The document summarizes the higher education system in Mauritius. It notes that the system includes both public and private providers, with 10 public institutions and 56 private ones. The public institutions include the University of Mauritius, University of Technology Mauritius, and Mauritius Institute of Education. Programs are offered from certificate to PhD levels across various disciplines. The Tertiary Education Commission regulates the sector by registering institutions and accrediting programs to ensure quality.

1. The Higher Education system in
Mauritius
MS H.D.KOMAL BOODHUN
LECTURER IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
UNIVERSITY OF MAURITIUS
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2. Background of the educational system in
Mauritius
 Pre primary: 3-5 years
 Primary: 5-11 years
 Secondary: 11-18 years
 Tertiary: > 18 years
 Introduction of 9 year schooling
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3. The Higher Education Landscape in
Mauritius
 Consists of both public and private providers.
 Public providers: 10
 Private providers: 56
52- non awarding bodies
4 - awarding bodies
Amity institute of Higher Education
Business Mauritius
Charles Telfair Institute
Rushmore Limited
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4. Public providers 1
1. University of Mauritius - UOM
Offers programmes of international standards at undergraduate, postgraduate
and PhD levels. Aims to provide quality education and a service of excellence.
2. The University of Technology, Mauritius - UTM
Set up in 2000. It aims to provide quality education in several areas of
excellence.
3. The Mauritius Institute of Education – MIE
Set up in 1973 to engage in Teacher Education, Curriculum Development and
Research.
4. The Mahatma Gandhi Institute - MGI
Set up in December 1970. Offers diploma, degree and postgraduate courses in
Indian Studies, Performing Arts, Fine Arts, Indological Studies and Mauritian
and Area Studies.
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5. Public providers 2
5. The Rabindranath Tagore Institute - RTI
Set up in 2002. The Institute offers Tertiary level programmes in Film
Production, Arts & Crafts and Dramatic Arts.
6. Open University of Mauritius – OU
Established in July 2012 OU is a Public University with full awarding powers,
fostering open and distance learning to enable access to both local and
international students.
7. Université des Mascareignes - UdM
UdM Act was proclaimed in September 2012. This public university offers an
innovative approach to higher education and learning.
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6. Public providers 3
8. The Mauritius Institute of Training and Development - MITD
Became operational in 2009. Most of the programmes run are of Technical Vocational
Education and Training (TVET) nature. The programmes are offered on full-time, part-time
and apprenticeship modes from basic to diploma levels.
9. Mauritius Institute of Health - MIH
Statutory Body established in 1989. Operates as training & research arm of the Ministry of
Health & Quality of Life. Also acts as the Awarding Body for courses in Health and Social
Studies delivered by other registered Training Institutions.
10. The Fashion and Design Institute - FDI
Officially launched in 2009. Aims to promote excellence in the field of design education. Set
up by Government to rationalize resources in this sector and fostering a uniform and a
focused development of the fashion industry.
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7. Private Providers
 56 private institutions have joined the tertiary education sector in the past few
years.
 They offer all types of programmes in an extensive number of disciplines such as
Management, Accountancy, Medicine, Dentistry and Information Technology.
 Most are local counterparts of overseas institutions and offer programmes ranging
from sub-degree to postgraduate ones through a mixed-mode system,
encompassing both distance learning and face-to face tutorials.
 The examinations are, in general, conducted by the Mauritius Examinations
Syndicate (MES), apart from a few which are organised and invigilated by overseas
institutions themselves in collaboration with the local partner.
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8. Regulatory Framework 1
 Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) Act was proclaimed on 15 August
1988. The TEC was setup under an Act of parliament, functioned as a body
under the aegis of the Ministry of Education in Dec 1989.
 Following major landscape changes in the tertiary education sector, the
TEC Act was amended in 2005,
 TEC given additional responsibilities in regard to quality assurance.
 TEC endeavors to provide accessible but quality postsecondary education.
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9. Regulatory Framework 2
 Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) oversees the tertiary education
institutions (TEIs).
 Responsible for allocating public funds and fostering, planning and
coordinating the development of post-secondary education and training.
 Since 2005, TEC has the mandate to regulate private post-secondary
education institutions locally through institutional registration and
programme accreditation to assure quality.
 TEC also determines the recognition and equivalence of post-secondary
qualifications.
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10. Qualification Framework
 Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) has statutory responsibility to determine
the recognition and equivalence of academic or professional qualification at the
postsecondary education level obtained in or outside Mauritius.
 Recognition of qualifications is a process of formally acknowledging the
appropriateness of a certain qualification for a specific purpose including
enabling the qualification holder to access further and/or higher educational,
and/or employment activities.
 Equivalence of qualifications on the other hand is a process of formally
establishing as to whether two or more qualifications are equal or deemed to be
equal or comparable in value.
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11. Observations 1
 There are both public and private service providers in Mauritius
 Private providers are mainly non awarding bodies, only 4 out of 56 are
awarding bodies.
 Courses given at certificate, diploma, degree, post graduate and doctoral
levels.
 Courses are offered full time, part time, online or even through distance
learning to address the needs of a variety of audience.
 Clientele of tertiary education range from students who have just completed
college to professionals wanting to increase their knowledge and market
value in the world of work.
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12. Observations 2
 Subjects on offer vary greatly from business, management, finance,
engineering, arts, humanities, law, social science, health sciences, fashion
and design, travel and tourism, information and communication
technology, science, oceanography.
 Over the years there is an increase in number of service providers in the
tertiary sector.
 Many joint ventures and franchise agreements are being undertaken
between local institutions and foreign ones.
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13. Observations 3
 Several foreign universities have opened campuses in Mauritius.
 Beneficial for Mauritian students who can earn international degrees while
staying in Mauritius.
 Quality education is also more affordable
 Greater access to education to individuals of all social classes.
 UoM only public university not to have tuition fees for most of its
undergraduate full time programs.
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14. Conclusion
 Quantity of services v/s quality of education
 Education determines the future of a country and quality of education
cannot be compromised.
 Issues with regulatory framework recently
 Institutions allowed to provide service without relevant qualifications.
 Students penalized when institutions closed.
 TEC needs to review its system so that all tertiary education providers meet
the relevant criteria and no political or other type of interference is allowed.
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16. Reference
 http://tec.intnet.mu/public_institutions
 Tertiary Education Commission website
 World data on education, 6th edition, 2006-2007.
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