Can higher education policy frameworks engender quality higher education in Malawian universities?

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Through policy document analyses and in-depth semi-structured interviews, thisthesis examines the potential of higher education policy frameworks to engenderquality university education in Malawian universities. Pertinent to the fast-growinghigher education sector in Malawi is the connection between higher education policyframeworks and quality delivery of university education. Education policyframeworks in Malawi are mainly a response to the government's broad policy ofpoverty alleviation. Thus this thesis argues that quality university education ought tocontribute to poverty alleviation especially by assisting the country to achieve itsMillennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to implement the initiatives of the NewEconomic Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).To engender quality university education that could help to alleviate poverty inMalawi, this thesis through Habermasian critical inquiry proposes that quality oughtto be the corollary of defensible higher education policy frameworks, policydocuments need to delineate quality parameters, access to university education needsto be increased and, inevitably, discursive or deliberative higher education policymaking ought to be given primacy.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University