HE Access - Equity - Relevance - Quality

Quality, Relevance, Equity and Access Program in Ethiopian Higher Education
Abbreviations
HEI Higher Education Institution

MoSHE Ministry of Science and higher education
MoLSA Ministry of labor and social affairs
JCC Job creation commission
TVET Technical and vocational education and training
HERQA Higher education relevance and quality assurance agency
CPD Continuous professional development
ESDP-V Education sector development plan – V
PC Program component
MOOCs Massive open online courses
LMS Learning management system
TA Technical assistant
SDG Sustainable development goal
PPP Public-private-partnership
ICT Information communication technology
KPI Key performance indicator
MOOCS Massive Open Online Courses
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Table of Contents
Contents
Page
Abbreviations ................................................................................................. 1
Definitions of Terms ...................................................................................... 3
1. Introduction .............................................................................................. 6
2. Background and Situational Analysis ....................................................... 7
2.1. Situational Analysis 7
2.2. The Program Description 10
2.3. Program Goal 11
2.4. Program Objectives 11
2.5. Expected Outcomes: 12
2.6. Policy Statements 12
2.7. Scope and duration of the program 13
3. Program Components (PC) ..................................................................... 13
3.1. PC-1: Expand and Ensure Equity in Higher Education 13
3.2. PC-2: Ensuring Relevance of Academic Programs and Research in
Higher Education 27
3.3. PC-3: Establishing, Maintaining and Enhancing Quality in Higher
Education 31
3.4. PC-4: Strengthening Quality Assurance System 60
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Definitions of Terms
1. Quality - Quality is a multidimensional and often a subjective

concept. A wide spectrum of definitions of quality has been used.
Quality in higher education can be defined based on the following
five perspectives.
1.1. Quality as fitness for purpose - refers meeting or conforming to
generally accepted standards or outcomes. It also emphasizes on
the efficiency of the processes.
1.2. Quality as value of money - refers quality in terms of return on
investment. This is usually related to efficiency. If the same
outcome can be achieved at a lower cost, or a better outcome
can be achieved at the same cost, then the stakeholder has a
quality product or service. Setting responsibility and
accountability over the actors by the institutions or government
in higher education reflects a value-for-money approach.
1.3. Quality as fitness of purpose - refers consumer satisfaction (i.e;
students, families, society at large and other stakeholders
including government). It also refers the adequacy of quality-
related intentions of higher education institutions, objectives,
and mission. Thus, fitness for purpose is a definition of quality
that allows institutions to define their purpose in their mission
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and objectives. This allows variability in institutions, rather than

forcing them to be replicas of one another.
1.4. Quality as excellence (Quality as exceptional) - this includes
three variations: (i) traditional notion of quality - refers
distinctiveness, of something special or ‘high class’; (ii)
exceeding high standards - refers excellence as ‘zero defects’
and as exceeding very high standards; and (iii) checking
Standards-refers passing a set of quality checks (a set of
required (minimum) standards).
1.5. Quality as enhancement or improvement - refers that the
continuous search for improvement by considering quality as a
moving target. Under this context quality indicates
transformation that sees change from one state to another.
The common definition of quality in higher education is quality as
fitness for purpose where educational inputs and processes are able to
produce the desired outcomes.
2. Relevance - Relevance in higher education refers learning
experiences that are either directly applicable to the personal
aspirations/interests or that are connected to real-world issues,
problems, and contexts. Mostly, relevance in higher education refers
the degree to which the education provided is aligned with all
stakeholders needs and labor market demands.
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3. Equity - Equity in higher education refers to fairness and inclusion.

It is the magnitude of opportunities which are provided for all those
meeting minimum requirements without any discrimination.
4. Access - Access in higher education refers the extent educational
opportunities are made available to the eligible sections of the
society. It also includes providing equal opportunities to higher
education to all citizens as well as providing additional services and
removing actual or potential barriers that can prevent from the
access. Thus, higher education is considered accessible when the
opportunity it provides is available for citizens who meet its
requirements.
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1. Introduction
Higher education in Ethiopia dates back to 1950. However, it is only in
the past two decades that its access has shown significant improvement.
Both the private and the Federal Government have put huge investment
on expansion of higher education in the country. Such investment on
education is made to create access to education opportunities of the
people, to meet the labor market demands of the nations, to be
competitive to the global economy, to transform the society from
agrarian to knowledge society, and to respond to the various needs of the
country.
Regardless of such efforts, Ethiopian higher education in general tangled

with multitudes of challenges and problems among which are access,
equity, relevance, and quality. The precipitating factors for such poor
performance in higher education are diverse and intricated which include
poor competence of academic staff, poor leadership skills and capacity,
poor educational governance system, rigid and inflexible legal
frameworks that set the institutions back to progress, poor facility and
organization of institutions, and other systemic and institutional factors.
To address these critical problems in the coming five years, Ministry of

Science and Higher Education designed this program. Basically, the
objective of the program is “ensuring inclusive and equitable, quality
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education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” in which

higher education contribute seven targets out of ten, stipulated in
Sustainable Development Goal (SGD) 4. Achieving “Ethiopia: An
African Beacon of Prosperity” plan requires having a trained, competent,
and capable human resource through equitable access of relevant and
quality higher education to eligible citizens.
Thus, this program focuses on key program components related to

widening access, ensuring equity in higher education, promoting
relevance, and enhancing and assuring quality in higher education.
2. Background and Situational Analysis

2.1. Situational Analysis
As stated above, there are challenges to Ethiopian higher education

related to access, quality, equity, and relevance. The number of public
higher education institutions reached 50 while the number of private
higher education institutions is more than 360 at the present. With the
expansion of institutions, the number of students increased steadily from
time to time. This does not mean that access is no longer an issue in
Ethiopia. There is of course positive correlation between the number of
institutions and that of number of students during the past decades.
Currently, the gross enrolment of under graduate students in the public
higher education institutions – reached 579,510 while that of master’s
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program is 86,457; and PhD program is 4355. When the achievement in

access is properly seen, it is observed that it is blow the target set. For
example, the attainment during ESDP V was 13.8% GER for
undergraduates while the target set was to reach 15% in the five years.
The target for female students was 45% whereas the achievement was
only 37.7% during the five year of ESDP V. Even though affirmative
actions are in place, female participation is low in postgraduate
programs in higher education. Female student enrolment in second
degree programs is 19.2% and in PhD program is 10%. A few higher
education institutions have support center for students with special
needs. The equitable access issue remained to be addressed.
The needs of the stakeholders of higher education are not well identified
and organized. There is little organized system to develop academic
programs and curriculum contents as well as well-defined graduate
profiles which encompass the developments in needs of stakeholders and
the gaps in labor market. The platform that engages professional
associations is so limited. Thus, the relevance of higher education
remains under questions.
The graduate employment rate was planned to be 80% within one year
after graduation; but the achieved goal was only 59%. The completion
rate for first year was planned to be 95%, but 84.2% been achieved.
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Though only eight programs’ graduates have been sitting for exit exam,
from repeated discussions and the recommendations of Ethiopian
Education and Training Roadmap, there has been clear direction to
provide exit exam to all programs.
The internal efficiency and quality enhancement system is not as strong

as it supposed to be. Institutional curriculum committees are established
in 90% of higher education institutions, but their functioning does not
seem to be as per their duties and responsibilities. Mostly, academic
programs and institutions audit and review system is not properly
operating at national and institutional level, in fact some moves by
HERQA were recorded in the limited number of programs.
There are various efforts made in line with staff development.

