THE PROBLEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN MONGOLIA

The Problem of Higher Education in Mongolia

The Problem of Higher Education in Mongolia

Introduction

Prior to 1991? a number of Ministries had shared responsibilities for ensuring the successful operations of higher education institutions. These ministries were considered as vehicles for implementing decisions and regulations? and were not considered to be policy or decision making agencies. All higher education institutions had been owned and operated by the Government and were subject to all applicable governmental policies and regulations. In 1992 the Ministry of Science Technology? Education and Culture (MOSTEC) was established? based on the Education Law 1991 and all science and educational activities were subsequently placed under MOSTEC. This merger represented the government's new intention that the Ministry would become involved with the policy formulation and higher education regulation. (Department for National Statistics 2000)

Objectives of the Study

To find the issues in financing public higher education institutions in Mongolia

The objective of the research is to more clearly specify problems and identify policy deficiencies;

Examine different ways of overcoming these deficiencies; and

Recommend the most promising solution.

Research Problem

The research problem is the financing public higher education institutions in Mongolia.

Failure to intensify income generation activities and efficiency of universities: Due to vagaries of laws and the overly cumbersome bureaucracy in applying regulations the autonomy of universities is suffering.

The missions of Universities to achieve international quality and create stimulating learning? teaching and research environment have severely suffered due to scarce funding. Deteriorating quality? inadequate physical conditions of learning and teaching and brain drain of qualified staff are real facts.

Nor state budget neither student fee cover building maintenance and repairs and investment in expansion and renovation. Universities face vulnerability in investments for renovation and expansion? improvement of libraries and laboratories.

Limited access and inequity: Access to quality higher education becomes limited to those students whose parents welfare cannot afford additional expenses such as donation? textbook purchase etc.

Lobbying and corruption to obtain funding from various institutions such as National Science and Technology Foundation? international agencies for development etc.; and

Failure to meet transparency.

Policy clarification: The study will clarify and quantify the policy problems in regard to state and non-state funding. The study will quantify how much of total budgets of universities are financed by the Government? whether it covers all fixed costs of universities and how much is financed through student loan system and grants. In addition? the proportion of non-state funding and fields that attract much of private funding will be reviewed. (MECS & ADB 2003)

Evaluation of current policy: the proposed policy analysis study will evaluate to what extent the Government policy meets and fails to meet the needs of 1) universities 2) faculty members and researchers and 3) students.

The researcher will seek solutions through examinations of policies of countries with similar situations (Russia? Slovenia etc). Advantages and disadvantages of each policy option will be reviewed.

Based on examinations? the researcher will recommend the most adequate policy alternative for consideration by the Department of Higher Education and Science? MOSTEC? ...