THE HIGHER-EDUCATION CRISIS IN DEVELOPING-COUNTRIES - ISSUES, PROBLEMS, CONSTRAINTS AND REFORMS

This paper looks at the current higher education crisis in developing countries and discusses how problems are analyzed and decisions made in the context of higher education reform. It focuses in particular on discrepancies between objectives and achievements in an attempt to highlight the importance of risk analysis in strategic planning for higher education development. The paper observes that traditional approaches to higher education planning and decision making have failed to build into their development and reform strategies appropriate mechanisms to evaluate risks and deal with uncertainties. Countries have been following three main strategies to minimize the adverse effects of the higher education crisis: the passive risk approach, the positive risk approach, and the diffuse risk approach. Experts have advocated a contingency planning approach to planning for educational projects sponsored by international donor agencies, taking into account the management requirements for a smooth implementation of innovative projects. In the case of higher education reforms, focusing on management variables is important but not sufficient. An impact assessment approach is needed to reflect the challenging nature of higher education reforms which, by essence, confront established practices and vested interests.