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Mauritius by R. Baichoo, S. K. A. Parahoo, and I. Fagoonee Introduction
The Mauritian economy has evolved considerably with an annual rate of growth of over 5% and a per capita income exceeding $3,500, graduating Mauritius to the group of upper middle-income countries.History of Higher Education
Established in 1965 as the College of Agriculture, University of Mauritius (UM) is the single largest local tertiary education provider. Initially established with 3 schools in the areas of agriculture, administration and industrial technology, the university has today expanded to comprise 5 faculties, namely agriculture, engineering, law and management, science, and social studies and humanities. Furthermore, five centers have been created, the Center for Medical Research and Studies, the Center for Distance Learning, the Center for Information Technology and Systems, a Consultancy Center, and the recently established Center for Applied Social Research (a joint initiative of UM and the Mauritius Research Council).Enrollment
In 1999-2000, the total student population stood at 4,748, an increase of more than 20% over the previous year. Though overall enrollment shows a more or less even gender distribution (47% female), it is to be noted that gender distribution, not surprisingly, varies across faculties, with a predominance of male students in the faculty of engineering (76%), and a predominance of female students in the faculty of social studies and humanities (68%). Of the total student population, 28% were in programs in the faculty of engineering, followed next by the faculties of law and management (19%), social studies and humanities (18%), science (15%), and agriculture (10%).Funding and Resources
Full-time courses, meant for secondary school leavers, are free of tuition fees. On the other hand, tuition fees are charged for part-time courses designed to cater to the needs of people who are already employed. As the university tries to accommodate increasing demands created through positive growth in student enrollments, it has had to confront inflation in running costs. Although the main source of recurrent education funding, accounting for 85% of total funding, comes from the government, this tends to be absorbed by running costs, leaving relatively little for academic improvement and development. The government grant amounts to only 0.5% of the country's GDP and many argue that this figure should be raised.At present, the university generates only 15% of its total funds, mainly through consultancy, student fees, and renting of premises. As almost three-quarters of the student population are enrolled in full-time courses, which are offered for free, the revenue generated from these students is restricted to registration, examination, and library fees. Furthermore, the bulk of receipts from student fees is generated from employed students, undertaking in-service, part-time courses, and from the recently introduced flexible learning programs.
Administration and Governance
Most of the University's activities are conducted through committees.
- Senate: This is the supreme academic body. It takes important decisions and approves programs to be offered to students.
- Faculty Boards: Currently there are 5 faculty boards. Faculty boards coordinate teaching and research work at the faculty level, approve programs of study, and take an active part in the examination and evaluation process. They also act on any matters referred to them by the vice-chancellor and/or the senate.
- Court: This is another important committee, in effect a kind of annual general meeting in which the university presents its achievements and future plans.
- Council: This is a high-level committee dealing with all matters relating to administration, finance, and general policies.
Research and Publishing
UM has introduced several incentives to encourage research. These include the recruitment of research assistants, provision of research funds for recurrent and capital expenditures, partial funding for participation in conferences, and financial support for overseas research partnerships. Research grant schemes are also available to staff under the aegis of the Mauritius Research Council. These incentives have proven to be effective. The university's performance in research has consistently improved, with 68 academic staff currently enrolled for MPh and PhD studies at UM.A golden opportunity has been presented to academics to publish quality articles in the University of Mauritius Research Journal. Three volumes of the first issue were published in March 1999, incorporating 26 internationally refereed papers. The journal includes research in science and technology, law and management, and social sciences. The second issue was in press in late 2000.
Note: For detailed account on the state of higher education in Mauritius, please consult: R. Baichoo, S. K. A. Parahoo, and I. Fagoonee, African Higher Education: An International Reference Handbook (Damtew Teferra and Philip. G. Altbach, eds., Indiana University Press, 2003), pp. 440-448.
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