Introduction
Djibouti lies at the Horn of Africa. In 1999, it had an estimated population of 629,000.

The Vocational Training Certificate (Brevet de Techniciens Supérieurs, BTS), was created with the main objective of providing highly trained staff in the areas of economics, management, and computer science. Upon completion, diplomas are granted by the French universities that oversee the training program.

History of Higher Education
The country has no university in the strictest sense. The political will to establish a university in the country was expressed during the election in 1999. The new university was to start in September 2000, in collaboration with French universities, and deliver diplomas after two years of education. A couple of two-year higher degrees programs--equivalent to an associate degree (Diplôme d’Etudes Universitaires Générales, DEUG lettre and DEUG MIAS (Mathematiques Informatique et Applications aux Sciences, Mathematics, Computer Science and Scientific Applications) hosted at the Center for Training National Education Staff (Centre de Formation des Personnels de l’ Education Nationale, CFPEN)--have been launched with the financial and technical support of the French Government.

Governance and administration
The education system of Djibouti is modeled after the French system adopting the same pedagogical model and administrative structures. As a consequence, the system is expensive to operate and is probably inadequate and irrelevant to the socio-economic development of the nation.

The educational system has not been adapted to the local needs because of its closer link with the French system in terms of academic schedule, programs, pedagogical approach, administration, and teacher training.

Student Enrollment
The number of students has multiplied eight folds from 17 in 1990 to 137, in 1997 with the most significant increase recorded in 1993-94. Important courses in history, geography, and Arabic are offered with specific focus on regional and environmental context. Since the introduction of this training option, 114 students have obtained their DEUG and, 23 students were expected to graduate in 2000.

An estimated 865 Djiboutian students are currently studying in foreign countries on government scholarships, and 70% are based in France. In 1999, the total yearly cost of foreign study to the government was about US$4.34 million.

Faculty
Courses are primarily taught by French professors. Some of these professors are based in Djibouti, while others are visiting professors from the University of Montpelier (France) who teach two to three weeks a year. This faculty exchange was made possible by agreement between the CFPEN and the University of Montpellier.

Research and Publishing

The Advanced Institute for Scientific and Technical Study and Research (Institut Supérieur d’Etudes et de Recherches Scientifiques et Téchniques, ISERST) is the only research institution in the country. ISERST performed technical and scientific research in areas of national priority, such as soil sciences, ecophysiology, agronomy, renewable energies and energy conservation, hydrogeology, hydrochemistry, geology and social sciences. The institute has a total of 16 researchers (5 PhD).

Funding and Resources
As there is no University and, no Science and Technology University in particular, research and education remain under two separate offices: the Office of the President and the Ministry of Education. Research is generally constrained by under-funding and budget reductions. For instance, the operating budget is negligible compared to budgets earmarked for salaries. As a result, the institute is obliged to generate its own funds through donations and from revenues for services rendered to the private sector.

Note: For detailed account on the state of higher education in Djibouti, please consult: Nabil Mohammed with Damtew Teferra, African Higher Education: An International Reference Handbook (Damtew Teferra and Philip. G. Altbach, eds., Indiana University Press, 2003), pp. 281-285.