Consequently, the ratio of academic staff by qualification (Bachelor:
Masters: PhD) become 21:65:14 though it was planned to be 0:70:30. all
higher education institutions are clearly mandated to establish
continuous professional development (CPD) centers, but only 19 did it.
This implies that CPD did not get adequate attention in majority of
higher education institutions.
Many students have been joining higher education institutions with total
results below 50% average. Majority of students have been joining
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engineering and technology while having low entrance result in physics

and mathematics. In spite of different efforts in line with targets in the
ESDP-V so far, student achievement and learning outcomes have not
improved. Higher education, as a system, facing complains about not
been enabling the students. Thus, there is decreased internal efficiency.
There is complain about competency and capabilities of higher

education graduate from employers, community, and industry owners.
Besides, there are a lot of failure (poor result) reports on entrance exams
of scholarships and job competition. Students also have been
complaining for not having a good students academic and administrative
support, and adequate students service facilities. Lack of functional
higher education system that critically evaluate institutional
performance, using clear and well-defined KPIs, made the higher
education institutions not to compete for excellence. Thus, there are
several indications for the existences of quality problems in higher
education.
2.2. The Program Description

The issues of access and equity are not yet well addressed in the country
due to various reasons. Moreover, established systems and institutional
approaches so far implemented to assure and enhance quality and
relevance remained as key challenges in the higher education system to
produce competent, capable and matured graduates who can satisfy the
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labor market needs in the country. Thus, this program is designed to deal
with key challenges and to fill gaps observed in education and research
quality, program relevance, equity and access in higher education. In the
program, various components are identified with their respective
objectives, indicators, key action notes. Responsible bodies are indicated
per action notes. To ensure the achievement of the key performance
indicators and respective targets, monitoring and evaluation systems are
suggested.
2.3. Program Goal

The goal of the program is to provide quality education to eligible
citizens that is relevant to national and labor market needs through
expanding higher education.
2.4. Program Objectives

The objectives of the program are to
• design mechanisms to expand higher education so as to ensure
equity among all citizens.
• ensure relevance and quality of higher education and research.
• develop systems that promote innovation, excellence, and competition
in higher education institutions.
• establish and strengthen autonomous institutions that assure
quality and relevance of academic programs, research and
institutions.
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2.5. Expected Outcomes:

Effective implementation of the program is expected to
• increase enrolment and completion rates of students in higher
education institutions.
• expand access to and success of people with special needs.
• increase internal and external efficiency and effectiveness of
• create autonomous institutions that regulate and assure quality
and relevance of higher education academic programs, research
and institutions.
• increase employment opportunities of graduates.
2.6. Policy Statements
i. Policy statement for access and equity of higher education

Efforts will be made to expand higher education in the country to create
higher learning opportunities for all eligible Ethiopian citizens
regardless of their background, ethnicity, gender, economic or social
class, age, language, location, or (dis)ability.
ii. Policy statement for relevance and quality of higher education

Higher education curricula and academic programs shall be crafted and
aligned with national developmental needs and labor market demands by
employing internal and external quality assurance mechanisms.
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2.7. Scope and duration of the program

The program shall be implemented in all Ethiopian higher education
institutions, Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Higher
Education Relevance and Quality Agency, Higher Education Strategy
Center, and other relevant stakeholders in higher education system. The
program is designed for five years.
3. Program Components (PC)
3.1. PC-1: Expand and Ensure Equity in Higher Education
PC-1a: Increasing Intake Capacity of Higher Education

Institutions
Description:
The intake capacity of higher education institutions will be determined
based on their existing physical and human resources. Ongoing physical
and infrastructure expansion will be completed. Inventories of
laboratory, workshops, library, classrooms, staff and administrative
offices, water and other supplies, and other required facilities will be
done to examine the gaps and to make appropriate interventions to
increase intake capacity of institutions. Available space in campuses will
be thought to make sure expansion is possible. Moreover, possibilities of
establishing outreach colleges and institutions affiliated to the
Universities will be considered. Efforts will be made to encourage
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private sectors to involve in the investment of higher education

institutions.
Objective: Increase intake capacity of higher education institutions.

Indicator 1: Developed and implemented intake capacity assessment
tools.
Indicator 2: Increased enrolment rate of students.
Indicator 3: Number of institutions expanded.
S.No Key Action Notes Responsible Agencies
Developing assessment tools, and
MoSHE/ Higher
1. determining intake capacity of
education institutions
higher education institutions
Expanding higher education
Higher education
institutions within/without their
2. institutions/MoSHE/
campuses, and affiliated and/or
MoF/Private sectors
independent colleges.
Evaluating the process regularly and
3. MoSHE/MoF
taking actions
PC-1b: Opening Work Integrated Degree Programs
Description
There shall be work-integrated degree (bachelor, masters and Ph.D.)
programs that will be launched in selected higher education institutions
based on their potentials and capacity. The program integrates the
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learners work nature and background into the learning process. Learner
may be given practical assignments, projects and action research to be
done in their workplace which is linked to the curricula of their studies.
It is believed that this would enhance employees’ productivity,
efficiency, and effectiveness in their work.
Objective: Create higher education access to public and private sectors’
employees.
Indicator 1: Number of programs launched in higher education
institutions
Indicator 2: Number of employees attending the programs
Indicator 3: Number of people with special needs joining the programs.

Developing regulations and MoSHE/ Higher
1.
guidelines for the programs education institutions
Higher education
2. Developing and running the programs
institutions
Evaluating the effectiveness of the MoSHE/ Higher
3.
programs education institutions
PC-1c: Launching dual degree program

Description
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The introduction of dual degree programs results in the award of two

Bachelor degrees, or Bachelor's and Master's degrees, or Master's and
PhD degrees. This program enables able and talented students to get two
degrees within a given period. It would help to encourage individuals to
attend diverse fields based on their interests in a flexible way.
Objective: Give opportunities to able and talented students to earn dual
degrees.
Indicator 1: Number of academic programs and higher education
institutions providing the degree
Indicator 2: Number of students who got dual degrees.
Developing regulations and MoSHE/ Higher education
1.
guidelines institutions
Developing and running the Higher Education
2.
programs Institutions
PC-1d: Introducing Non-Degree Programs
Description
A non-degree program is an educational program that is meant to
provide (a) course(s) in various educational provision modalities
with(out) accumulating credit hours toward a degree. Anyone admitted
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to a higher education institution for undergraduate or postgraduate

program or who has a minimum of bachelor’s degree can request a non-
degree program enrollment. Moreover, individuals with long services
and rich experiences in the field can be considered for admission to the
program. Eligible individuals who seek to attend non-degree program
courses are often those who need the course(s) to fill knowledge gaps in
their study programs, or to develop their general knowledge, or to
improve certain work-related skills. However, those seeking to
accumulate credits for a degree shall follow the formal admission
procedures of higher education institutions. This PC can be considered
as an aspect of a lifelong learning.
Objective: Increase opportunities for those who seek to fill their

knowledge gaps or to advance their knowledge and/or skill
Indicator 1: Number of higher education institutions providing the
programs
Indicator 2: Number of program beneficiaries
1.
guidelines institutions
Developing and providing the
2. Higher education institutions
program
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PC-1e: Strengthening Joint Study Program
Description
This program component refers to programs offered jointly that allow
students to attend their studies in national and/or international higher
education institutions. This includes scholarships, exchange, research,
internships, sandwich, summer, etc. programs. Students can attend part
of their studies in one institutions and others in (a) different
institutions(s), which ultimately leads to an award of a degree.
Objective: Increase collaborative joint degrees to enhance national
and/or international experiences of students.
Indicator 1: Number of higher education institutions running the
program.
Indicator 2: Number of students attending joint programs.
Indicator 3: Number of joint and exchange programs.
1.
guidelines. institutions
MoSHE and Higher
2. Identifying potential partners
Facilitating Memoranda and MoSHE and Higher
3.
agreements between countries education institutions
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and Higher education institutions

PC-1f: Strengthening PhD Programs
This program component refers to expanding and diversifying nationally
and globally recognized Ph.D. programs. This enhances knowledge
creation and utilization as well as social and economic transformation.
To achieve this program, local and foreign professors shall be used
through partnership and institutional collaboration.
Objective: Increase the number of terminal degree holders in higher

Indicator 1: Number of academic and research staff with PhD degree in

Preparing a national plan
indicating number of trainees, MoSHE/Higher Education
1.
time table, and other Institutions
resources.
MoSHE/ Ethiopian Embassies
Identification of potential
abroad/ Foreign Embassies in
2. partners and mobilization
Ethiopia/ Higher Education
of resources
Institutions
Identification of program MoSHE/ Higher education
3.
priorities institutions
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PC-1g: Increasing the Involvement of Private Higher Education in

the System
Description
This PC focuses on encouraging private sectors to invest in the
expansion of higher education institutions through various strategies,
including public private partnership (PPP), and provision of incentives
for private sectors.
Objective: Increase the number of higher education institutions.

