Student Survey Results Making the best of Africa’s graduates and the role of international partnerships 16 – 18 January 2011 Student Survey Results

How, where, how many and why? Online & face to face 10 countries in Sub Saharan Africa Total number of respondents 3 254 To better understand what students think and how they view their education We had a online questionaire These are mainly students still doing their studies Face to face of data

Are you female or male? MALE 1953 60% FEMALE 1303 40%

What age are you? 21 – 251762 54% 15 – 20 587 18% 26 – 30 570 18% 31 and more 337 10%

What country are you from? Responses per country % per total Ethiopia 454 14% Ghana 318 10% Kenya 279 9% Nigeria 923 28% South Africa 110 3% Tanzania 292 Uganda 117 4% Zambia 257 8% Zimbabwe 299 Other 207 6% Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana….followed by Kenya….Tanzania, Zimbabwe….

Do you think you will be well prepared to enter the job market when you graduate from your university? YES 2890 89% NO 230 7% I DO NOT KNOW 133 4%

Do you think the skills you acquire at your university are matching the needs of employers in your chosen career area? YES 2722 84% NO 374 11% I DO NOT KNOW 157 5%

Are you getting any practical experience which will prepare you for the job market? YES 2154 66% NO 1102 34%

What sort of assistance is your university offering you in preparation for the job market? ‘None at all’ and ‘Nothing, I think’ Well they are trying but they can do better Nothing spectacular, except direct speeches by lecturers Practical hands on skills through workshops and seminars We are only given a few months off to look for attachments in various organisations before completing our studies. This should be extended to at least 1 year None except entrepreneurial classes in final year, hence not to utilize the course studied but to go ahead and start something new My university has done her best in exposing me to the current trend of jobs in the country and across the globe, and as such, I have no excuse whatsoever, to fail in discovering my worth

Has your university discussed job opportunities with you? YES 964 30% NO 2292 70%

Does your university have any links with industries/employers? YES 1550 48% NO 429 13% I DO NOT KNOW 1274 39%

Does your university have links with universities in other countries? YES 1852 57% NO 329 10% I DO NOT KNOW 1072 33%

Are you benefiting from such links in any way? YES 1076 33% NO 2177 67%

What are your ideas for ways in which your university might better prepare you for the job market? Career Fairs & Internship Opportunities Exchange programmes in other parts of Africa Invite Lecturers from other African countries and from other parts of the world Industry representatives to be invited to conduct workshops and give speeches at the universities Do mock interviews and offer practical training Modernize the curriculum – bring it u p to speed with the international standards Embrace IT more enthusiastically (For example - in my course of study; architecture, the use of CAD (Computer Aided Design) is frowned upon by my lecturers as taboo for undergraduates whereas it is a known fact that any graduate of architecture that lacks CAD skills is virtually unemployable. This is really ironic and counter-productive for any university in the 21st century that intends for the thousands of students it churns out annually to find their way into the job market or stand on their own feet)

Thank you Marketa.krahulikova@britishcouncil.org.zw