Kampala, Uganda | Ministers responsible for Higher Education from the East African Community (EAC) Partner States convened in Kampala to advance a Common Higher Education Area (EACHEA). The meeting focused on harmonizing higher education policies, enhancing student mobility, and strengthening the region’s socio-economic development.

The first Regional Ministerial Conference on EACHEA brought together education leaders from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zanzibar. Hosted by the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), the conference aimed to establish a shared framework for quality assurance, credit transfer, and academic recognition across the region.

Key outcomes included:

Adoption of a Common Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (EAC-CATS) to standardize academic recognition.

Agreement on regional quality assurance benchmarks to ensure higher education standards.

Strategies to improve student and faculty mobility, promoting knowledge exchange and innovation.

Challenges Identified

Ministers acknowledged challenges in policy harmonization, curriculum alignment, and infrastructural disparities among member states. Collaborative measures were proposed to address these gaps and enhance equitable access to higher education.

Participants pledged to:

Strengthen regional cooperation in research, innovation, and skills development.

Monitor the implementation of the Regional Qualifications Framework (RQAF) for consistent academic standards.

Promote inclusive higher education policies that support socio-economic transformation across East Africa.

The Kampala conference underscored a shared commitment to regional integration in higher education, ensuring that students across East Africa benefit from a harmonized and competitive academic environment.

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