Indicator 1: Number of higher education institutions established and/or
jointly managed by PPP.
Indicator 2: Number of private higher education institutions.
MoSHE/Private
Developing regulations and guidelines
1. Sectors/ Higher
for PPP
Establishment of higher education MoSHE/Private
2. institutions owned by the private sector Sectors/ Higher
and PPP education institutions
PC-1h: Providing Online Education

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Description
To encourage and create opportunities for those whose seek to attend
higher education at home or on job because of full time work
engagement or family responsibilities, online educational provision shall
be availed that lead to degree award. The strategies for this provision
shall include Blackboard, MOOCs, Open edX platforms or other
appropriate modalities.
Objective: Create opportunities to citizens for higher education using

appropriate technology.
Indicator 1: Number of higher education institutions running online
education
Indicator 2: Installed properly functional Blackboard, MOOCs and
Open edX and other platforms
Indicator 3: Number of beneficiaries.
Developing regulations and MoSHE/ Higher Education
1.
guidelines Institutions
Higher education
2. Providing the programs
institutions
Establishing adequate MoSHE and Higher
3.
infrastructure and facilities education institutions
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PC-1j: Establishing Open Universities
Description:
An open university is a higher education institution with open-door
academic policy which offers academic programs in various modalities
that culminates in certificate or degree award. It is established for those
who attend cannot conventional higher education institutions due to time
limitations and space and other personal reasons. This PC also helps to
give wider access for people in need of lifelong learning.
Objective: Widen higher education opportunities for individuals at

different conditions and places.
Indicator 1: Number of open universities established.

Indicator 2: Number of beneficiaries.

Developing regulations, guidelines MoSHE/Owners/
1.
and standards. HERQA
2. Facilitating and regulating the MoSHE/HERQA/Owners

establishment of the university
PC-1k: Strengthening Continuing and Distance Learning Modalities

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Description
Continuing and distance learning modalities will be strengthened by
ensuring institutional capacity, the availability and use of appropriate
technology, infrastructure, and facilities. There shall be standards for
continuing and distance education modality in the teaching learning
process, material development and distribution, and selection and
placement of students.
Objective: Increase access to higher education for citizens through

continuing and distance education programs
Indicator 1: Increased intake capacity of higher education institutions.
Indicator 2. Enhanced capacity of institutions to manage the programs
and ensure quality of education.

Developing regulations guidelines, and MoSHE/ Higher
1.
standards. education institutions
Strengthen the capacity of continuing
Higher education
2. and distance education providing
institutions
institutions
PC-1l: Establishing Support Centers for Students with Special

Needs
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Description
The need of establishing support centers for students with special needs
is to increase enrollment and graduation rates. Special needs students
include high ability, talented, disabled or disadvantaged students as well
as students with learning difficulties. The services to be provided to
students with disabilities may include, but not limited to, counseling
services, arrangements of special resource rooms or sections, specially
trained staff, special teaching learning modalities, provision of financial
support, formulation of affirmative action schemes, etc. Academic,
social, physical and psychological supports will be provided depending
on the unique needs of the students.
Objective: Provide educational and other supports to special needs
citizens to maximize their enrollment and graduation rates.
Indicator 1: Established and improved special support centers for
students with special needs at higher education institutions.
Indicator 2: Increased rates of enrollment and graduation of students
with special needs

Establishing well-furnished and MoSHE/Higher
1. adequately staffed support centers for education
students with special needs institutions/HESC
2. Improving the existing centers to Higher education
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accommodate the needs of students. institutions

Developing guidelines and standards
3. MoSHE-HESC
for support centers
PC-1m: Increasing Number of Females in Teaching, Research,

Leadership, Management and Governance Positions
Description
There shall be female leadership capacity building. To increase the
number of female leaders in higher education institutions, affirmative
actions including quota system will be in place. Moreover, to increase
the participation of females as an academic and research staff in higher
education institutions a recruitment system that considers various factors
which encourage females shall be developed.
Objective: Promote gender equity in higher education teaching, research

and leadership positions.
Indicator 1: At least 50% of managing board members, 20% of higher
education top leaders, 25% of middle and operational level
leaders and 30% of academic staff are females.
Indicator 2: Established female capacity development centers in higher

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Developing and implementing female

1. leadership capacity development MoSHE-HESC
program (Center)
Setting and implementing affirmative
MoSHE-Higher
2. system for teaching, research and
leadership positions
PC-1n: Promoting and Managing Diversity in Higher Education
Description
Higher education institutions are expected to promote and manage
diversity in all their actions, functions, activities, and missions through
the participation of all community members of the institutions. They also
act in such a way that their actions and decisions remove barriers and
discrimination of individuals and groups based on their beliefs, gender,
ethnicity, political orientation, etc.
National recruitment and placement policy and guidelines for students,

staff, and leaders will be prepared to address diversity and inclusion of
academic and administrative staff and leaders from different cultures.
The higher education institutions implement co-curricular and extra-
curricular activities in well planned and organized manner to show the
importance and the nature of diversity. Staff and student’s participation
in volunteer services will be promoted.
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Objective: Ensure students, staff, and leaders’ diversity and inclusion in

Indicator 1: Developed and implemented national recruitment and
placement policy and guideline for students, staff, and leaders.
Indicator 2: Diverse student population coming from various cultural
backgrounds (of which students from the same area shall not
exceed 20% of the same batch) in one higher education
institution.
Indicator 3: Developed code of ethics and leadership principles to remove
barriers and discrimination to maintain diversity.

Developing national recruitment and
1. MoSHE
placement policy and guidelines
Establishing community and student Higher education
2.
linkage institutions
Developing code of ethics and
MoSHE-Higher
3. guidelines for leaders to promote and
manage diversity
3.2. PC-2: Ensuring Relevance of Academic Programs and

Research in Higher Education
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PC-2a: Assessing Stakeholders’ Needs
Description
Higher education institutions conduct stakeholders analysis (stakeholder
mapping) to define and identify their stakeholders and the needs they
have that could potentially impacts the functions and actions of higher
education institutions. The stakeholders could be state authorities
(government, legislators, accrediting agencies), current and potential
students (to map their needs and their career aspirations), graduates and
alumni; academic, research and administrative and technical staff,
employers, professional associations, communities, business groupings
like trade unions, religious institutions, parents, rival institutions, donors
and foundations, international organizations and associations, secondary
school vocational guidance and career counselling providers, sectoral
organizations, media, quality assurance agencies/institutes, suppliers,
academic and research institutes, ministries, partners, and local
governments and the society. Higher education institutions shall conduct
needs assessment to identify the gaps of the labor market, the
government, the society, and the learners, to develop academic programs
and to carry out research on the basis of their specializations.
Objective: Identify stakeholders’ needs to develop academic programs
and research themes
Indicator 1: Well defined lists of stakeholders
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Indicator 2: Identified stakeholders’ needs to respond to social,

government, learner and labor market needs
Indicator 3: Identified curricular contents and graduate profiles

MoSHE, Higher
1. Defining stakeholders
Assessing, identifying and organizing Higher education
2.
stakeholders’ needs institutions
Developing and reviewing curriculum Higher education
3.
contents institutions
PC-2b: Making Higher Education Responsive to Social and Labor

Market Demands
Description
Ministry of Science and Higher Education (MoSHE), Ministry of Labor

and Social Affairs (MoLSA), and Job Creation Commission (JCC) shall
conduct a national labor market demand analysis together with higher
education institutions and other relevant stakeholders to determine and
manage demand-supply balance. There shall be national labor market
information center, which can be accessed by higher education
institutions to identify the gaps between demands and supply of the type
and level skills and competences required by the labor market.
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Objective: establish labor market information system to analyze

demand-supply gaps
Indicator 1: Established labor market information center
Indicator 2. Data on demand - supply balance of labor market
Indicator 3. Identified societal needs

Jointly conducting laboar market
MoSHE, MoLSA, JCC and
demand-supply analysis by
1. Higher Education
MoSHE, MoLSA, JCC and Higher
Institutions
MoSHE, MoLSA, JCC and
Establishing labor market
2. Higher Education
information center
Institutions
Identifying gaps based on labor
market information analysis and
MoSHE, HESC, Higher
3. social needs to craft relevant
Education Institutions
curricular, academic programs and
research themes
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3.3. PC-3: Establishing, Maintaining and Enhancing Quality in

Higher Education
PC-3.1: Improving Student Learning Outcomes
PC-3.1a: Assessing Learner Entry Behavior and Introducing

Intervention Schemes
Description
Quality in higher education shall be attained by putting various systems
in place. Among these is the introduction of entry assessment system
into higher education. Thus, higher education institutions shall
administer entrance exams at institutional level to grant admission; and
at a program level to determine aptitude, interest, ability, perseverance,
readiness, prior knowledge, and other variables deemed important to join
a field of study. There shall be a bridging system to fill in gaps in the
knowledge and skills of the candidates that are expected to match the
requirement of the field of study.
Objective: Check the knowledge, skill and readiness of students for

joining higher education and fields of studies.
Indicator 1: Established entry assessment system to higher education
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Indicator 2: Developed and implemented intervention schemes to fill

gaps identified using entrance exam.
Indicator 4: Implemented entrance exam to join fields of studies.

