Higher Education Act has been submitted to Parliament for endorsement in October 2010. So far no evidences can be found, that it has been endorsed.

The implementation of the NESP is challenged by the limited implementation capacity which results of the impact of HIV/AIDS, in particular in the field of teachers/teacher education. There is not only a lack in quantity but also a lack in quality of teacher education, in particular with regard to science teachers.

One of the key strategies to meet the challenges in S&T is designing syllabi that achieve a balance of science and technology, arts and humanities in basic, secondary, higher and technical education levels.

The public universities face difficulties in securing adequately qualified staff at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Capacity building and staff training and upgrading is therefore one of the major concerns. The World Bank supports Malawi HE with a staff development program. To meet the lack of competence in curriculum development and review processes, specific trainings shall be offered according to the Malawi growth and development plan.

ICT is a bottleneck in Malawian universities. Therefore, Malawi higher education is putting high expectations on the new Ubuntunet Alliance which is working to bring fast affordable fibre-based Internet connectivity within the region.

Enrollment, widening Access and student profile

The University enrollments almost doubled from 2003–2008, partly because of the enrollment of non residential students and the establishment of private universities (which contributed 12.4 percent to the total enrollment in 2008). Female enrollment has remained at around 30 percent in public institutions and around 40 percent in private institutions.

Despite the substantial growth rate, Malawi still has the lowest university enrollment (51 per 100,000 inhabitants) when compared to some Sub-Saharan African countries whose average is 337 enrollments per 100,000 inhabitants.

Science and engineering are each around 4.3 % of the total enrollment. The enrolments in information and communication technologies (ICT) are around 2.7 %. The post graduate studies account for less than 10 % of the total enrollment. (World Bank: The Education System in Malawi 2010)

According to the NESP, the student enrolment in higher education is supposed to be doubled between 2007 and 2012, with particular focus on areas and programmes of relevance for the national development.

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World Bank 2010, p 173

The graduate output in agriculture fell significantly from a high of 173 in 2005 to 62 in 2007. Applied science and nursing are showing an upward trend, which is good because of the need for such graduates in Malawi.

Employability and relevance for the labour market

The 2008 GTZ/World Bank tracer study of a total of 492 graduates from five different higher educational institutions indicates that the higher education sector in Malawi is to a large extent successful in preparing highly qualified human resources for employment.

Overall, graduates are well employed and have success integrating into the labor market. Self-employment is small (2.1 percent), but a substantial share of graduates are working part time (11 percent). A relatively high amount—9.9 percent— is seeking employment, of whom the most recent graduates (2007) have the highest unemployment. The higher unemployment in the tracer study compared with the results of the 2004 IHS can most likely be attributed to the fact that only graduates in the four most recent graduation years (2004–2007) were traced, which points to labor market entry problems for a still considerable number of graduates.

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World Bank 2010, p. 190

According to the tracer study by GTZ/World Bank, HE graduates have a good labor market standing, in particular younger HE graduates. However, recent enterprise surveys clearly point to unmet education and skills demand (see also Employers Consultative Association of Malawi (ECAM). In the 2007 Malawi Business Climate Survey of the Malawi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), the lack of availability of a local skilled workforce rated as a major obstacle to doing business by the surveyed companies. “There is a general feeling that training of the workforce is to a great extent not in line with the changing needs of the industries” (MCCI, 2007).

International collaboration at national and institutional level

Malawi is signatory country of the SADC Protocol on Education and Training which was signed in Blantyre by SADC Heads of States on September 8, 1997. The Protocol provides for SADC member states to use training facilities that are available in member states for training personnel and also for establishing Centres of Excellence where specialized training can take place for member states. Malawi considers itself as part of the SADC HE area. Regional integration in HE is perceived as a positive development for the country. Malawi is hence strongly oriented to and networking with the HE sector in the SADC countries.

Curriculum development in the light of TUNING

According to the national growth and development plan the curricula will be revised to improve quality and relevance. The development plan also promotes a diversification in programme provision to cover the specific demands of the labour market.

Competences

In universities most programmes are described in terms of subjects with module aims and intended learning outcomes.

The proposed UNIMA’s Qualification Framework is describing the six levels of Higher Education in five broad categories of competences, which should be used as reference points.

Categories of competences are:

• Knowledge and understanding

• Practice (Applied knowledge and understanding)

• Generic cognitive skills

• Communication, ICT and Numeric /skills

• Autonomy, accountability and working with others

(see appendix 2 for more details)

Degree profiles

The study structure is mainly based on a three cycle structure with Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees.

The UNIMA has described 6 Levels with related Level descriptors for HE:

• Level 1 University Certificate

• Level 2 University Diploma

• Level 3 Bachelor’s Degree is generally conferred after four to five years of study.

• Level 4 Honours degree

• Level 5 Master’s degree or a professional qualification is conferred after one to two years of study beyond the Bachelor’s Degree.

• Level 6 The Doctor’s Degree is conferred after three to five years of study beyond the Master’s Degree, where candidates submit a thesis and spend at least six months in residence (Malawi Sustainable Development Network Programme, 2005). The doctoral education is still in its infancy as there is only a small number of academic staff able to provide doctoral education and research training.

