University reform in the Maghreb countries: Institutional autonomy as a lever for national development

Abstract

Political decision makers in the Maghreb countries have not been immune to pressures for University autonomy resulting from intense competition, globalization and from the association with the European Union. Although the HE ministries claim to have made advances in devolving their supervisory prerogatives through the reforms instituted during the last decade, university autonomy remains in fact elusive and newly established quality assurance agencies are in fact themselves administratively dependent on the ministries. Further, the generation, prioritization and expenditure of funds are also subject to complex ministry of finance policies and procedures. The regional political and administrative decentralization that is being put in place promises to change the relationship between the university and its close environment. In Morocco, for example, the new regions are already seeking university expertise in the management of their development agendas and have allocated supplementary funds to bolster university budgets. Similar developments in the Maghreb region tend to support this trend, which may effectively lead to a more flexible approach to university management, favoring more autonomy and a diversity adapted to the differing needs of the regions. University autonomy will thus be reinforced as a consequence of regional empowerment, to become a major lever in regional development.