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Tunisia by Benoît Millot, Jeffrey Waite, and Hedi Zaiem Introduction
Tunisia has over nine million inhabitants. In 2000, its GDP was about $18.5 billion, and per capita GDP stood at $1,960.Historical Background
The government established the Ecole normale supérieure to train secondary school teachers, the Ecole nationale d’administration for future senior civil servants, and the Ecole supérieure du droit to develop a legal profession. The year 1960 saw the establishment of the much-awaited University of Tunisia (UT), which included faculties of literature, social sciences, mathematics, physical and natural sciences, law, political science and economics, and theology, as well as the Ecole normale supérieure. The faculty of medicine was added in 1964, while the Ecole nationale des ingénieurs was added in 1969.A new higher education law was passed in 1969, placing all the higher learning and scientific research institutions that came under the purview of the education ministry within UT. In 1986, UT was divided into three universities: Tunis, Center, and Sfax-South. In 1987, Tunis was itself divided into four subject-based universities. Finally, in 2000, three of these four were reorganized into five geographically based and now multidisciplinary universities.
Enrollment
Enrollment rose from 10,000 in 1970 to 32,000 in 1980; by 2000, this number stood at 207,000, a six-fold rise over the last two decades. Although enrollment doubled through the 1980s, growth was held back to some extent by a climate of political and social instability.Faculty
Faculty numbers increased from 2,300 in 1980 to 10,300 in 2000. However, this growth has not kept pace with the rate of enrollment growth. The result is an increase in the average student-to-faculty ratio, which has moved from 15:1 to 20:1 during the 1990s. Indeed, there are striking differences, depending on the area and the type of institution. At the top end, the faculty of medicine, écoles, and ISETs have ratios at around 10:1, while faculties of law and economics post a ratio of 48:1.Gender
Women's share of student enrollment went from 21.1% in 1987-88 to 50.4% in 1999-2000, the first academic year in which more women than men were enrolled at the university level. Among 20-24 year olds, enrollment rose from 5.5% in 1987-99 to 12.3% in 1995 and almost 19.0% in 1999-2000.Research and Publishing
Oversight of research activities is the joint responsibility of the Ministry of Higher Education (MHE) and the secretary of state for research and technology. The MHE takes responsibility for university research and research-based training, while the secretary of state is in charge of research and development. Research generally takes place in conjunction with doctoral studies. In 1998-99, 5,600 students were enrolled in pre-doctoral programs, with 655 pre-doctoral dissertations defended; in the same year, some 2,700 doctoral dissertations were in progress, of which 250 were defended.Funding and Resource
The main source of higher education funding is the national budget. Over the last 10 years, the state has allocated between 1.2% and 5.0% of its budget to higher education. This share increased during the 1990s after a decline during the 1980s.An analysis of public expenditure on higher education shows that salaries account for a little over two-thirds of the operating budget (with teaching salaries taking over 40%). Scholarships are awarded on the basis of parental income and remain an important expenditure item.
Private institutions
Until July 2000, no legal recognition was given to the private higher education sector. As a result, the Ministry of Higher Education has been, for the first time, able to accredit six out of the 12 private institutions that applied for official recognition. At this stage, private institutions enroll about 3,500 students, and charge fees from $2,000-$5,500.Note: For detailed account on the state of higher education in Tunisia, please consult: Benoît Millot, Jeffrey Waite, and Hedi Zaiem, African Higher Education: An International Reference Handbook (Damtew Teferra and Philip. G. Altbach, Indiana University Press, 2003), pp. 601-610.
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