In the past six month the Ministry has finalized a draft NQF which encompasses the entire education sector and proposes an 8 level qualification system – according to some of the neighbouring countries in the region (e.g. South Africa and Namibia).

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

The majority of courses offered at polytechnics and universities are still traditional staff-centred teaching with assessment through written exams. In some programmes a wider variety of teaching and learning methods is applied like lectures, group work, demonstrations, laboratory work, and work placements.

Systems of credits

One single national or even institutional credit system does not exist. In general a four year BA degree programme is defined as 480 credits.

In the UNIMA’s Qualification Framework a credit is defined as:

• Credit is a measure of the volume of learning at a specified level

• One Credit point equates to the learning achieved through a notional 10 hours of learning time

• Learning time refers to the average time judged to be required by an average learner at a particular level to achieve defined learning outcomes

• The minimum of credit points is one

• Credit is assigned for passing the module, the same credit for all pass grades

• The credit rating body will be responsible for ensuring that the credit rating process and outcomes are consistent with relevant reference points

The above described credit system is not yet used in all programmes.

Quality Assurance

The Quality Assurance System at institutional level is quite young and in the process of being institutionalized in a 4 year cycle of reviewing the curriculum and a total quality system. There is little capacity and resources which slow down the implementation of this central reform initiative. However, some mechanisms are already in place. Quality Assurance is mainly done by external examiners. Malawi HE institutions are trying to learn from what is happening in the region. A networking within the SADC region was reported by all institutions visited.

National Accreditation and Validation Process

The World Bank Report on Education in Malawi 2010 as well as the MoEST report that it has been difficult to regulate the emergence of new (private) universities in relation to the standardization of salaries, the coordination of quality and quality assurance, student admissions, and financing mechanisms. To resolve these problems, the pending Higher Education Act will create the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), which will be empowered to oversee higher education institutions and look at quality and quality assurance mechanisms. An important function of the NCHE will be to protect the Malawian student as a ‘customer’ by instituting a semi autonomous accreditation and quality assurance agency under its supervision. The Higher Education Act was supposed to be endorsed by Parliament in November 2010, but until mid December endorsement has not taken place.

So far at national level, QA is supervised and coordinated by the Quality Assurance Department within the Ministry. There is currently a council for oversight in existence – a committee with members from different ministries. Some rough guidelines for evaluating Higher Education Institutions and programmes for accreditation were provided(see annex 3), but the assessment criteria, standards and procedures where not mentioned in this paper. It seems they still have to be defined. Also the guidelines need to be developed further, requiring universities to periodically report on their activities and have their performance assessed in a transparent manner by a specialized, authorized body, namely the future NCHE. The NCHE is expected to implement this important principle of good governance.

The Visit Schedule, 23-30 October 2010

A programme was provided by the University of Deusto for the site visits, but a number of interviews had to be re-scheduled due to different reasons (availability of interview partners, long distances between the different locations, and arranging group discussions with academic staff). Additional interviews were added to the programme e.g. with the Quality Assurance representative and the Director of the Employers Consultative Association of Malawi. The MoEST colleagues were very committed to provide the best possible programme and services.

As the HE sector is very small, the visit of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology as well as the representative of the unit for Quality Assurance, covered the relevant national bodies concerned with teaching and learning. The visits also covered the different types of institutions – which were however all under the umbrella of UNIMA.

Two site visits were envisaged with the Delegation of the European Union in Malawi. These were cancelled on short notice due to an ongoing international conference which kept the EU Delegation staff busy during the week of the visit.

In all cases the choice of personnel with whom we discussed the study had been selected appropriately, and the people with whom we interacted gave generously of their time.

Meeting students was not possible. Bunda College of Agriculture was closed on short notice (announced in Newspaper) due to ongoing student strikes and in Blantyre all students present at the Polytechnic campus were engaged in final exams.

A short meeting with academic staff of the College of Medicine was added as well.

Most of the visits started with a general introduction from our side on the Tuning project and the feasibility study on the relevance of a TUNING approach in the Harmonization process in Higher Education in Africa.

Ministry of Education, Science and technology

MoEST has been restructured recently, including a distribution over different locations. There are stringent staffing challenges and lack of facilities and infrastructure (e.g. weak internet connectivity). Shortly after our visit, Mr. John Bisika was promoted Secretary of Education, Science and Technology.

Malawi as a SADC country with a small and young HE system considers itself as active and devoted member in the Southern African Development Community but stresses also its good links to the East African Region and the region around the Great Lakes. It sees itself as a bridging country being open in different directions. Because of the limited capacity of its own HE system, harmonization of HE within the region is an important issue.

The MoEST is emphasizing its efforts to develop further the higher education sector and to bring it at “higher gear” to link up with the SADC region and beyond. Currently the investments in HE have been increased. However the MoEST reports a lack of capacity and resources (financial as well as human resources) to develop the sector according to the NESP. To increase access 5-10 new universities should be established and the open and distance learning shall be developed. So far, there is a concrete plan to establish one more University of Science and Technology in near future.

