Aligning incentives to reforming higher education in Egypt : the role of private institutions

الملخص EN

One of the key approaches to reforming higher education is by linking the rewards to educators to student learning outcomes and by diversifying avenues of student enrollment by encouraging private institutions.

Private institutions are strongly showing presence in the landscape of higher education in Egypt.

This paper uses a unique data set to look at the diverse learning experience and labor market outcomes of graduates of both private and public institutions.

This recently fielded survey (2012) traced university graduates aged 25-40 in two disciplines that have been the target of private education institutions, namely business administration and information technology.

The analysis of survey data focuses on the variegated education and work experiences between graduates of private institutions and public institutions.

The analysis shows that private higher education institutions primarily serve to absorb the growing demand for higher education.

Qualitative data based on interviews with some graduates of private institutions and a case review of two private higher education institutions show that private institutions serve as institutions of last resort with some providing compromised quality of education.

The qualitative data suggests that private higher institutions face challenges in seeking to provide affordable higher education, while making profit.

The analysis of survey data shows that despite what students pay in private institutions, the quality of education they receive does not place them at a competitive edge in the labor market, compared to peers from public institutions.

The paper concludes with a discussion of reform policies to address the growth of private higher education and issues of education quality, market transparency and social accountability.