The University of Eswatini (UNESWA), like many government-owned higher education institutions facing financial difficulties, must adopt a multifaceted strategy to bolster its revenue streams and achieve long-term self-sustainability.
The challenge of financial instability in public universities is not unique to Eswatini. Global examples provide a wealth of evidence on how institutions have diversified income sources, modernised their educational delivery and enhanced their appeal to both local and international students.
Firstly, UNESWA should expand its digital presence to tap into global markets. As evidenced by leading universities such as the University of London, which offers extensive online degree programmes through platforms like Coursera and edX, digital education has opened new avenues for revenue generation. By developing quality online courses in key academic areas relevant to regional and international demand, the university can attract tuition-paying students worldwide without the constraints of physical infrastructure.
Partnering with established online platforms enables cost-effective course delivery, shared marketing efforts and a revenue-sharing model that mitigates upfront expenses while expanding reach.
Secondly, UNESWA could enhance its continuing education and professional development programmes. Many universities have increased income by offering short, specialised courses tailored to working professionals seeking to upgrade skills.
These programmes can be delivered both online and on campus, creating flexible learning options for diverse student cohorts. For instance, the University of Cape Town in South Africa has successfully introduced such offerings, which have proven popular and financially viable.
Thirdly, UNESWA might consider strengthening industry partnerships to generate income through research collaborations, consultancy services and technology transfer. By leveraging its academic expertise to address the needs of local and regional businesses, the university can attract funding and create real-world impact. I am told that intellectual property developed through research can become a source of licensing revenue or lead to profitable spin-off ventures.
My advisors say that strategic alliances with the private sector often provide not only monetary support but also internships and employment opportunities for students, enhancing the university’s appeal. Additionally, optimisation of campus facilities for commercial use offers another revenue stream.
Many universities rent out conference halls, accommodation and sports facilities during off-peak times to private entities, generating supplementary income without significant capital investment. UNESWA offers these facilities, I am aware, but the marketing of these facilities has not been robust and effective.
The entity can create a company to manage these facilities. However, we can talk about excellent strategies for growth, but it is pointless without the consideration of financial management practices. In the pursuit of self-sustainability, careful attention must be paid to governance and financial management practices. Transparent budgeting, accountability and exploring cost-efficiency measures ensure that increased revenue translates into real financial stability.
Based on my little research, I can proudly recommend to the University of Eswatini to focus on the following:
- Developing online education in partnership with global platforms to reach international students.
- Expanding continuing education and professional development courses.
- Establishing robust industry partnerships for research and consultancy income.
- Actively recruiting international students for on-campus programmes.
- Commercialising campus assets to generate non-tuition income.
- Strengthening institutional governance to improve financial oversight.
Let me address the successes of the University of London. Its success with its international programmes, which delivers globally recognised degrees through digital platforms, stands as a compelling model for UNESWA. Such approaches not only diversify revenue but also enhance academic reputation and global visibility, reinforcing the university’s long-term viability in an increasingly competitive educational landscape. As a matter of fact, UNESWA, currently in a financial quagmire, is not innovative enough to make the institution sustainable and self-dependant.
Historically, the university’s leadership is drawn from professorship with no experience in entrepreneurship and commerce, resulting in extreme focus on books and pens. This is notably good because the primary mandate of our university is to offer quality education and produce graduates with substantial value addition to our industries.
However, a university, nowadays, is a business. Tertiary institutions must be able to use contemporary business strategies to generate an income. I understand that the university has farms and companies that are not generating substantial income to sustain it. Buying those farms was a good strategy to ensure UNESWA is not only dependant on tuition fees from government scholarships.
UNESWA needs a chief executive officer (CEO), a technocrat contracted to work on the sustainability and profitability of the institution. The Senate or whatever committee in place at the university must operate like a commercial Board that is not only interested in quality education but profits.
Without overcharging students, the CEO’s goal is to make a profit. The vice chancellor must be responsible for the academic side of the university while the CEO looks into the business elements. They must devise business strategies and create programmes that are both financially viable and educationally sound and relevant to industry expectations.