The MoEST colleagues were very interested in the Tuning methodology and well informed on the Bologna Process. Tuning was perceived as a methodology which could help in the reform endeavors within the country (e.g. developing modularized core curricula, introducing a homogenous credit system, competence based, learner centered and outcome oriented curricula (harmonization within the national system). It should be clearly linked to capacity building with regard to curriculum development and quality assurance.

They requested to also give the message to the European Commission, that a Tuning Project should be complemented by an upgrading of the ICT infrastructure to make best use of the Tuning methodology and also to integrate a distance or e-learning component into the Tuning Project. A tuning project will have the full support of the MoEST.

The Secretary for Education, Science and Technology, Mr. John Bisika, expressed MoEST’s commitment to host an African Tuning Conference or Workshop in Lilongwe.

As interesting topics for a Tuning Project they mentioned Natural Resources (e.g. Geology and Mining), Education (e.g. Science teacher education in Mathematics and Physics), Engineering, Sciences and Environmental Sciences and Agriculture.

Moest, Quality Assurance department

Mr. Agabu reported about the Governments plans to institutionalize a body in the field of Quality Assurance. So far there is a powerful Credential Committee which accredits degrees and certificates. Members of public universities are represented in this committee. However he pledges for a greater say of Government on quality standards, whether public or private. According to him, there must be a body where HEIs are accountable to. So far there is low capacity to meet the demand of quality assurance. The Department is still not fully fledged. Intensive programmes in quality assurance were offered by UNESCO, where key officers of Malawian HE were trained. So far they have no real mandate and give only recommendations to the government. In near future the Council on Higher Education will accredit programs and register universities. One of the points of reference for quality assurance will be, to check, in how far the HEIs are rooted in issues ‘where the needs of the masses are’. Thus relevance will be one of the quality assurance criteria.

The NQF is considered a good tool for harmonizing HE within Malawi and the Malawian HE within the region.

The following message was given to the Tuning Feasibility Study:

a) “As Quality Assurance is just evolving in Malawi, Tuning is important and could help developing Malawian guidelines reflecting the SADC flavour.”

b) The Harmonization should target the qualifications; it should focus on methodologies and not on standardizing the content of programs.

c) Tuning could help to link the regional framework to the international framework and enhance the recognition of degrees.

d) Tuning could help to bring the discussion on competence-based approaches to education which is so far only common in primary education and TVET to the level of tertiary and higher education.

e) A Tuning project could be a contribution to capacity building as far as the MoEST brings in technical assistance and advice from outside the country to work with specific universities helping them scaling up.

f) Tuning could contribute to understand each other within the country, the region and world-wide.

According to the Governments prioritization of S&T, he mentions as priority the broad area of engineering applied to practice in fields of real need with involvement of students and employers as consultative authorities.

Employers Consultative Association of Malawi (ECAM)

ECAM perceives itself as the voice of the employers. Its main functions are lobbying and advocacy on labor and social matters, legal issues, laws to enforce the business environment. It cooperates with Government, the Malawi Congress of Trade Unions, ILO and other institutions. He expressed ECAM’s interest to network also with the EU. It is engaged in a number of consultative fora and discussions trying to match tertiary curricula to the requirements of the labor market and to industry.

ECAM reports of a new initiative and its involvement in a Polytechnic conducted workshop with various stakeholders. ECAM proactively seeks discussion and engagement with UNIMA to promote the integration of core competences into the curricula (entrepreneurial and innovative thinking). ECAM also expresses interest of linking up with EU and AU to promote relevant curricula and to foster the generation of graduates with competencies meeting the requirements of the labor market. One of the competences to be promoted in HE is entrepreneurial thinking. So far there is a lack of entrepreneurial culture and entrepreneurial and innovative thinking is not entrenched in education. First steps in this direction are made on the TVET sector.

With regard to student internships, ECAM tries to come up with a discussion paper. Second or third year students could gather experiences in industry. It could be a win-win situation for graduates and industry: students and graduates would gain competences which are not learnt within the curriculum and industry would benefit from better qualified graduates, being familiar with the requirements.

As potential disciplines for a Tuning project, engineering (power shortage, water shortage, and mining) was mentioned. There are natural resources that are not well used and which need to be researched. But also Medicine was mentioned. UNIMA is said to have one of the best medical schools in Africa, but the graduates often rather seek administrative and management posts than go into the practical area. Also brain drain is a problem as according to his report; there are more Malawian medical doctors in the UK than in Malawi.

With regard to the need of harmonization and a potential Tuning Project on a regional scale, he emphasizes Malawi’s broad linkage to the SADC as well as to the Eastern African and Great Lakes’ region which could be intensified.

Universities

We were able to visit three constituents of one university, the University of Malawi (UNIMA). UNIMA is in fact a federation of different types of institutions, namely university, specialized colleges and polytechnic. As these constituents represent different types of higher education institutions, we covered all institutional types within one comprehensive university system.

