Director: Daniel C. Levy

Algeria: Another Country Drops Proscription of Private Universities

(Entry by Daniel C. Levy)

PROPHE Summary:

Algeria has now authorized the creation of private universities. The main reason given is to meet the expansion needs of higher education and to do so without exacerbating overcrowding in public institutions. However, the ministry places certain requirements on private universities, including those involving foreign participation and proscribes their activity in certain fields. Critics fear privatization, and some favour beefing up the public institutions. The government insists it will not privatize public institutions.

For the study itself, see "Algirian Government Gives the Go-ahead for Private Universities."by Achira Mammeri for Magharebia in Algiers 23/09/08 http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2008/09/23/feature-01

PROPHE Observation:

The number of countries with no private higher education continues to diminish. Algerian authorization of private universities provokes criticism about privatization and, as has often happened in regard to private creation, restrictions are placed. How much the new universities will be “demand-absorbing” remains to be seen, even as some public university supporters fear an elitist challenge, as in faculty salaries.