Strengthening Quality Assurance in Zambia’s Higher Education System: Regulatory Evolution, Accreditation Practice, and Institutional Capacity

Zambia’s higher education (HE) sector has undergone a profound transformation over the past decade, marked by rapid expansion, increased enrolment, and the emergence of numerous private institutions. This growth, while promising for national development, has raised critical concerns about the consistency and quality of academic provision. In response, the Government of Zambia enacted the Higher Education Act No. 4 of 2013, establishing the Higher Education Authority (HEA) as an autonomous regulatory body tasked with overseeing institutional registration, programme accreditation, and quality assurance (QA) across the sector. This paper critically explores the evolution of Zambia’s QA architecture, with a particular focus on HEA’s statutory mandate, operational mechanisms, and its role in shaping institutional behavior and academic standards.

Education

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