UNIMA is located in different regions of the country and comprises 5 main campuses.

University of Malawi

In October 1964, the University of Malawi was founded under the University of Malawi (Provisional Council) Act which was later replaced and amended by several Acts. The founding of the University was supported by the American Council on Education and the British Inter-University Council on Higher Education Overseas.

The overall scope of programme provision covers a broad range of disciplines distributed over different campuses and constituents.

The establishment of the Polytechnic within the structure of UNIMA amounts to the creation of a binary institution (similar to the current emergence of the South African comprehensive institutions).

UNIMA considers itself as ‘the country’s principal market leader tertiary education institution’ which has an exceptionally important role to play (University of Malawi: Strategy for addressing implications of globalization in higher education, April 2010).

The UNIMA can be regarded as an institutional hybrid type of university and non-university. UNIMA’s mission and profile reflect the academic drift in HE as well as for its vocational drift.

Its constituents consist of the following Faculties:

1) Bunda College (30 km outside Lilongwe): Agriculture, Development Studies and Environmental Science

2) Chancellor College Education (Zomba): Humanities, Science, Social Science, Law

3) College of Medicine (Blantyre): Medicine

4) Kamuzu College of Nursing (Lilongwe): Nursing

5) Polytechnic (Blantyre): Applied Studies, Commerce, Engineering, Education and Media Studies

UNIMA’s vision is “to be a modern, multifunctional centre of excellence in higher education that is responsive to the needs of the developing and globalizing society”.

UNIMA’s mission: “To advance knowledge, promote wisdom and understanding and provide services by engaging in teaching and research and by facilitating the dissemination, promotion, and preservation of learning responsive to the needs of Malawi and the world.”

Most postgraduate programs are in areas that are donor driven. UNIMA’s main priority is to provide undergraduate training. As a result postgraduate training has been given less emphasis and faculty sees it as an extra duty. The qualification profile of the staff so far is not meeting the requirements for a postgraduate education.

There is an increase in demand by industry of middle-level technicians with diploma qualifications. By stopping the diploma programmes in UNIMA a vacuum was created.

Except for expansions taking place at Kamuzu College of Nursing and the College of Medicine, the infrastructure on the other campuses have remained static in the recent years.

Subject priorities mentioned were: Health and health related sector (as an example of good practice the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA), which will set up a creative Pan-African PhD program in public and population health was mentioned), Engineering, Life/general sciences, Humanities and Social sciences.

Bunda college of Agriculture

BCA offers a wide range of programmes. Its strategic focus as a specialized College is on Agriculture, Development Studies and Environmental Sciences. Currently, BCA provides 16 UG Programs, 14 Master Programs and 5 PhD Programs. About 25 PhD students originate from different countries (East and South). There is also a Joint Master Program with Norway in Agricultural Economics (rotating system with different partners). Some of the PhD Programs are Sandwich Programs. According to the Principal, BCA degrees are recognized internationally and BCA graduates get admission to graduate programs in Europe, Africa and the US.

Bunda College of Agriculture is well networked regionally as well as internationally. It is member in the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM). RUFORUM is a consortium of 25 universities in Eastern and Southern Africa and was established in 2004.[1] Topics of common interest discussed in this forum are agriculture, climate change and nutrition. BCA is also networking with ICRAF, the World Agroforestry Center in Nairobi. At political level BCA is cooperating with SARUA and attending the meetings once or twice per year.

BCA is collaborating with a number of Universities in the Region: University of Pretoria, University of Cape Town, Makarere University, University of Zambia, Eduardo Mondlane University to mention only a few but also with non-African institutions e.g. Indian Institutes of Technology, Michigan State University. Main European partners are from Norway, UK but also Germany.

BCA has an explicit outreach to the community around and cooperates with Ministries, governmental agencies, public institutions, NGOs and private sector.

There are governmental plans to upgrade BCA and merge it with further HEIs in the region to make it a third public university in the country. The working name of this project is ‘Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The Principal mentions the shortage of resources, human resources as well as financial resources as central challenges. However, the major current constraint is the lack of space, namely to accommodate students on the campus, which is half an hour’s drive outside Lilongwe on the country side. As BCA is offering application oriented hands-on education, ODL represents only a limited potential to widen access and meeting the demand – in particular also with respect to the poor ICT infrastructure in BCA so far.

BCA’s Alumni organization is told to be less active.

BCA has a four year cycle for curriculum revision. Modules are organized semester wise. Some courses build on each other, however each unit is self contained. Curriculum development starts with a needs assessment and after cristallising ideas; key stakeholders (government, industry etc) are consulted. Syllabuses of courses are developed and the Faculty will present the program to the BCA Academic Board. The curriculum is refined and as a last step submitted as one consistent document and presented to the university wide Senate Sub-Committee, the Academic Planning Committee. The Senate, which is chaired by the Vice-Chancellor himself, reviews the Curriculum before approval. The University is autonomous in this process and controls the quality.

