CAMEROON’S HIGHER EDUCATION REFORM FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC RELEVANCE AND RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON CHINA’S EXPERIENCE - A SUMMARY

Abstract

This paper is a summary of my doctoral dissertation; it investigates the recent developments and reforms launched by Cameroon Higher Education policymakers to upgrade and align this sector to the needs of the country’s socio-economic development and suggest strategies built from China’s successful experience. This qualitative work was done in the broad discipline of comparative education and therefore compared and shared some best practices that China has accumulated in reforming its HE system. As a developing country assuming a different development model or certain independence from the Western model, China constitutes an example that can only inspire Cameroon differently. Considering this systemic difference with the West, including in its Higher Education (HE) system, the adoption of successful Chinese practices in this research provides new and original perspectives on HE. Findings from document analysis and participants’ perceptions have shown in the study that Cameroonian authorities, in their recent HE policies have stressed on professionalization, curriculum reform, university entrepreneurship, and on university’s third mission. On the Chinese side, strategies in reforming its HE sector were elaborated around prioritization of the HE sector development, a vigorously governmental promotion of the National System of Innovation (NSI), a strategic structuration and organization of the HE sector in poles for more efficient investment, the introduction of market model mechanisms in resources distribution, management, and a permanent effort to align HE to the national development strategies and needs. Among the strategies suggested for Cameroon, this research has insisted on strengthening the NSI, strategic restructuring of HE in poles, the development of public vocational and technological HEIs, and a substantial financial allocation based on market-type mechanisms.