The Next Chapter: Futures of Higher Education in Mauritius

This chapter explores potential futures for the higher education sector of Mauritius by analysing key performance results and factors and their implications for policy and practice. The challenges that Mauritius faces in adapting to globalisation and technological change are also highlighted. The chapter mainly focusses on five pillars: Technology-Driven Higher Education, agile Regulatory and Quality Assurance Frameworks, Pathways and micro-credentials, the role of research in higher education as an enabler in supporting socioeconomic advancement, and internationalisation and cross-border higher education. Using qualitative research instruments such as document analysis, surveys, open-ended questionnaires, and focus group discussions, the chapter examines the opinions of stakeholders with respect to trends and challenges. It draws on the literature on higher education policy, globalisation, and technological change to provide a conceptual framework for understanding the potential futures of higher education in Mauritius. The chapter investigates several possible future scenarios for higher education in Mauritius. One scenario involves significant government investment in expanding the capacity of the higher education sector, leading to better access and quality education. Another scenario sees higher education institutions embracing new technologies and pedagogical approaches to become more innovative and responsive. A third scenario envisions most programmes replaced by micro-credentials and online courses, all credited and combined to produce student-customised degrees. After assessing the implications of these scenarios, the chapter highlights the importance of higher education institutions being responsive to rapidly changing socioeconomic needs and being innovative in their approach to teaching and learning. It also suggests that relevant policies and practices from other contexts can be adapted and implemented locally through the concept of policy transfer. This chapter rests on the assumption that, for a small island nation like Mauritius, the cornerstone of future higher education lies in the sector’s ability to adapt to changing global trends and embrace new technologies and pedagogical approaches. Collaboration among higher education institutions and with foreign universities, and close linkages to the government and employers are also necessary to ensure that the sector is equipped to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century.