Establishing higher education entry MoSHE/Higher
1.
assessment system. Education Institutions
Giving entrance exam for students
Higher Education
2. joining fields of study in higher
Institutions
Giving bridging courses based on
Higher Education
3. entrance exam results and field of
Institutions
studies to join.
PC-3.1b: Improving Quality in Educational Assessment

Description
Higher education institutions shall have clear educational assessment
guidelines that take into account and table of specifications for the
academic programs to reliably and validly measure simple to higher
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order learning outcomes and diverse educational objectives to ensure the

attainment of the goals of the curricula and the profiles of graduates.
Higher education institutions should ensure that measurement,
assessment and evaluation of educational objectives and behavior of
learners represented the different contents of the courses. Moreover,
diverse assessment types and tools should be used with large number of
assessment items that guarantee validity and reliability of assessment.
Higher education institutions should apply both formative and

summative assessments. Administration of assessment tools shall be as
free from cheating and plagiarism as possible. Anti-plagiarism system
will be implemented in all higher education institutions, and legal
frameworks will be developed and implemented to deter
assessment/exam cheating that involves actual, intended, or attempted
deception and/or dishonest actions in relation to any academic work.
Grading of students works by teachers will be as objective as possible.
Any misconduct in grading will lead to serious breach of professional
ethics subject to disciplinary measures. Higher education institutions
shall establish institutional assessment centers and put in place
technology assisted assessment management system to develop,
administer, score, and give feedback to students.
Objective: Improve quality in assessment of educational objectives and
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behavior of students
Indicator 1: Developed and implemented system to increase validity and
reliability of assessment.
Indicator 2: Developed guidelines to guide academic staff to develop
appropriate assessment tools for the intended purposes.
Indicator 3. Established assessment centers equipped with appropriate
technologies to enhance assessment quality.
Indicator 4: Developed legal frameworks to deter cheating, plagiarism,
and grading misconducts.

Developing assessment systems MoSHE- Higher education
1.
and guidelines institutions
Developing legal frameworks to
control assessment malpractices MoSHE- Higher education
2.
such as cheating, plagiarism, and institutions
biased grading.
Developing and using assessment Higher education
3.
technologies institutions, MoSHE
Higher education
4. Establishing assessment centers
institutions
Training of academic staff on the Higher education
5.
use of various assessment tools and institutions
34 |
formats
PC-3.1c: Applying Exit Examinations to all Academic Programs
Description
There shall be exit examinations for all program graduates to assure
expected graduate competences (knowledge, skills, values, abilities and
attitudes) are met. The exit exam will be prepared nationally by
designated Educational Testing Center(s). Graduate competences and
level of competence shall be prepared by the participation of different
stakeholders. Graduates shall sit for exit exam in voluntary bases.
However, their exit exam status shall be mentioned in their diploma,
however, it shall a mandatory requirement for employment. This PC
shall be implemented in all academic programs and higher education
institutions owned by public, private and NGOs
Objective: Develop graduates’ competence and commitment of learning

through valid and reliable assessment
Indicator 1: At least 80% of graduating students sit for exit exam
Indicator 2: All programs in all higher education institutions (public,
private and NGO) apply exit exam
Indicator 3: Increased graduates’ competence and skills in their
profession
Indicator 4: Established and National Educational Testing Center
35 |

Developing national assessment
1. MoSHE-HERQA
strategy and guidelines
Developing and providing exit exam
MoSHE- Higher
2. for all academic program graduates in
all higher education institutions
Establishing National Educational MoSHE – Higher
3.
Testing Center Education Institutions
PC-3.1d: Introducing Diverse Mechanism to Control

Commercialization of Education
Description
Commercialization of education has embodied the use of education for
profit. In most cases, it directs higher education system to set poor or no
quality standards and compromising the public interest for individual
benefits. On top of this, it is criticized for its role of eliminating equality
of opportunity in education that could lead to social stratification and
redesigning of the higher education for elite community. Thus, despite
some useful sides of commercialization, the damages it has on academic
standards, academic community, and prestige of higher education
institutions outweighs its useful sides. To limit and control its adverse
effect on quality education, different mechanisms shall be built that
36 |
include: setting strong regulatory framework, quality standard, strong

system of program and institutional quality assurance and audit, and
installing transparent public disclosure of financial and grievance
handling.
Objective: Control commercializing education as ‘for-profit” entity and

to enhance quality
Indicator 1: Established strong accreditation and re-accreditation system
Indicator 2: Regular control and evaluation of educational institutions
for malpractices
Indicator 3: Developed and implemented institutional and program
quality assurance and audit
1. Developing legal frameworks MoSHE/HERQA

and guidelines
Establishing and
2. strengthening accrediting and HERQA
re-accrediting
Regular monitoring, MoSHE/HERQA/Professional
3. controlling and evaluation of
associations
higher education
Establishing institutional and
4. program quality assurance HERQA
and audit
PC-3.1e: Establishing Vocational Guidance and Career Counseling

System
37 |
Description
To help students succeed in their academic, personal and vocational
careers, and to help them join fields of students that match their abilities
and talents, and to enable them to be resilient, positive thinkers and
communicators, vocational guidance and career counseling services
shall be provided in each higher education institutions. Well-designed
guidance and career counselling programs will be in place to provide
career information, to develop skills of job search and presentation of
self, to introduce job requirements, to create a sense of responsibility and
readiness, to instill professional ethics and citizenship behavior, to
recognize their talents and personal tendencies. The graduates in every
institution shall be trained to develop a sense of entrepreneurs to set up
their own businesses.
Objective: promote personal growth of students to increase graduate

employment and social and individual responsibilities
Indicator 1: Established vocational guidance and career counseling
service centers in all higher education institutions
Indicator 2: Developed vocational guidance and career counseling
programs as part of personal growth of students.
Indicator 3: At least 80% of graduates are employed with in one year of
their graduation
38 |
1. Developing vocational guidance and MoSHE

career counseling programs
Higher education
2. Establishing vocational guidance and
career counseling service centers institutions
PC-3.1f: Setting Higher Education National Qualification

Framework
Description
National higher education qualifications framework is a broad concept
that includes all the structures and activities that lead to the award of a
qualification. It also includes the means of developing and implementing
policy on qualifications, institutional arrangements, skills identification
arrangements and processes for assessment, awarding and quality
assurance. This framework will be used to determine the standards of
qualifications in the country and to compare them with other countries’
qualifications.
Moreover, national higher education qualification standards will be set

to help decide the qualification levels of occupations. These standards
are a description of the requirements necessary to perform work of a
particular occupation successfully and safely. These requirements
39 |
include specific job experience, education, medical or physical

standards, training, security, and licensure. They specify the main
components of a job that people do, describing the professional
competences typical for a jobholder who can successfully perform the
qualification.
Objective: Set framework for qualification including standards for

Indicator 1: Developed national qualification framework
Indicator 2: Developed occupational competence standards.
MoSHE/HERQA/HESC/ Higher
Developing national education institutions/
1.
qualification framework Professional Associations/ trade
unions
MoSHE/HERQA/HESC/Higher
Developing educational education institutions/
2.
qualification standards Professional Associations/ trade
unions
PC-3.1g. Promote Innovative and Effective Teaching Strategies and

Approaches
Higher education institutions should provide students with a high-
quality, challenging and rewarding learning experiences that equip them
with knowledge, skills, competences, values, attitudes, behavior, and
40 |
confidence to be productive citizens. They have to enhance academic

environment and ensure outstanding student learning outcomes by
focusing on: promoting innovative and effective teaching and learning
practices; engaging students with more emphasis on active and practical
learning, creating experimental and research opportunities; inquiry based
approach and problem-based learning, technology enhanced learning,
supporting faculty growth and excellence; and strategically
strengthening scholarship of teaching and learning. There will be a
mechanism to ensure that the teaching methods and approaches to
learning are both informed by substantial experience, student feedback
and best research in pedagogy; and underpinned by a robust quality
review process, where good practice is drawn out and appropriately
disseminated. In teaching students, management of courses and student
behavior, understanding of students, mastery of subject mater contents,
helping students to reconstruct and construct knowledge from
transmitted knowledge and personal experiences, and conducting classes
in coherent ways are central issues to be addressed. Thus teachers
should be innovative and effective enough to perform such practices to
ensure the required changes in the behavior of students are effected.
Objective: Develop students to be independent critical thinkers, to be

societally and ethically responsible, to have all-rounded
personality, and to have a broad understanding of the world.
Indicator 1: Improved teaching practices