Despite being in the digital space, it is disappointing that UNESWA has not yet offered its programmes to the global community.
Having a social media account and website do not mean the university is active in digital commerce. While many universities have students across the globe, I shudder to say that UNESWA appeals only to emaSwati. As I am writing this article, I am seeing on my phone, courses from Northwest University, University of Liverpool, University of Oxford popping up. There is little or none altogether, coming from UNESWA. These days, tertiary institutions have strong research units that design programmes to empower people from both ends of the social spectrum.
It is unfortunate that UNESWA does not have academic programmes for the pensioners and those who are already working to make sure the upskilling is relevant to market demands. Precisely, education was not designed only for the youth. Brothers and sisters, we learn till we die. If our premier university could have such programmes, a prospective student in Ireland can spend Sterling Pounds on education obtained from the beautiful Kingdom of Eswatini.
Tech company 2U recently bought edX’s assets from Havard and MIT for US$800 million, the equivalent of E14.4 billion. Universities benefit from edX and Coursera by generating revenue from paid online programmes, expanding global reach and providing their faculty with new teaching and research opportunities.
I have been made to understand that these platforms offer universities ways to create pathways to their own degrees and can provide students with supplemental learning opportunities. Universities can earn revenue through paid certificates and degrees offered on the platforms, often sharing a percentage of the gross revenue or profits with Coursera, Udemy or edX. The University World News states that much is made of the higher education funding crisis and we could well ask how we got here. The organisation points to the fact that universities blame inflation and reduced government funding.
In truth, over the last decade, research has shown that most universities have received an international funding windfall from international student recruitment and tuition fees.
In the United Kingdom alone, this is in the region of around E450 billion (US$25 billion) a year over the last two recruitment cycles (2021-23). “It would be interesting to know how all that money has been spent,” this is a critical question that the University World News posed. Another benefit is derived from the global reach that these tertiary institutions enjoy. May I expand on this crucial point.
These partnerships allow universities to reach a worldwide audience of students who can access their courses and programmes, leading to greater brand recognition. Research has shown that these platforms enable universities to offer new online degree programmes and specialised credentials, such as MicroMasters, which can count towards a master’s degree at some partner universities.
We must realise and appreciate that these platforms were created by one of the best universities in the world, Havard, solely for institutions like UNESWA to make use. The University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg has taken advantage of this platform to globalise its programmes.
As I pointed out earlier on, such online platforms boost revenue because they create and promote specific skill-based courses and professional development programmes that attract learners who are looking to upskill for their careers. Just consider the Department of Journalism offering a six-month course for senior editors or media executives. Consider the Department of Social Science offering a one-year course in Political Economy. We are not thinking outside the box as emaSwati, no matter how educated we are.
Last year, I raised a concern in this very column that UNESWA, as old as it is, does not have a fully-fledged Faculty of Political Science and International Relations. That is why we have political activists who react with insult whenever faced with a thought-provoking political question.
This is because we have reduced this crucial course to an insignificant or unrecognisable subject under the Faculty of Social Science. Yesterday, the Northwest University in South Africa announced its Post-Graduate Diploma in Labour Law that can be pursued by anyone around the world.
UNESWA’s Institute of Distance Education (IDE), which now sustains the institution, I am told, is only accessible to emaSwati. I am surprised that the IDE does not have learners from Europe despite that it has been operating for approximately 30 years.
When Professor Cisco Magagula was tasked to experiment the distance education concept, I was part of the first group of students alongside the late journalist and editor for Eswatini TV Mbuso Matsenjwa and Mduduzi Hlophe, a former government lawyer who is now in private practice. Others were top executives like Coronation Nxumalo. There are executives and senior police officers who advanced their careers through IDE. This is a stronger branch of UNESWA because of the foundation Professor Magagula and others laid.
The IDE, obviously, can become the primary source of income for the financially crippled University of Eswatini. Students must not be overcharged or IDE overburdened but UNESWA can take advantage of the international academic market.
I thank you.
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