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

2. How, where, how many and why?
Online & face to face
10 countries in Sub Saharan Africa
Total number of respondents
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

3. Are you female or male?
MALE %
FEMALE %

4. What age are you?
21 – %
15 – %
26 – %
31 and more %

5. 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….

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

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

8. Are you getting any practical experience which will prepare you for the job market?
YES %
NO %

9. 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

10. Has your university discussed job opportunities with you?
YES %
NO %

11. Does your university have any links with industries/employers?
YES %
NO %
I DO NOT KNOW %

12. Does your university have links with universities in other countries?
YES %
NO %
I DO NOT KNOW %

13. Are you benefiting from such links in any way?
YES %
NO %

14. 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)

15. Thank you