41 |
Indicator 2: Improved students learning outcomes and development

Creating a conducive environment for Higher education
1.
learning institutions
Clear academic policies on course
Higher education
2. design, teaching methods, assessment,
institutions
and student handling.
Continuous professional development
Higher education
3. and training of staff on pedagogy and
institutions
psychology of the learners.
PC-3.2: Academic Staff Development and Training

PC-3.2a: Devising effective teacher development and training
schemes
Description
Most higher education institutions’ academic staff are graduates of non-
teaching fields wherein they have never taken any teaching methods,
assessment, theories of learning, and understanding of learner behavior
courses. Although they have a great deal of knowledge on the subjects
they teach, there are sporadic student complaints regarding their
teaching behavior and effectiveness as well as student handling. This
situation calls for establishment of teacher training centers to equip
academic staff with various teaching and assessment methods and
student handling strategies. Thus, there shall be institutions that will
42 |
provide teacher training to produce teachers who have the required

pedagogical competencies to be appointed as a teacher in higher
education. Moreover, socialization and induction shall be given to newly
employed and junior staff.
Objective: Improve teacher professional competence
Indicator 1: Established teacher education institutions

Induction 2: Number of staff engaged in socialization and induction
training.

Developing and implementing Higher education
1. teacher training and development institutions with teacher
strategic plan education colleges
Providing socialization and
Higher education
2. induction training for newly
institutions
employed staff
PC-3.2b: Strengthening academic staff performance evaluation

system
Description
The academic staff performance evaluation system shall be reviewed in
the way of promoting excellence, innovation, academic freedom,
efficiency, teaching effectiveness, competitiveness, and institutional
43 |
good governance. Its link with continuous professional development

(including higher diploma program, English language improvement
program, socialization and induction, etc.) shall be strengthened and
redefined in ways that contribute to staff promotion and development. In
order to effectively and successfully implement the evaluation system, a
center shall be established to conduct evaluation of teaching and
performance effectiveness of academic staff and to provide clear
feedback to the staff.
Objective: Enhance staff teaching effectiveness and performance.
Indicator 1: Number of higher education institutions reviewed and

implemented academic staff evaluation system
Indicator 2: Developed harmonized staff appraisal framework

Indicator 3: Established center that is fully committed to undertake
evaluation and provide feedback to staff

Developing staff appraisal MoSHE/Higher education
1.
framework institutions
Reviewing and implementing staff MoSHE/Higher education
2.
appraisal system institutions
44 |
PC-3.2c: Strengthening Academic Staff Competence through

Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
Description
Effective learning and teaching occur when staff display a sound
understanding and up-to-date knowledge of the subjects they teach,
pedagogies and/or professional practices and bring this to a variety of
appropriately-designed learning and teaching activities. Higher
education institutions staff should participate in continuous professional
development program which counts to their performance evaluation.
Continuous professional development is a continuous updating and
refreshing of knowledge and skills by the staff to keep themselves afresh
in the everchanging and dynamic global knowledge. It is focused on
academic excellence, learning process to develop, maintain, and apply
professional competence by individual staff. Technical staff in higher
education institutions shall have continuous on job training scheme to
maintain their professional competence updated. Higher education
institutions must provide a set of standards which can be used to
facilitate and support the design and delivery of initial and continuing
professional development programs and activities. Continuous
Professional Development also includes mentorship and coaching by
senior staff should be linked with teachers career development.
45 |
Objective: Develop academic and professional competence of academic

staff through updating their knowledge
Indicator 1: Developed strong system of continuous professional

development in all higher education institutions
Indicator 2: Improved teaching effectiveness and student handling

competence.
Indicator 3: Improved teacher competence and good relationships with
colleagues and students.
Indicator 4: Number of staff engaged in continuous professional
development
Indicator 5: Reduced complaints of students about their teachers’

ineffectiveness of teaching.

Developing/reviewing CPD guidelines
considering among others contents and MoSHE/ Higher
1.
its contribution to staff career education institutions
development.
Training of senior staff to mentor and Higher education
2.
coach junior staff institutions
46 |
Ensuring the establishment of CPD

MoSHE, Higher
3. centers with adequate facilities and
staff.
PC-3.2d: Establishing National Academic Excellence Awards

scheme
Description
There shall be national excellence awards system for academic staff of
higher education institutions, which will take place annually by the
institutions. Academic staff with special talent and who exhibited
extraordinary professional competence will have special arrangement
including joint appointment with other institutions, sharing experience,
giving lectures, visiting national and international industries in their
fields of study to get deepen their profession and to create links with
different higher education institutions and industries. A national
center/institution shall be established for staff excellence award.
Objective: Promote academic excellence and retention mechanisms to

keep best minds in higher education system and create
vibrant institutions.
Indicator 1: Awarded professor (academic staff) of the year ward (for
academic excellence)
Indicator 2: Established of national academic excellence award.
47 |
Indicator 3: Developed mechanisms for joint appointment for best minds

Indicator 4: Increased research out puts and innovation by academic
staff.
Indicator 5: Increase student academic performance and competence.
Establishing center for academic
1. MoSHE
excellence award
Setting guidelines, selection criteria,
award packages, legal frameworks for
2. MoSHE-HESC
staff academic excellence award
system
PC-3.2e: Promoting Professional Ethics of Staff
Description
This PC focusses on building professional ethics of the staff in the way
to be productive and effective in the work environment. Higher
education institutions shall develop harmonized professional and code of
ethics for their staff based on the principles that include honesty,
trustworthiness, transparency, respect, accountability, confidentiality,
objectivity, maintaining high level of professional behavior, obedience
to the law and communication, showing organizational citizenship
behavior, etc. The institutions shall promote enabling work environment
to the staff which will help them to be good model for their students.
48 |
Objective: Promote conducive work environment through ethically

committed staff
Indicator 1: Improved customer handling and professional serves

Indicator 2: Increased productivity, social cohesion among the
communities, and effectiveness.

Developing professional and code of
1. MoSHE
ethics handbook.
Communicating the ethics to the staff Higher education
2.
and implementing institutions
Regularly monitoring the effects MoSHE-Higher
3.
brought by the ethics. education institutions
Review staff professional and code of MoSHE-Higher
4.
ethics education institutions
PC-3.3: Developing Higher Education Institutions’

Leaders
49 |
PC-3.3a: Designing leaders’ recruitment and placement system
Description
The recruitment, selection, and placement of leadership system shall be
highly competitive, participatory, and transparent. The whole process
shall follow merit (qualification, competence and capability). The
placement of higher education institutions leaders shall consider
diversity and inclusion in the system. To enhance the decision-making
ability and other leadership skills, a national leadership training center
dedicated to the development of higher education institution leaders
shall be established. Moreover, a leadership succession plan and future
leaders pool shall be prepared.
Objective: Promote leadership competence and capabilities to ensure

strong leadership in higher education
Indicator 1: Reviewed leadership assignment guidelines under use by
MoSHE
Indicator 2: Developed regulation of leadership selection based on merit
and qualification
Indicator 3: Established National Leadership Training Center for higher
education institution leaders.
Indicator 4: Established leadership plan and future leaders pool.
50 |

