Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE)

FUNDING STRATEGIESPresentation by Mr. G. T. Gurira

Principal Director HR, Admin and Finance

Role of Higher Education in National Development

• The role of higher education in national development is uncontested

• Higher education and its constituent institutions have an immense social and public responsibility

• Higher education avails to society a critical mass of citizenry who possess the capability to engage the most intractable problems of society

• It produces the skilled graduates, professionals and intellectuals with the stamina to drive economic, social and political development

The Zimbabwe Higher Education SectorThe Zimbabwe higher education sector has undergone

massive expansion since 1980

From one public university at independence it now has 15 universities, nine (9) public and six (6) private

The system is expected to grow even larger in 2012 with the addition of three new public universities and probably one private university i.e. the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe

The current enrolment in our higher education system is in excess of 55000

FUNDING

THE CHALLENGESThe effects of massification i.e. increased

numbers in higher education is a world wide phenomena from which Zimbabwe and other developing nations have not been spared

Increased enrolments have a direct bearing on quality assurance

The major challenge is how do you provide quality education in a context of increased numbers against a background of limited and dwindling funding

Challenges (cont.)Currently the entirety of our public higher education

institutions are heavily dependent on the fiscus for capital and recurrent expenditures

On average it is estimated 80% of budgetary support is from the fiscus, 15% fees and 5% from other sources

This is obviously unsustainable: there is need for HEIs to diversify funding sources especially in a context where the cake is getting smaller

The crisis of our institutions is worsened/exacerbated by the formidable economic, social and political challenges encountered by our nation in the ten years following the onset of the land reform programme (2001 to 2010).

Challenges cont....When the macro economic environment took a nose dive, the

institutions could not escape the irresistible vortex triggered by the land revolution.

Resultant scenario: - massive brain drain

- lack of infrastructural development (given that most of our institutions were born during this most challenging period in the history of our nation).

-inability of higher education institutions to deliver on v their mandates.

-low staff morale

The three pillars of a successful higher education system1. Planning(ensuring all planning documents

align with educational planning).i.e. Higher and Vocational education

2. Quality assurance (as discussed)3. Funding - Percentage of national budget that goes to

higher education -Institutional funding arrangements -Student educational support arrangements

FUNDING STRATEGIESSituation in institutions has slightly improved

following the signing of the Global Political Agreement (GPA)

Institutions are back to the normal semester system and enrolments have improved.

The real challenge is to prepare our HEIs for global competitiveness

Public HEIs and private HEIs are expected to be innovative in devising funding strategies if they are to survive

Funding strategies (cont.)Suggested strategies:PPPs – where private player performs service delivery on

administrative function and assumes associated risks in return for a predetermined fee

PPPs described by the Honourable Minister S. Mudenge as one of the practical and viable strategies to mobilise resources for our HEIs

Joint Ventures (JVs) with willing partners in academic related ventures e.g. Printing Press and Publishing House

Commercial Agriculture – example of Chinhoyi University joint venture with Chinese firm.

Short courses/ programmesCollaborative Research/ConsultanciesCentres of excellence Industrial doctorates and incubation centresFundraising e.t.c e.t.c

Thank you