Practices, Opportunities, and Challenges of Cross Border Tertiary Education in Ethiopia: The Case of Unisa Ethiopia Regional Learning Center

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to explore and understand practices, opportunities, and challenges of Cross Border Tertiary Education in Ethiopia in the context of the University of South Africa (Unisa) Ethiopia Regional Learning Center (hereafter referred as Unisa). Exploratory qualitative case study research strategy was employed and data were collected from purposively selected fourteen key respondents from Unisa, Higher Education Relevance and Quality Agency (HERQA), Ministry of Education (MoE), and Higher Education Strategic Center (HESC) and students that were enrolled at Unisa, who were selected by using snowball sampling technique. Data regarding practices, opportunities, and challenges of cross border tertiary education in Ethiopia particularly in the case of Unisa was collected by using semi-structured in-depth interview and from documents published in the area of higher education in general and cross border higher education in particular. The data were then inductively analyzed by creating themes from the raw data collected through in-depth interview and documents. The findings of the present study revealed that the value Unisa gives for teaching-learning and community outreach in Ethiopia was almost negligible when comparing to the other regional learning center in South Africa as the role of the higher education institution. Even though, there were benefits that Ethiopian students got in the area of research and creates additional job opportunity for Ethiopians but overall the opportunities that was expecting from Unisa to contribute for Ethiopia as cross border higher education institution overshadowed by the challenges faced in relation to the establishment of the regional learning center. Besides, the legal matters related to quality assurance, relevance, and recognition of qualifications was not properly managed due to the tension between the accrediting agency and the policy makers. In addition, Ethiopian students develop feelings of frustration and resentment due to lack of teamwork from supervisors (both South Africans and Ethiopian co-supervisors). Thus, since isolated cross border higher education, that fails to govern by the rules and regulations of the receiving country creates confusion among stakeholders, it is then recommended that Unsa should create deep collaboration with local higher education institutions and with in-country quality assurance agency in order to assure both the quality and relevance of the service and to protect the nation and the country’s resource from misuse if the courses and research conducted were not in line with the Ethiopia developmental policy and address contemporary issues in the country. Underpinned by a model adapted to the research purpose, the study complemented not only to the existing knowledge in the area, but it also contributed to the fact that there was no research made in non-western countries like Ethiopia over this interesting and potential rich area.