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With the rapid growth of new higher education institutions in Namibia, there is sufficient evidence to suggest that there is already strong competition in the higher education market. This is no longer the usual way of leading the education sector for well-established institutions, mainly national and public institutions, which once enjoyed a monopoly on the enrollment of higher education students in the past. Faced with the inexorable creation of new colleges and universities, existing institutions must improve their game if they want to remain as competitive as before in the new environment.
As a result, new and upcoming institutions must prove themselves in a competitive environment in order to attract clients in the form of students, parents and guardians.
This means that this market competition in this knowledge-based economy places both traditional higher education institutions and new ones in difficult situations and often in a dilemma, as market forces continue to shape the landscape of higher education. In the worst case, market competition may force some higher education institutions to call each other a full day and shut down. It is true that there have already been some victims in this regard and that others will come as the battle for domination in higher education will thicken. Institutions that face market competition and adapt to environmental imperatives will flourish and become leaders in quality education in this country.
The advanced research programs and activities of these higher education institutions will propel them further up the education market in the world. More importantly, the nature and distinctiveness of each higher education institution will emerge in the marketplace. These features help the market determine whether the institution is strong or weak in the field of education.
In my opinion, competition in higher education is healthy. Competition is based on the principles of the free market. It is supported by the neoliberal ideology that encourages competition in the free market. Since higher education has become a marketable product, higher education institutions must strive to offer the most attractive and competitive degree programs to train qualified graduates for the market. . No higher education has the monopoly of the commodity. As the commodification of higher education intensifies, market competition intensifies and becomes fierce competition from companies. Again, no higher education has control over academic programs.
In addition to introducing new competitive programs and consolidating their top-selling programs, higher education institutions will be forced to discard outdated and outdated programs. In other words, the development of market-oriented programs is becoming a natural process in the game of survival par excellence.
In the same vein, higher education institutions are obliged to adapt their market-oriented programs to the needs of society. To achieve their goals, higher education institutions are also obliged to recruit the best local and international academics. This is no longer the game as usual; less qualified academics, such as bachelor's and master's degrees, are being replaced by those with a doctorate degree in institutions of higher learning. Someone felt that to give Namibia 10 years from now, all academics from higher education institutions will need to possess a doctorate as a minimum qualification to teach at the university level. The doctoral rule for university lecturers has recently reached many university scholars in Zimbabwe, as their contracts were not renewed because they did not produce a doctorate after a five-year grace period. years. The bell rings for less qualified academics but still want to stay in the higher education sector. No offense provided, but just state the fact as it is.
Newly hired, highly qualified academics demonstrate a roadmap of excellence in the areas of research, education and community service. Their research publications show that they are university authorities in their fields of specialization. In all their academic activities, academics display indisputable knowledge of university systems. They also demonstrate a perfect understanding of the university as an essential center of knowledge production, preservation and dissemination. Highly qualified academics, leading-edge programs, state-of-the-art infrastructure and good governance combine to enhance the social and academic prestige of institutions. However, the benchmarks or criteria remain Havard, Cambridge, Oxford and other world-class universities.
It is important to note that students, parents and guardians are at the heart of competition in higher education. Students benefit as far as there is a wide choice of higher education institutions in the country. Since the presentation of programs may vary from one institution to another, students have the freedom to choose the programs that suit them best. It is common for students to start a degree program in one institution, but the student realizes that another institution is offering a better program. This gives the student a chance to enroll in the school with a better program.
The competition also offers the opportunity to access higher education to the less talented students who obtain the minimum points required to access a degree program. Indeed, not all higher education institutions have the same entry criteria for degree programs. Although this may be criticized, it is not an exaggeration to say that some university students with weak points were more successful in their studies than those who entered with points. very high. Thus, the rigid conditions of access to the university entrance that would have closed the door to education for many students are eased due to competition in the market of the university. 39, higher education. While competition in higher education is sound and encouraged, the National Council of Higher Education (NCHE) and the Namibian Qualifications Authority (NQA) must prevent unregistered and fictitious operate in Namibia.
A competitive higher education market promotes diversity and the creation of knowledge.
* Professor Jairos Kangira is the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Namibia. He writes on his own. Email address: [email protected]
Journalist
2019-06-14 10:52:28 1 hour ago
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