Cross-Border Provision of Higher Education: Challenges and Opportunities for Private Higher Education Institutions in Ethiopia

Abstract

The need for expansion of Higher Education in Ethiopia has been recognised with increased allocations of students to the Public Universities, the foundation of New Public Universities and establishment of Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs). Demand for Higher Education is predicted to continue to grow. Demand that cannot be met by national providers may be catered for by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) based in other countries. This Cross-Border provision in which the learners are located in a country different from the one where the qualification awarding institution is based offers additional study opportunities for students. However, Cross-Border Higher Education also carries risks for students unless the relevance and quality of the provision can be assured and the qualifications awarded are recognized nationally and internationally for employment and advancement. While Cross-Border provision may offer new opportunities and some possible risks to students, it poses a potential threat to local PHEIs. This is acute if students see the quality and relevance of the programs offered by Cross-Border providers as better than that of local PHEIs and the currency of the qualifications gained as of greater value in the national and international employment market. With strong competition from Cross- Border providers some PHEIs may seem less attractive to students. On the more positive side, while Ethiopian PHEIs have established themselves primarily to provide Higher Education to Ethiopians in Ethiopia, there is no reason why they too cannot be involved in Cross-Border education. Cross-Border provision thus offers new opportunities for PHEIs in Ethiopia to engage directly with learners in other countries and/or join with HEIs outside the country in partnership or franchise arrangements to offer Cross-Border programs in Ethiopia and/or elsewhere.This paper expands on the topic of Cross-Border Higher Education with respect to Ethiopia and elaborates on the challenges and opportunities for the Private Higher Education Institutions in the country.