The Deans and Academics from Bunda College of Agriculture were acquainted with competence-based approach to curriculum development. BCA has a number of interdisciplinary programs which are based on social needs. Graduates are reported to rather go to Government, public authorities, NGOs or UN or other management, quality assurance, leadership positions than staying ‘on ground’ on the farms. This is perceived as a loss of resources for the agricultural, environmental and natural resource sector.

The lecture hours count for 50 minutes. One credit point refers to 15 contact hours. Two hours practical is equivalent to 1 lecture hour. The credits are not related to student workload and competences but to contact hours.

In the assessment of students’ work the American GPA (Grade Point Average) System is used; this is a four-point system whereby four (4) passing grades, namely A,B, C and D are used. 60 % for a minimum GPA of 2.0 is needed for a pass mark (or a degree). The drop out number is reported to be small. In the four Years Bachelor Programs there is a cumulative GPA with aggregate in degrees. There is a variety in grading systems which result in difficulties to compare. Faculty also reports of a diversity of assessment methods and standards within the institution. So far the assessment of competencies is rather subjective. There is a need of defining indicators as in the NQF for TVET.

BCA leadership and academics were very positive towards a tuning approach “The Tuning Project itself is a good project.” “Tuning is very attractive for us academics Key players of the College could be trained.” “Bunda College of Agriculture could be selected as a model for Tuning.”

The Principal favors a regional approach to a potential Tuning Project and sees also the potential of Tuning bringing a harmonization effect within the country. Faculty saw a potential of raising awareness and consciousness on the need of capacity building in curriculum development and quality assurance. The standardizing of the quality of degrees would bring Malawi HE a big step further. The interviewees put large hope into the new CHE which is to be established as this institution would lay the infrastructure which is required in the beginning of a tuning and harmonization process within the country. Their first need of a Tuning project would therefore primarily be focused on an internal need analysis of the diversity within the system and an need analysis for internal harmonization and tuning which should of course be linked and compatible with the regional harmonization and tuning of HE. Faculty suggested a study tour to best practice institutions and training workshops to transform the teaching profession and enhance employability of junior teachers as well as of graduates.

The main subject area priorities mentioned was –according to the nature of the college – agriculture and environmental science and natural resources. A Tuning pilot project could be linked to the RUForum, which would be an ideal network basis, linking Eastern and Southern Africa in the field of Agriculture.

Polytechnic Blantyre

The Polytechnic in Blantyre is focusing on practice-oriented education in five Faculties: Applied Studies, Commerce, Engineering, Education and Media Studies and Build Environment. It seems well linked to industry and the employers. Students have to do an industry attachment (internship) which is part of the curriculum and as well credit based.

The Polytechnic reported a number of imported curricula which result in a great curriculum diversity at the institution (American systems, Scottish and other European systems). The academics stated a need for internal standardization and unification. This is considered as basis for becoming comparable to other institutions in the country and in the region. The primary concern is raising institutional and national standards to international standards. The issue of recognition in case of student mobility is only of posteriority. Although student and graduate mobility is perceived as important, Malawian academics also expressed their concern of brain drain – the risk of high potentials leaving the country. However, harmonization was perceived as important (e.g. in regulated professions like Accounting, Engineering).

At Polytechnic Blantyre there is a credit based curriculum of 120 credits per academic year. One credit is 10 notional hours (contact hours and self-study hours). The credits are accumulative. Students get a certificate after the first year. Proposals to unify this system university wide are already submitted.

The Dean of the Media College reported about a Conference in South Africa where common standards in Journalism education where agreed upon for Africa. In this regard the role of South Africa was stressed as a major knowledge center in Africa imposing on the region (“Political economy of knowledge is structured around power.”)

The constraints that inhibit the Polytechnic from offering postgraduate programs in engineering, applied science, and built environment need to be addressed as these studies would help Malawi develop in science and technology and improve its key economy indicators.

The discussion on Tuning and harmonization in HE was vivid. Critical questions were asked whether harmonization (or globalization) would not disadvantage further the disadvantaged and thus contribute to even greater disparities. Any project on harmonization should be based on a need assessment to identify what Africa really needs. It was also questioned whether it would serve HE, if curricula are too much aligned to employers needs as these are not entirely representing the long-term needs of the country. It should be made sure that mechanisms are in place to modify competences within the curricula when needed. Critical remarks were also made towards South Africa as hegemony.

For a Tuning pilot project they recommended regulated professions (engineering, accounting, commerce, journalism) or applied sciences. A regional or cross regional approach (Southern and Eastern Africa) was favored. It was stressed that the quality of teaching and learning and a competence-based curriculum strongly relies on a good infrastructure and up to date teaching materials. A potential tuning pilot project, which they will be happy to participate in, should be fledged by infrastructural measures (e.g. upgrading of the ICT infrastructure, developing new teaching materials).

The potential for TUNING

Malawi has a small but expanding HE sector. The main focus of national policy for HE is Capacity Building as a super-ordinate. Staff development is an important part of Capacity Building. Tuning is principally aimed at staff development and systems implementation and thus maps very closely to the national and institutional aims of HE in Malawi.

A national qualification framework and descriptions of academic levels in competencies are under development, although implementation of this and competence definition is still limited.

