Responding to renewed interest in the future of Tunisia's higher education system following the country's revolution, Amideast was pleased to cohost a symposium on the future of Tunisian-U.S. institutional cooperation in higher education. Held in Tunis on Nov. 7-8, 2012, the two-day event also explored core issues of higher education reform.
Amideast’s partner in the event was Tunisia’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MHSER), the body that sets the direction and policy of the country’s higher education system. The joint effort built on 30 years of Amideast collaboration with the MHESR, dating back to the establishment of Amideast's Tunis office in 1974, and presented an opportunity for Amideast to share its expertise in capacity building in higher education, developed over decades of experience in the region.
Concern in Tunisia over the adequacy of the country’s higher education system is part of a larger national debate, underway since the December 2011 revolution, over how to improve prospects for the country’s youth. Youth unemployment is high, particularly among college graduates. Yet, many job openings remain unfilled because local firms cannot find qualified graduates, leading many to consider how the country’s 13 universities, 24 higher institutes of technology study (ISETs) and other postsecondary institutions could better prepare students.
Some 60 key stakeholders in Tunisia’s higher education system participated in the symposium, including members of the newly appointed Committee for Higher Education Reform, university presidents, senior MHESR leaders, academics, and industry and civic leaders. Together with American experts, they explored aspects of the U.S. higher education experience that have particular relevance for Tunisia, including current governance and reform efforts in its higher education system; U.S. community colleges as a model for Tunisian ISETs; models of faculty development that improve teaching and learning; and university-private sector engagement in the educational process.
The symposium produced nearly a dozen formal recommendations and identified several new initiatives for the MHESR to consider. More about the symposium program and presentations can be found on the Amideast website: /tunisia/institutional-strengthening/symposium-tunisian-higher-education-and-us-institutional-engagement
