Transcript UNIS Template - Development Policy Centre

Australian aid program scholarships:
an effective use of Australian aid?
Development Policy Workshop Panel 2b | 13 February 2014
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
JOEL NEGIN
SENIOR LECTURER IN INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH
Acknowledgements
› This research is being funded through the Australian Development
Research Awards Scheme through the Department of Foreign Affairs and
Trade.
› We thank them for their support through the process and would also like to
thank GRM International in Pretoria for their assistance.
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Objectives of today’s presentation
› Review the role of scholarships in Australia’s aid program in general and
in Africa
› Assess the impact of scholarships on Australia Awards alumni in Kenya,
Mozambique and Uganda
› Suggest challenges and potential way forward for the scholarship program
Note: I use the term AusAID in some places in
the presentation because the scholarships
being assessed were delivered under the
auspices of AusAID, because scholars call
them “AusAID scholarships”, and because
some of the questions mention AusAID
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A large proportion of Australian aid is delivered
through scholarships
Percentage of total ODA disbursed through scholarships,
OECD average and selected countries, 2010-2012
7%
In 2012,
Australia
invested
$334.2m in
scholarships,
supporting
4,900 recipients
from more than
145 countries
6%
5%
DAC Countries, Total
Australia
4%
Canada
Japan
3%
Netherlands
United Kingdom
2%
1%
0%
2010-2012
Source: OECD DAC data
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Despite its prominence, limited evaluation of
impact
› And quite a few critiques / questions:
- scholarship program “has struggled to prove its effectiveness, with little evidence
of its impact beyond anecdotal evidence of individual success stories and selfserving indicators”
- link between scholarships and poverty reduction has been questioned noting that
scholarships do not generally target the poor and directly impact a relatively
small number of people
- biggest beneficiaries of the scholarship program are Australian Universities who
capture substantial portions of the aid funding in the form of fees
I guess your tax dollars pay my salary…
thanks aid budget!
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What are the objectives of Australian
scholarships?
› A bit of a tricky question:
- Australia Awards: “aim to contribute to the long term development needs of
Australia's partner countries”
- PNG scholarships objectives: “to provide men and women with the skills and
knowledge to contribute to PNG’s economic and social development within the
priority areas (government, private sector, civil society)” and “to empower
young women and men to actively participate in the development of civil
society”
- African scholarships program goal as of 2011: “contributing to achievement of
MDGs in Africa while promoting Australia as an active partner in African
development” (Australia as active partner is new as of 2011)
- Variously over time: poverty reduction, sustainable development, individual
empowerment, links to Australia, development impact
For discussion: what should the
objectives of scholarships be?
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Australian scholarships for Africa
› The Australian government has been
providing scholarships to individuals from
Africa for more than 60 years.
› More recently, as part of the scale-up of
the Australian aid program to Africa
starting in 2008, the scholarship program
has expanded rapidly.
› Between 2005 and 2012, the African
scholarship program expanded from 10
countries and 80 candidates to more than
30 countries and more than 350
candidates.
› Scholarships are the largest component of
the Australian aid program’s country
programs in many countries in Africa.
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Number of African scholarships has
increased dramatically
Number of Australian-government funded scholars from 11
African countries graduating per year, 2000-2012
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
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Health, management, agriculture most popular
fields of study for African students
Field of study of Australian-government funded scholars from 11
African countries, 2000-2012
For discussion: how are fields of study
chosen? Based on country consultation?
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Research Methodology
› We aimed to examine Australian scholarships for Africans to study in
Australia
› Surveyed alumni from 2000-2012 for Kenya, Mozambique, Uganda
› Internet survey
› Qualitative interviews to follow in April and June to go into more depth
› Presenting initial findings from the survey here today
› 102 respondents: 39% from Mozambique, 36% from Kenya, 25% from
Uganda
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Different recruitment models in different countries:
Public sector by nomination OR broader model
Recruitment model
Employment prior to scholarship
100%
100%
90%
90%
80%
80%
70%
70%
60%
60%
50%
Applied directly to
AusAID
50%
40%
Nomination by
employer
40%
Civil society/NGO
Private company
30%
30%
20%
20%
10%
10%
0%
Donor agency
Public sector
0%
Kenya
Uganda
Mozambique
Kenya
Uganda
Mozambique
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Overall very positive perception of relevance of
their scholarship to their current position
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
Little or no relevance
50%
Some relevance
Highly relevant
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Total
Male
Female
Kenya
Uganda
Mozambique
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Current Employment
Current Employer
Current Sector of Work
80%
100%
5%
9%
68%
10%
9%
35%
80%
12%
60%
Other
60%
40%
18%
Business and
commerce
40%
Education
30%
30%
40%
20%
52%
11%
Health
Agriculture
53%
10%
20%
9%
28%
1%
0%
18%
13%
0%
Kenya
Uganda
Mozambique
86% of respondents are
back in their home country;
5% are in Australia
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Alumni have received more responsibility, been
promoted and received higher salaries
“Compared to before your scholarship, in your current job, do
you have more responsibility for or did you receive”
Greater responsibility/renumeration
Financial responsibility
39%
Supervising more staff
35%
45%
Policy-making
Largely due to scholarship
31%
52%
24%
Promotion
71%
Salary
65%
Technical responsibility
64%
0%
10%
20%
30%
11%
18%
23%
40%
50%
60%
Proportion of participants (%)
70%
80%
90%
100%
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Limited ongoing links to Australia:
a missed opportunity
Networking frequency upon returning to home country
Proportion of participants (%)
Regular (weekly)
Occasional (monthly)
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Lecturers and staff
AusAID students from
other countries
Australian students
AusAID students from
home country
Asked to rate how they felt about Australia on a scale of one to
five, where five was most positive and one most negative, 83
(81%) respondents felt “most positive” about Australia, followed
by 18 (18%) who gave a rating of four
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Are scholars members of the elite?
Highest level of education attained by parents
70%
Had scholar been out of Africa before
scholarship
63%
61%
60%
52%
52%
50%
45%
41%
40%
30%
20%
10%
For discussion: should scholars be members of the elite?
0%
Helps Australia’s policy influence down the road. But funding a
minister’s son doesn’t seem the point of the aid budget…
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Impact of scholarships on positive change
Extent to which respondents’ scholarship has contributed to positive
change to community, place of work and country as whole
100%
2%
4%
11%
90%
17%
24%
80%
70%
60%
To a small extent or not at all
50%
To a medium extent
89%
40%
To a large extent
81%
72%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Total
Male
Female
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Discussion
› Overall, scholarships are very positively regarded and have a positive
personal impact on scholars
› Alumni view Australia very positively – but have very little ongoing contact
› Many alumni have already had opportunity – are they the most in need –
and should that be a goal of the scholarship program
› What are the real objectives of the scholarship program (link to Australia,
development impact, individual impact, poverty reduction) and how should
the program be designed to meet those goals
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Discussion
› Challenge of counter-factuals? How would these individuals have done
without the Australian scholarship?
› Is this good aid? Better than immunisation or teacher training or
agricultural productivity?
› How do scholarships and the New Colombo Plan fit together?
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Potential ways forward for scholarships
1. Use DFAT’s bulk purchasing power to get reduced fees at Australian
Universities so that more people can get access to this opportunity
2. Build up tertiary education capacity in developing countries
o
In Timor-Leste, Australia is offering some of their scholarships locally
3. Delivery of scholarships in country through MOOCs with Australian
tutors
4. Reach out to the poor, most vulnerable, most in need of opportunity
o
Or alternatively target the most powerful for greatest future linkages
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