Evaluating the utilisation of resources in higher education institutions: The case of teaching space at a Ugandan university

Abstract

All over the world, there is pressure on higher education institutions (HEIs) to admit increasing numbers of students. In most parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, however, the increasing demand for student places at HEIs is in the context of enormous reductions in the availability of institutional resources. Efforts at the expansion of enrolments have focused on expanding the availability of resources; however, utilisation of these resources is not evaluated for optimal usage. Taking the case of teaching space at Makerere University, this article argues that this could affect educational quality, access to higher education or both. Grounded on Juran’s generalization of Pareto’s Optimality Theory, the article proposes systematic, and multidimensional, evaluation of the utilisation of resources. It concludes that this might expose unexploited capacity to expand enrolments while adhering to relevant standards of quality assurance and ensure that resources are expanded in line with real need.