Increasing Enrollment in Higher Education in Priority Disciplines for Economic Development

The objective of this Results Area is to increase enrollment in higher education programs of strategic importance for economic development. The GoSL will promote the expansion of enrollment in state universities and ATIs, with a focus on STEM degree programs. It will take place both in existing and new STEM faculties and ATIs. The strategy will promote the use of teaching-learning methods based on open educational resources and learning software to enable large numbers of students, regardless of their location, to set up interactive teaching sessions. The Program will also pilot Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) initiatives through partnership with well-established providers. The existing External Degree Programs will be adapted to various types of clientele, their enrollment will be managed, and their delivery system will be updated. In addition, the expansion of enrollment in non-state HEIs will be promoted through a student loan scheme for qualified students.

The Program will enable the strategic planning and development of the higher education sector. The strategic plan will be used to monitor progress in implementing the targets, including the targets for the expansion of enrollment in the universities and ATIs, and to fine-tune these over time. The strategic plan will also contribute to the other two results areas. This will include incentives for academic achievement across a range of areas such as high-quality teaching-learning and research and innovation.