Public and private higher education in comparative perspective*

Private higher education has been growing in South Africa, leading to intense concerns about its possible positive and negative effects in the fulfillment of broader goals. This article provides a comparative perspective, examining the experience of Latin American countries on the subject, first regarding the impact of the private sector on issues of access, equity, extension work, research and the provision of educated manpower for the new economy, and later on issues of regulation and convergence. Since most private higher education in the LA region is done with little investments and catering to less affluent students, the article discusses the possible relevance of this kind of education, and the experience of public agencies to regulate it. The article concludes that the private sector plays a useful role, but cannot replace public institutions. There is some convergence between the public and private sector, but that they will continue to coexist and perform different functions. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Private higher education has been growing in South Africa since the publication of the 1997 White Paper on higher education. This growth has led to intense concerns among policy makers, participants and observers of South Africa’s higher education environment. The authors of the National Plan quote the White Paper on the problems associated with unrestrained competition and profit-driven higher education: * This is a revised version of the keynote presentation prepared for the colloquium on “Understanding Private Higher Education in South Africa”, Human Sciences Research Council, Johannesburg, April 9-10, 2002.