By Christopher Chisi

Southern Africa Development Community-SADC countries have been urged to significantly strengthen regional and national capacities in order to assure quality and relevance in higher education institutions.

This is in view of the expansion in higher education being propelled by privatization policy perused by countries in the region and the resultant mushrooming of Higher Education institutions.

And Higher Education Authority Director General Stephen Simukanga says the Zambian government has endorsed the SADC qualifications framework as a premise for ensuring internationally recognized national qualifications.

Professor Simukanga said this during the official opening of the two days capacity building meeting for Quality Assurance in Higher Education in the SADC being held in Lusaka.

And SADC Youth and Development Technical Advisor Willys Simfukwe has reiterated that capacity building meeting for quality assurance in higher education is key towards accelerating the realization of the ultimate objective of SADC protocol on Education and Training.