Mauricio: Tertiary education – Elaboration of an action plan for the sector’s strategic Plan

An Action Plan for the Tertiary Education Strategic Plan, commissioned by the Delegation of the European Union to Mauritius, has been elaborated by a team of Consultants.

The Action Plan fits within the context of the vision of Government to transform Mauritius into a knowledge-based economy by 2025 in the light of a globalised economy. In fact, the world economy requires higher skills, more research and innovation, and competitiveness. Hence, the Mauritian Government is putting focus on innovation as the driving force for creating jobs and welfare.

The team of Consultants has recommended strategic approaches to Governance, Education as a Change Agent, and Research as the main engine for an Innovation Knowledge Hub.

It is recalled that measures adopted by the Ministry of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research to improve the functioning of the Tertiary Education sector include:

improvement of the functioning of feeder channels to tertiary education through the Nine Year Schooling Project at Primary and Secondary levels;

diversification of post-secondary education through the strengthening of the TVET and Polytechnics subsectors; and

consolidation of legislation and regulation of the Tertiary Education Sector through the Higher Education Bill to be worked out with the help of an expert from the Commonwealth.

The Tertiary Education landscape in Mauritius has witnessed significant transformation since the country’s accession to its independence in 1968 when only one institution, namely the University of Mauritius was in existence. Today, the sector is quite diversified and encompasses some 65 institutions, public and private and regional, each with its own specificity.