NN37, May 2006
Special Theme on Education and Training out of Poverty? A Status Report
THE MDGS AS A PERSPECTIVE TO REVIEW CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMMES
By Gerrit Holtland, NUFFIC, The Hague
Building on its own experience and on a wide range of literature, NUFFIC published ?Achieving the Millennium Goals in sub-Saharan Africa: the role of capacity building programmes for higher education and research (HE&R).? Written by Gerrit Holtland and Ad Boeren, it explores how capacity building programmes can be improved so that HE&R in sub-Saharan Africa can play its role in attaining the MDGs. The focus is on programmes involving Northern HEIs in the support of Southern HEIs: fellowship- and scholarship programmes, institutional development programmes and research cooperation programmes.To set the stage, the paper explains the relation between HE&R and the MDGs. It proves that HE&R are vital in attaining the MDGs. Higher education delivers the skilled manpower needed for economic growth and poverty reduction, it improves the quality in the education system and it creates the absorption capacity for (increased) aid. Special attention is paid to the debate whether government investments give better economic returns in basic education or in higher levels of education. Research contributed, among others, to a substantial increase in life expectancy and to increased crop yields.
In a next chapter the present constraints and challenges of the HE&R system in sub-Saharan Africa are shortly explored and put in a historical context. Then the roles of capacity building programmes are explained and, based on a range of evaluation reports, their effectiveness and sustainability assessed. Finally conclusions and recommendations are formulated.
The first conclusion is, that to enable HE&R to play its vital role, more attention is needed for HE&R in the poverty reduction strategy papers. Donors should support the sub-sector to make its case in the formulation process of PRSPs. Country specific studies need to be carried out on the relation between HE&R and the MDGs to identify the best areas of intervention. More funds are needed to increase enrolment rates, to increase staff salaries and to invest in facilities. These funds should originate from the additional MDG-related aid budgets.
Capacity building programmes are effective and efficient in staff training, upgrading curricula, joint research and institutional development. They also present an opportunity for Southern institutes to connect to the worldwide community of educators and scientists. Even more so when joint activities lead to long-term partnerships between Northern and Southern institutes. Yet, the impact and sustainability of programmes can be enhanced when:
- Strategic plans of institutes are the point of departure for any intervention. If a Southern partner does not have such a plan it should be assisted in developing one.
- Programmes are designed in such a way that projects not only address immediate problems in Southern institutes but also contribute to a lasting connection of the institute to the international community of educators and scientist, while asymmetric relations or supply driven activities are prevented.
- South-South cooperation and Networking are enhanced, as well as opportunities to provide training in the region.
- Donors stimulate the interest of Northern institutes and scientists in development cooperation, particularly of those who are traditionally not involved.
- Scholarship- and fellowship programmes are integrated in institutional development programmes and/or research cooperation programmes.
- Institutional development programmes integrate assistance to governments in creating an enabling environment in the education (sub-)sector in their programme goals.
A third conclusion it that fragmented donor support undermines the possibilities for recipients to develop long term strategies. This concerns national priorities as well as strategic plans of individual institutes. To improve the ownership by recipients, it is recommended that:
- Donors coordinate their support at national, sector, sub-sector and institutional level so that national level sub-sector programmes and capacity building programmes at institutes reinforce each other. Consortia of likeminded donors could be created; taking into account the Lesson learned in SWAps on education.
- Donors improve their coordination at international level. More exchange of information and experiences is needed, as well as mutual adjustments of priorities and tasks. Likeminded donors have to agree on a division of labour (e.g. based on sectors and/or countries) so that each can focus on a limited number of sectors/countries and invest in the networks, knowledge and expertise needed to make their programmes more demand driven.
Part of the capacity building efforts is undermined by the brain drain. With the increasing needs of industrialised countries to attract skilled manpower this problem is likely to increase. To reduce the (impact of) the brain drain it is recommended that:
- Southern countries improve the working environment of highly skilled citizens. Capacity building programmes contribute to this. Centres of Excellence can play a role as well.
- Brain circulation is encouraged. Skilled migrants must be seen as a linking pin between knowledge communities in their home country and in the countries where they work.
- Home countries of skilled Africans working in rich countries, should be compensated for the financial loss incurred and these funds have to be re-invested in higher education.
A last conclusion is that many Northern countries lack a coherent policy towards HE&R in the South. Ministries of development cooperation create new capacities in the South while ministries of education encourage Northern HE-institutes to attract students from the same countries and ministries of economic affairs lobby for the creation of an international market for HE. Such diverging objectives do not only lead to paradoxes and contradictions in the South, they also prevent the creation of possible synergies in the North. An overarching view is needed on the role (promoting) HE&R in development cooperation. Based on such a view potential synergies can be identified and pursued with mutual benefits for all stakeholders. Incentives need to be given where that is required to break new grounds.
The findings and recommendations of the paper are not new. They are based on evaluation reports from decades of experiences. The MDGs do not fundamentally challenge the underlying concepts of capacity building programmes, but they should give a renewed feeling of urgency among donors, programme administrators and academia to increase the effectiveness and sustainability of their efforts. Better coordination among programmes and donors should be the first steps forwards.