Helpdesk Reports
The last decade has witnessed renewed interest in the social benefits of higher education, with recent research suggesting that universities have a role in nurturing developmental leaders who enable positive change and better governance in low-income and conflict-affected countries (Brannelly et al, 2011b). This review summarises available evidence on the relationship between higher education, developmental… Read more
This study attempts to address the gaps in research on the characteristics and dynamics of the relationship between higher education and development, and the contextual and institutional factors that facilitate or inhibit these relationships. The study, with a focus on Africa, utilises theoretical perspectives offered by the fields of higher education studies, institutional theory and… Read more
This chapter in the 2011 Africa Competitiveness Report analyses systems of higher education in Africa using five African countries— Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, and Tunisia— as case studies. Specifically, the chapter analyzes current enrolment trends, accessibility and equity, governance, quality and relevance, financing, university-industry linkages (UILs), and entrepreneurship education in tertiary education curricula. The idea is… Read more
This report aimed to produce empirical evidence and analysis of countries’ experiences of introducing qualifications framework as part of a strategy to achieve skills development and employment goals. A qualifications framework is intended to improve understanding of qualifications (degrees, certificates, or recognition of experiential-based learning and capabilities) in terms of the information they convey to… Read more
This regional ten-country curriculum scan was jointly commissioned by UNESCO, UNFPA and UNICEF for the HIV Prevention Working Group of the Regional AIDS Team in East and Southern Africa (RATESA). The scans were commissioned as part of an inter-agency programme aimed at supporting countries in the East and Southern Africa (ESA) region to improve the… Read more
This analysis looks at the costs and benefits of adding family planning services to programs for the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV in fourteen high HIV prevalence countries. The benefits of PMTCT programs are discussed. They are further enhanced by the addition of family planning services which by 2007 could avert an… Read more
The study aimed to assess the association between hormonal contraceptive use and risk of HIV-1 acquisition by women and HIV-1 transmission from HIV-1-infected women to their male partners. 3790 heterosexual HIV-1-serodiscordant couples participating in two longitudinal studies of HIV-1 incidence in seven African countries were followed up. Among injectable and oral hormonal contraceptive users and… Read more