In the preface, Dr. Louis Herns Marcelin, describes the goals of the report on The Challenge for Haitian Higher Education as:
“The goal of this study is to contribute to a national and international dialogue and to recommend solutions to the higher education challenges facing the nation. We identify deficiencies of the current system that obstruct high student enrollment and high-quality research in Haitian universities. These challenges include the high concentration of universities in the capital, the lack of an effective overarching governing body to regulate university accreditation, low investment in scientific research and training, as well as inefficiencies in university administration.
The report documents the condition of the higher education institutions after the January 12th earthquake that leveled most of the major institutions in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area. It cannot be overemphasized that higher education be a priority for Haiti’s rebuilding strategy. Haiti has one of the youngest populations and there is a critical need for young, skilled professionals to rebuild Haiti in the years and decades ahead. As we redefine Haitian society, we must reform higher education institutions and protect them from the politicization that has hindered scientific inquiry and effective collaboration between these institutions in Haiti.
The nation has suffered an irreparable loss of heritage and human capital. Many universities will likely never be rebuilt. The need for additional studies of the impact and implications of this disaster cannot be overstated. The recommendations of this report urge decision-makers and donors to consider short and longer-term investments that reflect the urgency of higher education as a tool to create leadership for Haiti’s future on par with other priority areas including agriculture, health, and economic development. Strategic investment with smart policy reform in the higher education system will ensure Haiti’s longer-term recovery and development goals.”
The Challenge for Haitian Higher Education: A post‐earthquake assessment of higher education institutions in the Port‐au‐Prince metropolitan area (2010). Port-au-Prince, Haiti: Interuniversity Institute for Research and Development (INURED). Retrieved October 3, 2010 from INURED Website: http://inured.org/docs/TheChallengeforHaitianHigherEd_INURED2010March.pdf