The Malawian institutes visited are in general open to collaboration with other countries. This is:

• at the bilateral level with individual institutes (also with USA and Europe)

• at the regional level, for example through regional networks (such as within SADC or with East Africa)

• at pan-African level (e.g. through AAU membership)

The Malawian institutes visited were in general open to the idea of Tuning, although it should certainly not be started as a separate or top down exercise and is should clearly relate to ongoing developments.

The diagram hereafter summarizes the main points identified in Malawi in terms of strengths, weakness, opportunities, and challenges in the light of a potential Tuning study.

|Strenghts |Weaknesses |

|Small dynamic HE system starting QA, curriculum revision and |Shortage of resources (financial, accommodation and human |

|modularization |resources) |

|Structures in place for accreditation, quality control, and |Curricula not consequently formulated following one standard |

|tertiary education policy development (NESP) |Credits are at present mostly not uniform defined in terms of |

|Common British secondary school system in Anglophone countries of |student workload |

|S-Africa facilitating student mobility. |Accreditation more focused on facts and figures than on the |

|Several existing (regional/African) networks (e.g.in agriculture) |learning and teaching process |

|and bilateral collaborations in place. |Poor quality and quantity of research |

|A national qualification framework for education is under |Poor central infrastructure to coordinate Tuning approach |

|development. | |

|Wide spread interest and readiness for Tuning approach | |

|State Secretary and Vice Chancellor UNIMA supportive | |

|Malawi has a ‘neutral’ as well as central position within SADC | |

|Opportunities |Challenges |

|Tuning comes timely and links well with institutional and national |Currently most curricula have no well-defined competences. |

|developments (like NQF) |Facilities and infra structure (ICT) need to improve in order to |

|Employers’ willingness to contribute to curriculum improvement. |effectively implement competence based learning. |

|Tertiary institutes are actively seeking more contact with |Staff training will be required, while part of staff may resist to |

|employers, e.g. by student work attachment |new teaching methods. |

|Supporting the establishment of CHE and the quality assurance and |Language (Portuguese/English/others) is limiting regional mobility |

|standard setting processes with the Tuning project |to some extent, and would need to be dealt with in a |

|Contribution to de-polarization and ‘de-hegemonialisation’ of South|regional/continental approach. |

|African HE |Mobilizing the SADC countries for TUNING |

| |Fear exists amongst some persons that a Tuning exercise could |

| |induce larger brain drain. |

Recommendations

Malawi is ready to host and participate in a Tuning pilot project. There are a number of national and institutional reform endeavors which perfectly match the Tuning philosophy (e.g. the establishment of the Council of Higher Education, the development of a national and institutional quality assurance system, the modularization of curricula, the review and revision of curricula towards a competency based approach, the training of academic staff to improve teaching and assessment, the improvement of communication with the employers and the industry sector). Tuning could be linked to capacity building with regard to curriculum development, quality assurance and the professionalization of teaching.

We recommend the following:

a) Bunda College of Agriculture could host a Tuning pilot project in Agriculture, in close cooperation with the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM). BCA has a certain international reputation and will be accepted as ‘champion’. Linking a pilot to the RUFORUM consortium will cover at least the 25 universities in Eastern and Southern Africa. The selection of BCA as a champion will also have a positive effect on the reform initiatives within Malawi. The political support is reliable on national, University and College level.

b) Malawi should be selected as venue for the next Tuning Workshop disseminating the results of the Tuning Feasibility Study. There is an explicit political interest to play a role on SADC level and the choosing of Malawi (Lilongwe) as a venue would back the political reform endeavors within Malawi, Malawi’s striving for harmonization within the SADC area of HE as well as Malawi’s bridging function to the Eastern African HE region and the HE in the region of the Great Lakes.

c) Malawi should have a visible role in Tuning.

a. Malawi promotes a number of initiatives closely related to Tuning (on national and institutional level)

b. Malawi is a SADC country and has been the venue for the signature of the SADC Protocol on Education and Training.

c. Malawi is devoted to the aims of the establishment of a SADC area of HE.

d. As representative of a country with a small but expanding and up-striving HE system, Malawi will have a high credibility and symbolic meaning for a number of more rural African countries trying to upgrade their HE system and trying to integrate into the African scientific community as well as into the global HE sector.

e. Malawi has a bridging function to Eastern Africa and the Great Lake Region in Central Africa.

f. Malawi is a said to be a ‘darling’ of donor agencies. A TUNING project could attract further funding and could be complemented by further donor funded initiatives e.g. improving ICT infrastructure, which would contribute to a sustainable development of the Malawian HE sector.

There is no unanimous opinion about the scale of such a project. Language can be a barrier. There is hardly any contact with Portuguese speaking institutions in the region.

Potential priority subject areas for TUNING include:

a. Agriculture: BCA could become a champion in an agricultural project. It could represent the disadvantaged rural institutions in Africa.

b. Health and (new) health related professions to take work off the medical sector

c. Engineering: to make engineering more attractive and because of a perceived need by industry for more skilled engineers.

d. Education: to improve also the subsectors (primary, secondary and vocational education) and generate spin-off to other subject areas.