Reviewing and developing guidelines
1. MoSHE
for selection and placement of leaders
Developing competence and capacity
2. of leaders through various leadership MoSHE
training approaches
Ensuring merit-based leadership Higher education
3.
appointment at all levels institutions
PC-3.3b: Building Resilient Leadership in Higher Education
Description
Higher education institutions face daunting and complex challenges and
problems that under some circumstance have no easy solutions. Leaders
must learn how to deal with and respond to such challenges and
problems. Resilience is one of the most important leadership capacities
for leaders who aspire to meet the challenges of the day and to turn
round their institutions into well founded organizations that achieve their
missions. To do this they require proper development and training to
enhance their resilience. Thus, leaders are expected to show such quality
during their leadership services. Higher education institutions’
leadership training will have its own curriculum and will be managed
nationally by national leadership training center. There will be national
51 |
higher education institutions leadership evaluation and award system to

enhance leadership excellence.
Objective: Ensure higher education institutions’ leader developed
resilience and competences to handle stress and uncertainty
to manage risks
Indicator 1: Effective and resilient higher education institutions’ leaders.
Indicator 2: Developed and implemented higher education leadership
training curriculum
Indicator 3: Developed tools of evaluating leadership effectiveness and
guidelines for leadership excellence award.
Developing higher education MoSHE-HESC
1.
leadership training curriculum
Developing leadership effectiveness MoSHE-HESC
2.
evaluation tools
Developing guidelines for leadership MoSHE-HESC
3.
excellence award
Developing higher education leaders’ MoSHE- higher
4.
resilience through various approaches education institutions
PC-3.4: Academic Programs and Curriculum Development
PC-3.4a: Initiating, Developing, Approving, Evaluating and

Reviewing Academic Programs and Curricula
52 |
Description
The development, evaluation and review of academic programs and
curricula should go in line with the demands of the labor market and the
needs of the government and the society. Academic programs are the
core structure of the education system that play critical roles in the
social, cognitive, psychological, physical, vocational (occupational) and
spiritual development of learners. The crafting and reviewing of
curricula for academic programs should be carried out with careful
scrutiny of the labor market demands, and the needs of the government
and the society addressing the ability and developmental maturity of the
learners. Thus, there shall be a national autonomous institution that
performs such activities in collaboration with higher education
institutions, professional associations, alumni, and people from
industries and sectoral institutions. Moreover, internal and external
program auditing bodies shall be strengthened to ensure the fit of the
programs with the labor market demands and other needs worth
considering. International standards shall be established for program
audit. All academic programs of higher education institutions shall be
audited for approval to be launched or closed.
The curricula development focuses on high integration of theory and

practice where the development of proper knowledge, skills, social
values, personality, vocational/occupational values, moral and ethics and
53 |
attitudes gets proper attention. There shall be national curriculum

content selection and organization using data obtained from stakeholders
needs assessment and labor market analysis. The selection and
organization of contents for curricula follow outcome or competence
based approaches.
Objective: Promote curricula and academic program relevance and

quality to make the country internationally competitive
Indicator 1: Developed standards based on international experiences.
Indicator 2: Revised and well-articulated curricula and academic
programs that match various needs.
Indicator 3: All programs in public and private higher education
institutions are audited and approved
Indicator 4: Established an autonomous institution that performs
development, evaluation and review of academic programs
and the curricula thereof.

Reviewing program audit
1. MoSHE/HERQA
manuals/guidelines/standards
Developing guidelines to develop,
MoSHE/Higher
2. evaluate and review curricula and
academic programs
54 |
Developing national curriculum MoSHE -HESC/Higher

3.
framework education institutions
Strengthening an autonomous
4. institution with possible branches in MoSHE
regional states.
Preparing development, evaluation and
review policy and guidelines for MoSHE -HESC/Higher
5.
launching or closing academic education institutions
programs
MoSHE/Higher
6. Conducting curriculum revision
Conducting program audit to endure Higher education
7.
their relevance and quality institutions
PC-3.4b: Facilitating Preparation and Availing of Quality Teaching-

Learning Materials
Description
There shall be a well-established higher education learning management
system (LMS), a software application platform for the administration,
documentation, tracking, reporting, and delivery of course contents.
Quality digital contents (e-contents) for courses, laboratory and
workshop manuals and procedures in a program shall be made available
online for all consumers using LMS. Text books, reference books,
55 |
handouts, lecture notes, power points, …etc. of courses shall be

organized in digital forms.
Objective: Improve accessibility to learners and standards of teaching

learning resources
Indicator 1: Availed standards and online teaching-learning resources
for higher education institutions users.
Indicator 2: Established learning management system (LMS) at every
higher education institution
Indicator 3: Stored digital contents (e-contents) for all courses
Indicator 4: Availability of text books and reference materials online
or in e-content
Indicator 5: Uploaded video lectures for selected courses

Developing an LMS and e- Higher education
1.
contents for the courses institutions
Developing video lectures for Higher education
2.
selected courses institutions
PC-3.4c: Introducing Co-curricular/ Extracurricular Activities
56 |
Description
The role of education is to enhance social, psychological, physical,
spiritual, vocational/occupational and cognitive development of the
students through organized educational provision. However, it is
understandable that curricular materials for regular courses cannot
address all aspects of development. This entails the need to develop and
employ various extracurricular activities that aim at helping students
engage in socially and personally significant life evens. Extracurricular
activities such as drama, theatre, debate, different sporting games, etc.
can be organized to help students to learn various social and other life
skills. They enable students to have varied perspectives, to negotiate
with others, to think independently, to take social and personal
responsibilities, to make their own decisions thoughtfully, to
communicate effectively and responsibly, and to have social values. A
system shall be designed on how to integrate and run extracurricular
activities in the regular higher education system.
Objective: Enhance holistic development of students and have sense of

responsibility and self-discipline.
Indicator 1: Increased students’ engagement in various social affairs.

Indicator 2: Involvement in different extracurricular activities.
57 |
Indicator 3: Willingness of students to take part in volunteer services

Indicator 4: Minimized conflicts among students and increased effective
communications

Developing extracurricular MoSHE/Higher education
1.
activities institutions
Involvement of students in various Higher education
2.
extracurricular activities. institutions
Developing a system to integrate
MoSHE/Higher education
3. into the regular programs of higher
institutions
education
PC-3.5: Improving Student Support system
Description
The intention of this program is to promote internal efficiency of higher
education institutions (such as a decrease in attrition rate, increase
graduation rate, etc.), equity, inclusion, and increasing motivation to
learn. Thus, higher education institutions shall have well designed
student support system, programs, units and offices that include study
skill enhancement unit, peer support and tutoring program, disability
liaison unit, guidance and counseling unit, careers development service
58 |
office, financial and material assistance, different clubs and societies and
student union.
There shall be facilities such as libraries, sport facilities, study rooms,

course-specific support facilities, supermarkets, beauty salon, lounges,
cafeterias, etc.) for various groups of students that address their needs.
Objective: To improve learning outcomes and decrease educational

wastage through strong student support system.
Indicator 1: Established and strengthened well-organized support
systems
Indicator 2: Decreased attrition rate and increased graduation rate of
students
Indicator 3: Satisfied students who are motivated to learn and succeed in
their academic career.
Responsible
S.No Key Action Notes
Agencies
MoSHE, Higher
Identifying types of support services to
1. education
various student groups.
institutions
Developing regulations and guidelines to Higher education
2.
effectively run different support systems institutions
59 |
Establishing adequately furnishing student Higher education

3.
support services institutions
Developing strong administration to Higher education
4.
manage student support services institutions
3.4. PC-4: Strengthening Quality Assurance System
PC- 4.1a: Developing quality enhancement standards
Description
National quality enhancement standards and an implementation legal
framework that promotes national and international competitiveness
shall be developed.
Objective: Develop quality enhancement standards in higher education
institutions
Indicator 1: Developed quality enhance standards

Indicator 2: Implemented of the standards in all higher education
institutions.
Indicator 3: Analyzed the higher education quality in relation to
international standard.
60 |
Developing national quality

1. MoSHE-HERQA
enhancement standards
Higher education
2. Implementing the standards
institutions
Making comparison of Ethiopia higher Higher education
3.
education with international standards institutions
PC-4.1b: Institutional and Program Accreditation and Re-

accreditation
Description
Accreditation refers to initial and ongoing approval of higher education
institutions and academic program offerings in relation to set standards.
It is used for the review and improvement of the quality of higher
education institutions and programs. It is a major way that students,
families, societies, government, and other stakeholders know that an
institution or a program provides a quality education. It allows human
and material resources mobility across the country and internationally.
Thus, this program component focuses on strengthening accreditation
and re-accreditation systems in higher education institutions and their
programs to establish, maintain and enhance quality of education and the
relevance thereof.
61 |
Accredited institutions and programs will be certified and the public

shall be kept informed about their status. Standards for personnel,
laboratory, workshop, other resources that are required for the teaching
learning and management of institutions and programs will be developed
as tools of accreditation. In the development of the standards and criteria
to be used as tools of accreditation, higher learning institutions, alumni,
professional associations, industries and other key stakeholders will
participate.
Objective: Improve quality higher education institutions and academic

program
Indicator 1: Number of accredited higher education institutions and

programs
Indicator 2: Reviewed and developed standards and other tools for the
purpose of accreditation

Reviewing and established the MoSHE-
1.
institutional and program accreditation HERQA/Higher
62 |
tools Educational Institutions

2. Developing guideline for accreditation MoSHE-HERQA
Implementing regularly accreditation
3. MoSHE-HERQA
process
PC-4.1c Introducing Academic Staff Professional Licensing
Description
All academic staff shall have professional licensing that witness their
professional and academic competence. Different assessment techniques
shall be designed at national level and professional competence profiles
and standards shall be set by professional associations. Promotion as
well as renewal of employment contract, which takes place every two
years between the staff and higher education institutions, shall be done
only for staff who are licensed or certified by their respective
professional associations. The professional associations shall develop
guidelines to what should be the nature of the assessment, how academic
staff competence can be assessed, how long the licensure can serve, and
other significant criteria
Objective: Improve efficiency and effectiveness of academic staff in

63 |
Indicator 1 Developed tools, procedures and guidelines by professional

associations
Indicator 2: Licensed of academic staff
Indicator 3: Improved academic culture and student learning outcomes.

