WHEEL is a logical next step to act on the findings from the UNIGOV project on the main challenges facing Libyan HEIs. In a divided country, with no reliable countrywide HE data collection since the outbreak of the 2011 revolution, a vision of the role of HE is missing. Libyan universities are limited in their ability to collaborate & share knowledge. They also suffer from lack of funding, poor technological capabilities and no possibilities of professional development.To address all of the above, WHEEL will formalise a Network of HEIs to foster interinstitutional collaboration and dialogue and to allow the Consortium, which represents around 75% of Libya’s university population, to act as a unified voice in lobbying for policy developments. The Network will gather a comprehensive dataset of current HE statistics collected through the WHEEL project (Blueprint policy document). The creation of an online platform to facilitate the activities of this Network will be accompanied by technological upgrades within each Libyan HEI. The main efforts will go towards improving institutional management, capacity and other key functions (quality assurance, development of research & innovation capacities, etc.) through a series of ‘train the trainer’ workshops and regional & national conferences.As the Libyan members of the Consortium will own all outcomes and products after the project ends, the WHEEL Network and its findings will be sustainable in the long-term. In the short term, the Consortium’s institutional and technological capacities will be improved and the HEIs will possess qualified and trained staff to continue to progress these capabilities. Effective regional & national dissemination through newsletters & social media will attract non-member HEIs to the Network, which will gain a critical mass to influence policy and promote development in other local HEIs, but also to continue to develop and expand the Network, which crosses political and geographical borders.
In response to this complex situation, WHEEL has undertaken a joint project with 12 LY HEIs, with a geographical balance across political and sectarian divides, whose primary objective is to develop a vision for a LY HE system that can successfully meet social, economic, and cultural demands through analysis, capacity-building, inst. development, and strategic planning. Development of the HE sector reinforces the peace process in Libya by generating synergies with the state-building environment.
The WHEEL initiative is a Joint National Project in Libya, which is closely aligned with the principles of the E+ program to enhance the management and operation of HEIs in a country that has experienced a decade of protracted civil conflict and a rushed horizontal expansion of HEIs with substandard quality policies. The LY HE sector faces several challenges, including a lack of vision and long-term strategy, limited opportunities for interaction between HE top-management, etc.
<< Background >> The WHEEL initiative is a Joint National Project in Libya, which is closely aligned with the principles of the E+ program to enhance the management and operation of HEIs in a country that has experienced a decade of protracted civil conflict and a rushed horizontal expansion of HEIs with substandard quality policies. The LY HE sector faces several challenges, including a lack of vision and long-term strategy, limited opportunities for interaction between HE top-management, etc. << Objectives >> In response to this complex situation, WHEEL has undertaken a joint project with 12 LY HEIs, with a geographical balance across political and sectarian divides, whose primary objective is to develop a vision for a LY HE system that can successfully meet social, economic, and cultural demands through analysis, capacity-building, inst. development, and strategic planning. Development of the HE sector reinforces the peace process in Libya by generating synergies with the state-building environment. << Implementation >> WHEEL has identified specific objectives to address these challenges. These include the establishment of a Network of Libyan universities as a learning platform to foster the modernization and strategic planning of the HE system; the drafting of a "Libya HE Blueprint," which will provide a vision for a new HE system for the country; and the training of relevant HEI staff in areas such as quality assurance, financial management, ICTs, teaching methodologies, systemic governance, and innovation. << Results >> The project has achieved significant results in the 12 PC HEIs as follows:•Evidence based diagnosis document: “Challenges for HE Libya”•WHEEL Network running + WHEEL Online Platform•6 Working Groups on strategic topics for Libyan HE system•Policy paper: “Libya Higher Education Blueprint”•12 IT equipments for Libyan IROs•Libyan HE - Training Plan: 7 online modules•24 Replication trainings•Roundtables and infodays•3 National Conferences