Higher education in Algeria: achievements and challenges-1963 to 2017

Abstract EN

The paper is based on the case study of the higher education sector in Algeria.

Around the world higher education is under pressure to change.

It is growing fast and its contribution to economic growth is vital.

Universities are, mainly, expected to create knowledge; improve equity among population; and respond to student.

Furthermore, it has been largely documented that in developing countries, higher education is recognized as a key force for modernization and development.

Consequently, this has caused an increase in the demand for its access, accompanied by several challenges: students are more and more asking for quality education and decent jobs; the labor market is also looking for adapted and new skills more in line with the evolution of the production process.

Government is, currently, faced with les resources to allocate to the sector which has been a top priority in the public policies implemented since independence in 1963.

Broadly speaking, Algeria’s higher education sector has been marked by two major policy reforms since its independence.

The most recent of these – the adoption of the three-cycle degree higher - education framework known as the “LMD System” (License / Bachelor -Master - Doctorate) – has been in place since 2004 / 2005.

“Massification” was a core part of both reforms, in part motivated by the demographic reality of a large youth population, but also by explicit policy choices