If a TUNING project will take off in Africa, it is important to make use of the existing initiatives like the UNIMA qualification framework and not to develop something entirely new that ignores those initiatives.

In the project the following players should be involved: academics, students, employers, quality assurance agencies (CHE) and other stakeholders.

A Tuning process should be accompanied by:

a. An education and training programme for staff

b. Upgrading of facilities and sufficient equipment for class rooms, laboratories and computer rooms

c. Improving infrastructure (like implementing a student progress system and sufficient internet provision etc).

Finally terminology should be cautious used and verified because sometimes terms are used for different ideas like space science is not associated with going to the moon but how to divide the space for telecommunication and internet etc.

Annex 1: Visited Institutes and Persons

Interview partners Tuning Feasibility Study Malawi /Contributors to TUNING Report Malawi

|Organisation/Institution |Name |Function |Email/Phone/FAX |

|Ministry of Education, Science and | | | |

|Technology | | | |

| |John Bisika, |Secretary for |jjbisika@ |

| | |Education, Science and |Phone +265 888 752 822 |

| | |Technology |Fax.265+ 1 788074 |

| | | |Phone: 0999953742 |

| |Dr. Godfrey B. C. Kafere |Technical and |kafereg@ |

| | |Vocational Training | |

| |Lonely Magreta |Secondary Education | |

| |Dudley Chiwala |Secondary Education |dleychiwala@yahooc.om |

| |Michael L. Lwanda |Higher Education | |

| |Tob Mwanlima |Planning | |

| |Jacqueline Ntonda | |jntonda@ |

| | | |Jacqueline Ntonda: 01979261 |

| |Raphael Agabu |Auditor |raphaelagabu@ |

|Bunda College of Agriculture |Professor Dr. Moses B. |Principal |Phone +265 1 277 226 |

| |Kwapata | |bcaprincipal@bunda.unima.mw |

| |S.C. Khaila |Dean Faculty of |sckhaila@ |

| | |Development | |

| |G.F. Salanje |College Librarian |gsalanje@bunda.unima.mw |

| |Wellam Kathunzi |Agricultural | |

| | |Engineering Department | |

| |Martin M. Chiamaoyo |College Registrar | |

| |Kingsley G. Masamba |Representing Dean of |kmasamba@ |

| | |Students |Kmasamba@bunda.unima.mw |

| |Alexander Kalimbira |Department of | |

| | |Postgraduate Studies | |

| | |and Research | |

| |Felix Kalowekamo |Natural Resources | |

| | |Management Department | |

| |James G. Sitima |Curriculum expert |Phone +265 01 277 346 |

| | |Department of |Mobile: + 265 888 397 140 |

| | |Agriculture Education, |sitimajames@ |

| | |Faculty of Development | |

| | |Studies | |

|University of Malawi, The | | | |

|Polytechnic (Blantyre) | | | |

| |Dr. Grant K. Kululanga |Principal |gkululanga@poly.ac.mw |

| | | |Phone +265 1 871 637 |

| |Moses P.M. Chinyama |Dean Faculty of |mchinyama@poly.ac.mw |

| | |Engineering |Phone: +265 01 870411 |

| | | |Mobile +265 0884 157 301 |

| | | |FAX: +265 01 870578 |

| |Francis C. Chikunkhuzeni |Dean of Education and | |

| | |Media Studies | |

| |Stuart Chirambu |Assistant Registrar | |

| |Nancy Chisera |Incoming Dean of Faculty| |

| | |of Applied Sciences | |

| |Moses Chinyama |Dean of Engineering | |

| |Peter Nkwanda |Deputy Dan of build | |

| | |Environment | |

| |Steven Tropsy Taulo |Dean Postgraduate |staulo@poly.ac.mw |

| | |Studies | |

| |Rhoda Bakuwa |Dean Faculty of Commerce| |

|Medical College (Blantyre) |Dorothy Chinguo |Occupational Therapists |dorothychinguo@yahoo.co.uk |

|University of Malawi, Chancellor |Prof. Dr. Emmanuel Fabiano |Vice-Chancellor UNIMA |vc@unima.mw |

|College | | | |

|Employers Consultative Association|Beyani T Munthali |Ag Executive Director |Tel:  +265 1 830 075 |

|of Malawi | | |Fax: +265 1 830 075 |

|ECAM | | |Cell: +265 995 501 356 |

| | | |Email: beyani.m@ |

|European Union Delegation to |Mr. Bupe MULANGA, | |Bupe.MULAGA@ec.europa.eu |

|Malawi | | | |

| |Mr. Alan MUNDAY | |alan.munday@ec.europa.eu |

Annex 2: UNIMA Bachelor Degree – HE

Example of level 3 descriptors

|Knowledge and understanding|Practice: Applied |Generic cognitive skills |Communication, |Autonomy, accountability |

