University Education in Uganda

Challenges and Opportunities for Reform

Despite the recent expansion of higher education in Uganda, there is still much cause for concern. Enrollment levels lag behind those of much of the rest of the continent; enrolment in technical universities in only one percent; there is no government science and technology policy for higher education despite an identified social need; the new universities are broadly imitating the old colonial models; and there has been little curriculum reform.

This study addresses the state of tertiary education in Uganda and proposes reforms in the following areas: university management; how to manage the current two-tier system of public and private universities; institutional capacity; financing and coping with decreasing resources; curricula design which is appropriate to African development needs; how to correct the imbalance of arts/humanities and science students and shortages of academic staff; access to tertiary education; quality of education; and institutional and academic autonomy.

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