A Study On The Regional Integration Policies Of The Higher Education Quality Assurance In Africa

In the era of knowledge economy,the quality of higher education relates to the ability and speed of knowledge innovation and the transformation of science and technology into productivity.It's extremely important to revitalize the economy and social development and international competitiveness of Africa.Quality assurance is an important part of the integration of African higher education.In the 21 st century,with the acceleration of the integration process of higher education quality assurance in various regions of the world,the integration of higher education quality assurance in Africa is also gradually emerging.In this context,the study on regional integration policies of higher education quality assurance in Africa is conducive to the further development of higher education cooperation between China and Africa.Methods of literature analysis and field research are used to analyze the regional integration policies of higher education quality assurance in African all different levels.Secondly,the influence of these policies is explored from national level.Then the characteristics of these policies and the existing problems are analyzed.On this basis,combining with formulation and implementation of the policies,suggestions are supposed to promote higher education cooperation between China and Africa.The first chapter analyzes the internal and external background of regional integration policies of higher education quality assurance.The external background is mainly from the international integration practice of higher education quality assurance.As for the internal background,the African social and economic development needs and the status quo of human resources level,the scale expansionof higher education in Africa and the quality problems are analyzed and discussed.Chapter two examines the regional integration policies of higher education quality assurance in Africa from the continental level.The policies at this level is mainly formulated and implemented by the Pan-African organizations with the assistance and support of international organizations,regional organizations and countries outside Africa.The outside organizations and countries are the UNESCO,the European Union,European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education,Germany and China.African Union,the Association of African Universities,African Council for Distance Education and Association for the Development of Education are the organizations that formulate and implement policies at continental level.At present,“Harmonisation of African Higher Education Quality Assurance and Accreditation” is put forward by the African Union as the instruction,the policies at continental level including the higher education quality assurance standards of regional integration and a host of other auxiliary practice policies.And the policies are in the stage of preliminary formulation and pilot improvement,further promoted and implemented are needed.Chapter three examines regional integration policies at the sub-regional level.The policies at this level including: one is the policies in Central and Western Africa and Madagascar formulated and implemented by African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education.Secondly,the policies of Eastern Africa formulated and implemented by Inter-University Council for East Africa.The third is the policies of Northern Africa,which is jointly formulated and implemented by the Association of Arab Universities,Arab Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education and Center for Learning Innovations and Customized Knowledge Solutions.Fourthly,the higher education quality assurance practice of regional integration in Southern Africa jointly promoted by Southern African Development Community,Southern African Regional Universities Association and Southern African Quality Assurance Network.Policies of the three sub-regions are rich in content,including the higher education quality assurance standard policies of regional integration(quality assurance standards)and auxiliary policies to promote the coordination,communication,capacity building and consciousness cultivation of regional quality assurance of higher education.Although the Southern Africa has a sense of regional integration for higher education quality assurance,it has yet to enact substantive policies.Chapter four examines the impact of regional integration policies from the respective of nations.Ethiopia and Uganda are selected as case studies.A briefly outlining of the history and current situation of the quality assurance development of higher education among African countries are introduced first.The paper makes a comparative analysis of the two countries both locate in the East of Africa,and explores the development background,organizational structure,quality assurance framework,standards,models,progress and existing problems of the quality assurance in the two countries comprehensively.The impact of the policies at the continental and the sub-regional level are analyzed by exploring the construction of quality assurance system of higher education in the two countries.Ethiopia is a special country in Eastern Africa,and even in Africa.It has not influenced by any policies of continental or sub-regional level.It has always been in a state of independent development.On the contrary,Uganda is one of the leading countries in the integration of the quality assurance of higher education in Eastern Africa.It has played an important role in formulating and implementing the policies of East Africa.Chapter five summarizes and analyzes the characteristics and achievements of the regional integration policies of higher education quality assurance in Africa.The characteristics of the policies are mainly manifested in five aspects,including the motivation,nature,goal,content and implementation of the policies(see the research conclusion for details).Achievements of the regional integration policies are as following.Higher Education quality assurance system of regional integration has established respctively at each level.The scale and frequency of higher educationquality assurance meetings,training,workshops,evaluation and certification activities in each region are gradually expanded.The quality assurance consciousness of the main stakeholders of higher education quality assurance has been greatly improved.The last chapter analyzes the problems and reasons of the regional integration policies.On the basis,suggestions are given to promote Sino-cooperation between China and Arica.There are three problems faced by the regional integration policies of higher education quality assurance in Africa.The gap of the authority,binding force and financial capacity of the higher education quality assurance organizations between continental and sub-regional levels lead to contradictions and conflicts among the organizations.A gap also existed in the ability and enthusiasm of higher education quality assurance between countries and institutions.In addition,the implementation and improvement of the policies are also faced with the problems of insufficient human resources,professional ability,insufficient funds and sources for quality assurance.Quality assurance can be a new entry point for China to participate in the integration of African higher education and deepen the connotation of Sinocooperation in higher education.It is suggested that China should strengthen its cooperation with Africa on the quality assurance of higher education by establishing the strategic partnership on the quality assurance of higher education between China and Africa,carrying out technical assistance on the quality assurance of higher education in Africa and participating in the assistance projects of international organizations on the quality assurance of higher education in Africa.The main conclusions are as follows:Firstly,the regional integration policies can be divided into continental level and sub-regional level.To be specific,apart from Southern Africa,the region of African continent,Central and Western Africa and Madagascar,Eastern Africa and Northern Africa all have their own regional integration policies of higher education quality assurance.Secondly,every regional integration policies of higher education quality assurance have strong regional independence and little interconnection.Up to now,there is no connection between the different levels.Thirdly,the policies at different levels also have many common characteristics.Firstly,it is the multiplicity of policies making motives and the consistency of institutions and procedures.Secondly,according to the attributes,all the policies can be divided into standard policies and supporting policies.Among them,standard policies are the core content of regional integration higher education quality assurance policies,which have strong reference and supporting policies have strong practicality.Third,the policies objectives are basic,operable and developable.Fourth,the content of standard policies is consistent and comprehensive,and the content of auxiliary policies is diverse.Fifth,the evaluation is the main way of policies implementation,communication activities and ability training are complementary,the scope of policies implementation has absolute limit and relatively broad;Sixth,the systematization,digitization and consciousness of the policies effect.Fourthly,few countries and organizations provide assistance or cooperate with Africa based on the quality assurance of higher education.Compared with Germany,which is the most active country.As the developing country who provides the most aid to Africa,China hasn't participated in the integration of higher education quality assurance in Africa or the construction of national higher education quality assurance system.In order to build China-Africa Common Destiny,China should develop cooperation with Africa on the quality assurance of higher education as soon as possible according to the needs of formulating and implementing policies on the quality assurance of higher education in regional integration of Africa.