National Strategy unveiled for transformation of higher education sector

The National Strategy for Higher Education and Research 2025-2035 serving as a comprehensive roadmap to guide the development and transformation of the higher education sector in Mauritius, was unveiled today in presence of the Minister of Tertiary Education, Science and Research, Dr Kaviraj Sharma Sukon, at the Intercontinental Resort Mauritius in Balaclava.

The Minister of Education and Human Resource, Dr Mahend Gungapersad; Member of the National Assembly, Dr Sandeep Prayag; Members of the diplomatic corps, and Heads of Higher Educational Institutions, were also in attendance.

The Strategy is structured around five key pillars: Excellence in Teaching and Learning; Research and Innovation; Pathways for Lifelong Learning; Science Diplomacy; and Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence Excellence.

In his keynote address, Minister Sukon highlighted that the Strategy seeks to transform Mauritius into a globally connected, innovation-driven knowledge economy by aligning higher education, research and digitalisation. The overarching objective, he noted, is to drive competitiveness, social mobility and sustainable development.

He further underlined that the Strategy is aligned with the Government Programme 2025–2029, which reflects Government’s commitment to positioning Mauritius as a global education hub, capable of attracting international students and establishing the country as a centre of excellence. He also emphasised the importance of developing inclusive and dynamic pathways linking technical and vocational education and training to higher education, thereby supporting lifelong learning opportunities.

Addressing current challenges in the education sector, the Minister pointed to a decline in student enrolment, low success rates, limited inbound mobility of students at the tertiary level and a mismatch between graduates’ skills and the needs of emerging sectors.

To tackle these issues, Dr Sukon outlined several key initiatives, including amendments to the Higher Education Act to recognise micro-credentials, the development of a Mauritius Research Excellence Framework, and the strengthening of institutional accreditation mechanisms, with a view to further transforming the higher education sector.

30 April 2026

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Topics: Education