THE HIGHEREDUCATION SYSTEMIN TUNISIATSUKUBA 150 ANNIVERSARYHANNIBALBARCA

Tunisia is one of the pioneering nations in promoting
learning and education. Indeed, the University of Zitouna
was the first of its kind in the Arab world and one of themost important universities in the world where great
scholars like Ibn Khaldoun, Ibn Arafa and many others hadtaught.

The Tunisian educational system is based upon the “Napoleonic model”
developed by the French colonizer during the protectorate (1881). Highly
centralized
1.Widespread of education especially secondary level
2. Professional higher education for employment and direct application.
Professionalization is the mission of all academic programs.
3. Separation of teaching and research,
4. Elite “grandes ecoles” ex. Polytechnic and Ecole normale• Education is free in all its stages and compulsory for children aged 6 to 16(primary education and lower secondary education);• Language of instruction: Arabic and French (primary education andsecondary education) Arabic, French and English (higher education);• Academic year: from early September to late June.

Public spending on education expanded to a degree that madeTunisia one of the biggest education spenders in the Middle Eastand North Africa (MENA). Tunisia currently spends more than
one-ﬁfth of the state budget, which corresponds to 6.6 percent ofits Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on education.

The University of Tunisia was established in 1960, as the first university
in the country. Since then, the system has expanded significantly.The
public sector of higher education comprises 13 universities (including
the Virtual University) and a network of 25 higher technological studies
institutes. In addition, there are 68 private higher education institutionsIn the academic year 2014/2015, 10.4% of all students were enrolled in
private Tunisian Institutions.

Higher education is divided into three levels:Tunisia offers two types ofthree-year bachelor’s degrees; the “academic (fundamental) bachelor”
tends to be theoretical and prepares students for the continuation ofacademic study, while “applied bachelors” are geared towards preparing
students to directly enter the workplace and include an obligatoryinternship

There are also two types of master’s degrees which are typically two years:
1. Academic masters prepare students for a research career and are the prerequisite fora PhD.
2. Professional masters prepare students for direct entry into the workplace.
The third level of study includes doctoral academic studies (PhD) with a minimum of
three years of research and courses.
Currently around 290,000 students are enrolled in the Tunisian HE system and moststudents graduate in engineering and professional masters.
The government is looking to encourage more private sector employment and youth
entrepreneurshipPublic HEIs are under direct supervision of the Ministry ofHigher Education and Scientific Research (MESRS) whichdevelops and implements higher education policy afterconsultation with the Universities Council comprising thepresidents of the all universities

The expansion of education has had undeniable and enduring positiveeffects on the economy, on health, on females’ socioeconomic status andrecently on politics, in the peaceful transition to democracy after therevolution. Activist educated women have played a vital role in countering
religious extremism. Additionally, the education system has created an
educated Tunisian elite that is widely sought-after in Europe, Canada andGulf States

STUDENT EXCHANGE WITH JAPANMore than 100 Tunisian students at different levels weretrained in various Japanese universities mainly atTSUKUBA
Few Japanese students were trained in Tunisian universities
mainly to learn arabic language
Other Japanese students came to Tunisia for scientificresearch purpose.
We have Japanese senior volonteers in specific areas (JICA)
We welcome more Japanese students

Tunisians thank with a simple gesture, placing the righthand onto the chest close to the heart.

ARIGATO GOZAIMASUً‫ﺷﻛرا‬MerciThank you