New Models of Higher Education for Low-Income countries

Abstract

In low-income countries, increasing access to higher education is particularly challenging. While tertiary education may boost a country's prosperity, the high cost of education, despite subsidies, remains a barrier to access. The digitisation of existing approaches to tertiary education is insufficient, and a more radical approach is needed.
 
 The Atlantic Technological University has been working on two approaches that hold potential for addressing this challenge. A work-based degree in engineering has placed a student in Mozambique in a mining company, where they will learn the required practical engineering skills and study online. Although this approach will allow the student to earn an income as they study, the fees will still be significant as it is based on existing forms of online learning. Separately, the university is developing a 2-year low-cost Engineering programme based on free online content, modest payment for examinations, and supervision of a capstone project.
 
 This paper focuses on the design of these programmes and the challenges involved. Attendees will learn how these new models of higher education for low-income countries could potentially address the cost barrier to access and significantly increase participation in tertiary education, leading to improved prosperity and economic growth.