<B>By Roukaya KASENALLY</B>

Campuses across the world are undergoing major transformations, some of them are welcomed whilst others are causing significant tensions and disruptions to the manner in which education/knowledge was traditionally dispensed. At the heart of some of this discontent is the predominance of the business cum commercial model. No doubt, over the last decade or so universities have had to deal with massive increases in student population as basic tertiary education in many countries became the norm as opposed to the exception. In fact, countries like the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia among others have a targeted policy strategy of getting 50 percent of their young population to enter higher education. This scaling up of tertiary enrolment has and continues to be the cause of intense and passionate debate where the key question that needs to be answered is: can this be done without compromising on quality?

The financing of universities is another major issue as traditional funders (essentially the State) are slowly disengaging themselves as the major source of finance. Faced with such a situation, many universities have had to develop survival strategies - the most common one is to turn tertiary education into a commercial and lucrative product! In fact, home campuses (even the most famous and well reputed ones) have developed a string of offshore branches, antennas and franchises. This trend has brought many observers to comment on the Macdonalisation of tertiary education. No doubt, this is cause for concern as education (and more so tertiary education) can not and should not be treated as a vulgar commodity but on the contrary as a public interest good where due responsibility and monitoring should be exercised.

The last budget presented by the Minister of Finance had a strong open for business call with what he deemed are the necessary measures required to welcome/invite/facilitate foreign universities to ?invest? in Mauritius. This call is to be treated with caution and concern as it can easily open the floodgate to a number of institutions that do not have the required credentials to impart knowledge. If Mauritius is serious about developing a credible and sound knowledge hub it is imperative that it secures and strengthens its tertiary education setup. This should be driven by the notion of ensuring quality, equity and access. A quick look at some of the training/teaching institutions currently operating in Mauritius which offer a gamut of certificates, diplomas and degrees brings one to pose the inevitable question about quality. What quality control mechanisms have been instituted to ensure that content, delivery and assessment are up to the mark? Has quantity not been privileged over quality? In fact, local newspapers on a daily basis carry advertisements from a variety of institutions showcasing and marketing their new offers. Certain have gone to the extent of using outdoor billboards to ensure a more visible and eye-catching effect of their wares! Quality has never been an easy matter as it is very often culturally defined and determined. In addition to that, notions about quality are multi layered and multi dimensional. However, there is broad consensus on certain key factors that constitute a quality baseline. In education and more specifically in tertiary education this is reflected by the content of the curriculum (especially the introduction of new concepts and ideas), the methods of teaching, learning and evaluating, the skills students develop as independent and innovative thinkers. A fair number of the private institutions currently operating in Mauritius essentially import or copycat the curriculum offered by their foreign partners without indeginising the content to the local realities and needs. In principle this is not a bad thing but there are limitations to a totally ?standardized and formatted product? as it allows very little scope to integrate the local into the global. In fact, current knowledge systems are increasingly more sensitive to glocal perspectives and expect this to be reflected in the workforce. Equity and access are closely interrelated and have become fundamental to the manner in which tertiary education is planned and dispensed. It is a known fact that many foreign universities? main source of finance emanates from foreign students? fees and over the last decade or so certain universities in the UK have willingly relaxed their entry requirements so as to accommodate those who can pay but do not have the grades! In the case of Mauritius the welcome call from the Government to the foreign universities/institutions to invest in the tertiary education will be heard if there is a return on their investment which translates into the ability/possibility to make a profit. These foreign institutions are going to charge fees (not as onerous as those charged in their home countries) and those who can pay will be admitted onto their programmes whilst those who can not will be left out.

This in fact goes against the philosophy of equity and access which must ensure inclusion as opposed to exclusion, fairness as opposed to discrimination. This will have an even more reverberating effect in a country that has always taken pride in the free education system that it offers to its citizens. Therefore it is imperative that the necessary systems be devised to support and accompany those students that have the brains but not the means to pay for private tertiary education.

This brings me to discuss the role and responsibilities of an appropriate regulatory / monitoring body that will oversee in an efficient and effective manner this emerging tertiary landscape. The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) has been in existence since the early 1990s and its main mission as stated in its website is ?to promote, plan, develop and coordinate post-secondary education in Mauritius and to implement an overarching regulatory framework to achieve high international quality?. There is no doubt that TEC has played a significant role in the transformation from the one public university (UOM) to the setting up of a number of private universities/institutions (UTM, DCDM etc). However, the main criticism that can be levied against the TEC is its failure to set clear and thorough standards and guidelines concerning quality, equity and access to tertiary education from the very onset. For many, TEC is essentially viewed as a rubber stamp and fund disbursement agency. Some time back, I wrote in the column of this very newspaper the need for a strategic white paper on tertiary education in Mauritius and that TEC should have the role and responsibility of spearheading it. Examples exist around the world of tertiary regulatory and monitoring bodies which TEC could inspire itself from.

The case of India?s University Grants Commission offers an excellent case as the latter through its grants system allows entry, recognition and accreditation to only those universities/institutions that fulfill its set of requirements.

As Mauritius moves into a new developmental phase, tertiary education will become a vital component as it will determine in a significant manner the island?s future human stock.

Time is of the essence as the Mauritian tertiary landscape is already starting to look overcrowded with new institutions/organisations popping up and who claim to be knowledge providers. Therefore it is imperative that the government and all the relevant stakeholders take the appropriate measures to ensure that Mauritius becomes a credible and sustainable knowledge hub and not a haven for phoney or pseudo universities/institutions whose sole purpose is to make a quick buck!