1. Developing guidelines MoSHE- Professional Associations
Developing national Higher education institutions,
2.
assessment tools Professional Associations
Professional Associations/Higher
3. Licensing academic staff
education institutions,
PC-4.1d: Conducting Institutional Ranking
Description
The higher education institutions shall be ranked based on standardized
ranking assessment tools to be developed. There shall be independent
institution responsible for such undertaking a yearly ranking of higher
education institutions. This will help MoSHE to arrange performance
based incentive packages to encourage quality education in
Objective: Promote national and international competitiveness of higher

education institutions through improved academic and
64 |
research excellence, and community engagement.
Indicator 1: Improved higher education Academic and research

excellence
Indicator 2: Competitive and competent graduates
Indicator 3: Quality research outputs and publications
Indicator 4: Identified top higher education institutions of the year
Indicator 5: Established independent institute that undertakes ranking

Developing guidelines and ranking MoSHE-and the
1.
standards and tools Established institution
The Established
Developing ranking tools and
2. Institution and higher
incentive packages
The Established
3. Ranking
Institution.
PC-4.1e. Establishing Degree Fraud Detection and Certificate

Verification System
65 |
Description
Degree fraud is a serious concern for a nation that results in subnormal
performance and skills or even deterioration of knowledge and competence of
societies. It devalues a qualification from and makes a mockery of genuine
students who appropriately go through the system. Hence, serious attention
shall be given to the establishment of a system that verifies of diplomas for any
higher education institution. Thus, a national system of Higher Education
Degree Datacheck (HEDD) shall be developed.
Objective: Ensure that every graduate has a real certificate awarded from
accredited higher education institution
Indicator 1: Developed national system of higher education data check.
Indicator 2: Installed technology to detect diploma fraud
Develop a national higher MoSHE/ Higher education
1.
education data check institutions
Using degree fraud detection MoSHE/Higher education
2.
technology institutions
66 |
4. Program Monitoring and evaluation – (Program Plan)

