New Models of Higher Education for Low-Income countries

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 ins...

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Main Authors: Brian Mulligan, Paul Press, Colleen Fletcher
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Ubiquity Press 2023-10-01
Series:Ubiquity Proceedings
Subjects:
Online Access:https://account.ubiquityproceedings.com/index.php/up-j-up/article/view/108
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author Brian Mulligan
Paul Press
Colleen Fletcher
author_facet Brian Mulligan
Paul Press
Colleen Fletcher
author_sort Brian Mulligan
collection DOAJ
description 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.
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spelling doaj.art-045a703f18ec49e4b734472cd9d6ac1e2024-01-18T05:31:38ZengUbiquity PressUbiquity Proceedings2631-56022023-10-0110.5334/uproc.108108New Models of Higher Education for Low-Income countriesBrian Mulligan0Paul Press1Colleen FletcherEducation FuturesAtlantic technological UniversityIn 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.https://account.ubiquityproceedings.com/index.php/up-j-up/article/view/108low-cost higher educationlow-income countrieswork-based learningself-directed learningapprenticeship
spellingShingle Brian Mulligan
Paul Press
Colleen Fletcher
New Models of Higher Education for Low-Income countries
Ubiquity Proceedings
low-cost higher education
low-income countries
work-based learning
self-directed learning
apprenticeship
title New Models of Higher Education for Low-Income countries
title_full New Models of Higher Education for Low-Income countries
title_fullStr New Models of Higher Education for Low-Income countries
title_full_unstemmed New Models of Higher Education for Low-Income countries
title_short New Models of Higher Education for Low-Income countries
title_sort new models of higher education for low income countries
topic low-cost higher education
low-income countries
work-based learning
self-directed learning
apprenticeship
url https://account.ubiquityproceedings.com/index.php/up-j-up/article/view/108
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