Governance Reforms in Higher Education of Ethiopia: The Case of Autonomy and Accountability in Addis Ababa University

Abstract

This study was set to assess the iffoct of higher education governance and
management refrms (introduced following the 1.9.94 Education and Training
Policy of the Transitional Government of Ethiopia) on erosion/extension of
autonomy and accountability of the academic staff by taking the case o/ Addis
Ababa University, the oldest and the largest university in Ethiopia .. Quantitative
and qualitative data were collected in 2012/2013 .from senior officials of the
Ministry of Education and .from senior and junior officials of the Addis Ababa
University, in addition to .from the University s prifessoriate. Policy and reform
documents were also reviewed to complement the data collection process. The
results suggest mixed conclusions. Senior officials complied with the content of
government documents that assert great success in implementation of higher
education reform, including extending autonomy. However, the Addis Ababa
University junior officials (deans and department heads) and most academic staff
members claimed p reponderance of critical challenges in the implementation
process if the higher education reforms due to government strategy of demanding
more accountability without the attendant autonomy (the power to make
decisions). The difference in perspectives of the two groups suggests conflicting
interests: the academic staff demands more autonomy in reform planning (not only implementation),· but officials demand more accountability for rifbrm implementation. .It is, therifbre, concluded that reform strategies are more likely to succeed when implementation strategy is preceded by participation if implementers in the design process.

Keywords: Governance reform, higher education, autonomy, accountability, Addis Ababa
University, Ethiopia