Quality, Relevance, Equity and Access Program in Ethiopian Higher Education Institutions
Targets for five years
KPI Unit Baselin 202 202 202 202 202 Averag
Program components
s e 0 1 2 3 4 e
A. Access
Intake capacity # 0 01 - - - -
PC-1a: Increasing intake assessment tools
developed and
capacity of higher implemented
education institutions Increased UG % 13.8 14.4 15.3 16.3 17.2 18.2
intake Masters #
capacity
Ph.D. #
(GER)
PC-1b: Opening Work Developed regulations # 0 1 - - - -
Integrated Degree Program and guideline
Developing and running # 0 - 1 3 7 8
the program
Number of Beneficiaries # 0 - 10 30 70 80
Female beneficiaries % 0 - 30 35 40 50
68 |
Developed regulations # 0 1 - - - -
PC-1c: Launching dual and guideline
higher education # 2 2 15 20 30 45
degree program institutions running the
program
Developed regulations # 0 1 - - - -
and guideline
PC-1d: Opening Non-
Higher education # 0 2 15 20 30 45
Degree Programs institutions running the
program
Developed/reviewed # 0 1 - - - -
guideline
institutions offering joint
study programs
PC-1e: Strengthening Joint
Higher education
Study Programs institutions having # 5 10 20 30 40 45
exchange programs
Higher education
institutions having joint # 5 10 20 30 40 45
programs
PC-1f: Research Increasing number of % 7.6 7.6 35 50
Strengtheni higher staff with PhD
ng PhD education
Programs institutions
(increasing Applied Increasing number of % 30 40
higher staff with PhD
69 |
staff education
qualificatio institutions
n ratio from Comprehensi Increasing number of % 25 30
21:65:14 to ve higher staff with PhD
education
0:70:30)
institutions
PC-1g: Increasing Developed and # 0 01 - - - -
Involvement of Private implemented guideline
Higher Education in the Public higher education % 0 - 5 10 25 30
System institutions working with
private higher education
institutions
Developing incentive # 0 - 01 - - -
package to encourage
private higher education
institutions
Review Online education # 1 - - 1 - -
guideline.
Higher education # 0 - 20 30 40 45
institutions running the
open online education
PC-1h: Providing Online
Higher education # - 25 35 40 45
Education institutions having well
organized LMS
Higher education # - 25 35 40 45
institutions having open
online education
70 |
platforms, i.e., either of
Blackboard, MOOCs and
Open edX platforms
PC-1j: Establishing open Developed regulations # 0 1 - - - -
and guidelines
universities Established open # 0 - - 1 - -
university
PC-1k: Strengthening Developed guideline 0 - 1 - - -
Continuing and Distance Developing standards # 0 - 1 - - -
Learning Modalities Opening new continuing # - 25 35 40 45
and distance learning
centers
B. Equity
PC-1l: Establishing institutions with well-
equipped special support
Support Centers for
centers for students with
Students with Special special need
Needs Setting standards for the # - - 1 - - -
centers
PC-1m: Increasing Managing % 31 35 45 47 49 50
Number of Females in Board
Number
Teaching, Research, Top % 8.5 10 14 16 18 20
of female
Leadership, Governance management
leaders
and Management Positions Middle & % 15.5 18 20 25 30 35
operational
71 |
level
Female 15.2 18 20 25 30 35
academic
staff
PC-1n: Promoting and Developed policy and # 0 - 1
Managing Diversity in guidelines
Higher Education Higher education # NA 5 15 25 35 45
institutions promoting
and diversity and
inclusion in leadership
Higher education # NA 5 15 25 35 45
institutions diversity and
inclusion in teaching and
research staff
institutions having strong
students-community
cultural exchange
platforms
institutions having
established co-curricular
and extracurricular
program
student and staff
72 |
volunteer services
schemes
institutions having
diversity and inclusion
management among
students
Ensuring Relevance in
Higher Education
institutions having well
defined lists of
stakeholders
(stakeholders mapping)
institutions having
selected and organized
PC-2a: Assessing stakeholders needs.
Stakeholders’ Needs Higher education # NA 10 30 45 45 45
institutions having
identified new
curriculum contents and
graduate profiles.
institutions having
biannual stakeholders
meeting
73 |
PC-2b: Making Higher Initiating national labor # NA - 1 - - -
Education Responsive to market information
Social and Labor Demands analysis and having
LMIS
Having supply-demand # NA - 1 - - -
balance data
PC-3: Establishing,
Maintaining and
Enhancing Quality in
Higher Education
PC-3.1: Improving
Students Learning
Outcomes
Developed guidelines # 0 - 1
Established higher # 0 - 1
education entry
assessment system
PC-3.1a: Assessing Developed national # 0 - 1 1 1 1
Learner Entry Behavior higher education
and Introducing entrance exam
Intervention Schemes Higher education # 2 - - 45 45 45
institutions offered
entrances exam
Established support % 0 - 10 40 60 100
system in place
PC-3.1b: Improving Developed assessment # 0 - 1 - - -
74 |
Quality in Educational frameworks and
guidelines
Assessment Developed assessment # 0 - 1 - - -
procedures
Higher education % 0 10 30 50 70 100
institutions having
established institutional
assessment centers
Higher education % 0 10 30 50 70 100
institutions having
assessment technology
system
Developed exit exam # 0 1 - - - -
policy and guideline
institutions offering exit
PC-3.1c: Applying Exit
exam
Exam scheme to all
Established National # 1
Academic Programs Educational Testing
Center
Academic programs % 4 4 20 50 100 -
having exit exam
PC-3.1d: Introducing Established strong
accredited and
Diverse Mechanisms to reaccreditation system
Control Regular control and
Evaluation of educational
75 |
Commercialization of institutions for
malpractices
Education
Developed system for % 25 40 65 80 95 100
institutional and program
quality assurance and
audit
PC – 3.1e Establishing Higher education % NA - 50 100 - -
Vocational Guidance and institutions having
Career Counseling System vocational guidance and
in all higher education career counseling centers
institutions Establishing vocational # 0 - 1 - - -
guidance and career
counseling program
PC-3.1f: Setting Higher Developed national # 0 1 - - - -
Education National qualification framework
Qualification Framework Developed higher # 0 1 - - - -
education qualification
standards
PC-3.1g: Promote Higher education % NA 50 75 95 100 --
innovative and effective institutions having
teaching strategies and conducive learning
approaches environment
Clear academic policies % 0 - 5 20 35 70
on design, teaching
methods, assessment, and
76 |
student handling.
PC-3.2: Academic staff
development and training
Developed # 1 - 1
PC-3.2a: Devising scheme/guidelines
effective teacher training Higher education # 5
and development scheme institutions running
teacher training program
PC-3.2b: Strengthening Developed guideline and # 1 - 1 - - -
academic staff framework
performance evaluation Higher education % 0 10 30 50 75 100
system institutions having
reviewed staff appraisal
system
Developed/reviewed # 1 1 - - - -
CPD guidelines
PC-3.2c: Strengthening Training of senior staff to # 0 1 - - - -
mentor and coach junior
Academic Staff
staff
Continuous Professional Established CPD centers % NA 10 30 50 75 100
Development with adequate resources
at each higher education
institution
PC-3.2d: Establishing Established # 1 1 - - - -
Academic Excellence center/institution for staff
excellence award
77 |
Awards scheme Developed academic # 1 1 - - - -
excellence awards
system
PC-3.2e. Promoting Developed professional # -- -- 1 -- -- --
and code of ethics
Professional Ethics of Staff Review of code of ethics # 1 1 -- -- -- --
of staff
PC-3.3: Higher education
institutions’ Leaders
PC-3.3a: Designing Reviewed guidelines # 1 1 - - - -
efficient leader’s Higher education % 0 10 30 50 75 100
recruitment and placement institutions having
system continuous leadership
competence development
schemes
PC-3.3b: Building Established Higher # 1 - 1 - - -
Resilient Higher Education education leadership
Leadership training academy
Developed higher # 1 1 - - - -
education leadership
training curriculum
Developed leadership # 0 1
effectiveness tools
Developed a leadership % 0 - 40 50 75 100
excellence award system
78 |
Developed higher % 0 10 30 50 75 100
education leadership pool
PC-3.4: Academic
Programs and Curriculum
Development
PC-3.4a: Initiating, Developed standards # 1 1 - - - -
Developing, Approving, based on international
Evaluating and Reviewing experience
Academic Programs and Developed guidelines to # 45 - - - - -
develop, evaluate, and
Curricula
review curricula and
academic programs
Developed national % NA 60 75 100 -- --
curriculum frameworks
Higher education % - 40 60 100 - -
program and curriculum
approval system
Higher education % - 40 60 100 - -
institutions having
audited and approved
programs
Developed guidelines # 0 1 - - - -
PC-3.4b: Facilitating
and standards
Preparation and Availing
Developed complete % NA - 20 40 60 70
of Quality Teaching- LMS and e-contents for
79 |
Learning materials all courses
Developed standard % 1% 10% 20% 40% 75 80
video lectures for
selected courses
PC-3.4c: Introducing Co- Developed Co- % NA 15% 30% 50% 75% 90%
Curricular/Extra Curricula curricular/Extracurricular
Activities activities
Involved students in % NA 25 40% 50% 60% 70%
various co-
curricular/extracurricular
activities
Developed a system to # 0 -- 1 -- -- --
integrate co-curricular
activities into higher
education
Higher education % - -
institutions having NA - 50 100
PC-3.5: Improving Student students support centers
Higher education %
Support Systems
institutions having well-
organized students
NA - 50 100
administrative and
academic support
schemes
80 |
PC-4: Strengthening
Quality Assurance System
Developed national # 0 1 - - - -
quality enhancement
PC-4.1a. Developing
standards
Quality Enhancement
Comparison of national % NA -- -- 1 - -
Standards quality with international
standards.
Reviewed and developed # NA -- 1 1
institutional and program
accreditation tools
Developing/reviewing
accreditation guidelines
Nationally Higher % - 10 50 80 100
PC-4.1b: Institutional and accredited education
Program Accreditation and and re- institutio
Re-accreditation accredited ns (PP)
Programs % - 20 40 50 70
International Higher # 0 - - - 2 5
ly accredited education
institutio
ns (PP)
Programs # 0 10 30 40 50 60
PC-4.1c: Introducing
Developed staff # 0 - 1 - - -
Academic Staff
assessment tools for
81 |
Professional Licensing licensing
Licensed Staff % 0 - 30 70 90 100
Developing ranking # 0 - 1 - - -
PC-4.1d: Conducting
tools, and incentive
Institutional Ranking packages
Ranking # 0 - 1 - - -
82 |
mchgc

HE Access - Equity - Relevance - Quality

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HE Access - Equity - Relevance - Quality

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Quality, Relevance, Equity and Access Program in Ethiopian Higher Education

HEI Higher Education Institution

1. Quality - Quality is a multidimensional and often a subjective

and objectives. This allows variability in institutions, rather than

3. Equity - Equity in higher education refers to fairness and inclusion.

Regardless of such efforts, Ethiopian higher education in general tangled

To address these critical problems in the coming five years, Ministry of

education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” in which

Thus, this program focuses on key program components related to

2. Background and Situational Analysis

As stated above, there are challenges to Ethiopian higher education

program is 86,457; and PhD program is 4355. When the achievement in

The internal efficiency and quality enhancement system is not as strong

There are various efforts made in line with staff development.

engineering and technology while having low entrance result in physics

There is complain about competency and capabilities of higher

2.2. The Program Description

2.3. Program Goal

2.4. Program Objectives

2.5. Expected Outcomes:

2.6. Policy Statements

i. Policy statement for access and equity of higher education

ii. Policy statement for relevance and quality of higher education

2.7. Scope and duration of the program

3. Program Components (PC)

3.1. PC-1: Expand and Ensure Equity in Higher Education

PC-1a: Increasing Intake Capacity of Higher Education

private sectors to involve in the investment of higher education

Objective: Increase intake capacity of higher education institutions.

PC-1b: Opening Work Integrated Degree Programs

S.No Key Action Notes Responsible Agencies

PC-1c: Launching dual degree program

The introduction of dual degree programs results in the award of two

PC-1d: Introducing Non-Degree Programs

to a higher education institution for undergraduate or postgraduate

Objective: Increase opportunities for those who seek to fill their

PC-1e: Strengthening Joint Study Program

and Higher education institutions

Objective: Increase the number of terminal degree holders in higher

S.No Key Action Notes Responsible Agencies

PC-1g: Increasing the Involvement of Private Higher Education in

Objective: Increase the number of higher education institutions.

PC-1h: Providing Online Education

Objective: Create opportunities to citizens for higher education using

PC-1j: Establishing Open Universities

Objective: Widen higher education opportunities for individuals at

Indicator 1: Number of open universities established.

S.No Key Action Notes Responsible Agencies

2. Facilitating and regulating the MoSHE/HERQA/Owners

PC-1k: Strengthening Continuing and Distance Learning Modalities

Objective: Increase access to higher education for citizens through

S.No Key Action Notes Responsible Agencies

PC-1l: Establishing Support Centers for Students with Special

S.No Key Action Notes Responsible Agencies

accommodate the needs of students. institutions

PC-1m: Increasing Number of Females in Teaching, Research,

Objective: Promote gender equity in higher education teaching, research

S.No Key Action Notes Responsible Agencies

Developing and implementing female

PC-1n: Promoting and Managing Diversity in Higher Education

National recruitment and placement policy and guidelines for students,

Objective: Ensure students, staff, and leaders’ diversity and inclusion in