| |knowledge and | |ICT and numeric skills |and working with others |

| |understanding | | | |

|Characteristic outcomes of learning at each level includes the ability to: |

|Demonstrate and/or work |Use a selection of the |Undertake critical |Use a range of routine |Exercise autonomy and |

|with: |principal skills, |analysis, evaluation |skills some advanced and |initiative in some |

|A broad and integrated |techniques, practices |and/or synthesis of ideas,|specialized skills in |activities at a |

|knowledge and understanding|and/or materials |concepts, information and |support of established |professional level. |

|of the scope, main areas |associated with a |issues. |practices in a |Take some responsibility |

|and boundaries of a |disciple. |Identify and analyse |subject/discipline for |for the work of others and|

|subject/discipline |Use a few skills, |routine professional |example: |for a range of resources. |

|A critical understanding of|techniques, practices |problem issues. |Make formal and informal |Practice in ways which |

|a selection of the |and/or materials that are |Draw on a range of sources|presentations on standard/ |take account of own and |

|principal theories, |specialized or advanced. |in making judgments. |mainstream topics in the |others’ roles and |

|principles, concepts and |Practice routine methods | |subject/ discipline to a |responsibilities. |

|terminology |of enquiry and/or | |range of audiences |Work under guidance with |

|Knowledge that is detailed |research. | |Use a range of IT |qualified practitioners. |

|in some areas and/ or |Practice in a range of | |applications to support and|Deal with ethical and |

|knowledge of one or more |professional level | |enhance work |professional issues in |

|specialisms that are |contexts which include a | |Interpret use and evaluate |accordance with current |

|informed by forefront |degree of | |numerical data to achieve |professional and/ or |

|developments |unpredictability. | |goals |ethical codes or practices|

| | | | |seeking guidance where |

| | | | |appropriate. |

Annex 3: guidelines for evaluating higher education institutions and programmes for accreditation

In order to evaluate higher education institutions and programmes for purposes of accreditation, the areas described below are carefully examined.

INFRASTRUCTURE

a) Physical facilities

Adequacy and suitability of classes, library, toilets, hostels (for residential students), laboratories, and catering facilities

b) Learning and teaching materials

Well-stocked library with relevant books, computers, teaching aids, and other support facilities

c) Safety and Public Health

Conducive learning environment, (clean surroundings, first aid facilities, clean running water, safe buildings)

d) Insurance

For buildings, students and other facilities

MANAGEMENT OF INSTITUTION

a) Vision, mission, and objectives

b) Organizational structure

c) Constitution

ACADEMIC STAFF AND THEIR QUALIFICATIONS

a) Names, qualifications, and positions of full time lecturers

b) Names, qualifications, and positions of part-time lecturers

c) Number of lecturers by department

CURRICULUM

a) Programme title, aims and objectives

b) Course list

c) Syllabi

d) Course titles

e) Course aims and learning objectives

f) Course outlines

g) Mode of delivery

h) Method of assessment

i) Number of credit hours

j) List of prescribed and recommended textbooks

RULES AND REGULATIONS

a) Admission criteria

b) Grading of awards

c) Assessment method

d) Administration of examinations

e) Others (specify)

ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAMMES

a) Development process of curricula

b) Academic committee

c) Examination board

d) Quality control e.g. moderation and/or external examination

SUSTAINABILITY OF THE INSTITUTION

a) Budget

How much money has been set aside for:

• Physical infrastructure (classes, library, offices, toilets, hostels, laboratories and catering facilities)

• Teaching and learning materials (library books, computers, teaching aids and other support materials)

ENROLMENT

An indication of how many students will be enrolled initially.

FEES

A rough indication as to how much fees the university will be charging.

ACCREDITATION

Willingness to be subjected to an assessment by the National Council of Higher Education

COMMENCEMENT

Rough indication as to how soon the university will start.

Annex 4: Basic Statics University of Malawi 2009

[pic]

Source: UNIMA, University of Malawi Strategy for addressing implications of Globalisation in higher education, 2010.

UNIMA Academic Staff Qualifications 2009

| |PhD |MSc/MA/ |BSc/BA |Total |

| | |MPhil | | |

|Bunda |53 |67 |18 |138 |

|Chancellor |65 |123 |44 |232 |

|College of Medicine |31 |49 |52 |132 |

|KCN |8 |42 |17 |67 |

|Polytechnic |19 |113 |73 |205 |

|University Office |3 |8 |8 |19 |

|UNIMA |179 |402 |212 |793 |

|Percent of Total |22 |51 |27 |100 |

Source: UNIMA, University of Malawi Strategy for addressing implications of Globalisation in higher education, 2010.

Annex

Staff Profile in Public and Private Universities

[pic]

World Bank 2010, p. 169

Qualifications of Staff in Public Institutions

[pic]

World Bank 2010, p. 170

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[1] The consortium originally operated as a program of the Rockefeller Foundation from 1992. RUFORUM has a mandate to oversee graduate training and networks of specialization in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) countries. Specifically, RUFORUM recognizes the important and largely unfulfilled role that universities play in contributing to the well-being of small-scale farmers and economic development of countries throughout the sub-Saharan Africa region. ()

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