Human Capital Investment in Universities: A Case Study of Gedo International University
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/ijdcs.2378Keywords:
Human Capital Investment, Gedo International University, Socio-Economic Development, Healthcare Workforce, Education Sector, Developing Regions.Abstract
Purpose: This study investigates the role of Gedo International University (GIU) in advancing human capital investment within the Beledhawa District, Somalia. It explores the impact of higher education on socio-economic development, focusing on GIU’s contributions to healthcare, education, and regional growth.
Methodology: The research employs a qualitative case study approach, including semi-structured interviews with graduates, faculty, and students, alongside document analysis of institutional reports and district-level socio-economic data.
Findings: GIU has significantly contributed to local development by producing skilled professionals in healthcare and education. Its graduates are instrumental in improving service delivery and fostering economic opportunities, despite challenges such as limited resources and the absence of key academic programs. GIU has also catalyzed the establishment of secondary schools in the district, promoting broader access to education.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice, and Policy (Recommendations): This study highlights the critical role of higher education in human capital development in underserved regions. It recommends strategic partnerships with NGOs and private sectors, expanded academic offerings in agriculture and veterinary sciences, and the establishment of satellite campuses. These measures can enhance GIU’s capacity to address the region’s socio-economic needs and serve as a model for universities in similar contexts.
Downloads
References
a) Books
Becker, G. S. (1994). Human capital: A theoretical and empirical analysis, with special reference to education (3rd ed.). University of Chicago Press.
Mankiw, N. G., Romer, D., & Weil, D. N. (1992). A contribution to the empirics of economic growth. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 107(2), 407-437. https://doi.org/10.2307/2112584
Hanushek, E. A., & Woessmann, L. (2015). The knowledge capital of nations: Education and economic growth. MIT Press.
Psacharopoulos, G., & Patrinos, H. A. (2004). Returns to investment in education: A further update. Education Economics, 12(2), 111-134.
Salmi, J. (2009). The challenge of establishing world-class universities. The World Bank.
Bloom, D. E., Canning, D., & Chan, K. (2006). Higher education and economic development in Africa. Harvard University.
Altbach, P. G., & Salmi, J. (2011). The road to academic excellence: The making of world-class research universities. The World Bank.
Teixeira, P. N., & Dill, D. D. (2011). Higher education in the European Union: An overview of current issues and future prospects. European University Association.
Geiger, R. L. (2011). To advance knowledge: The growth of American research universities, 1900-1940. Stanford University Press.
Moretti, E. (2012). The new geography of jobs. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Scott, P. (2014). The global market for higher education: Sustainable competitive strategies for the new millennium. Routledge.
Marginson, S. (2011). Higher education in the global knowledge economy. In A. H. Teichler & R. A. Altbach (Eds.), The internationalization of higher education: Global trends and emerging issues (pp. 45-72). Springer.
Reimers, F. (2012). Education for global citizenship: A framework for analysis. In Global Citizenship Education: Philosophy, Theory, and Pedagogy. Routledge.
b) Journal Articles
Altbach, P. G., & Knight, J. (2007). The internationalization of higher education: Motivations and realities. Journal of Studies in International Education, 11(3-4), 290-305. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315307307516
Bhandari, R., & Blumenthal, P. (2019). International student mobility: Global trends and developments. Institute of International Education. https://www.iie.org/en/Research-and-Insights/Publications/International-Student-Mobility-Global-Trends-and-Developments
Hemsley-Brown, J., & Oplatka, I. (2015). University choice: What the student wants. Higher Education, 69(5), 845-862. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-014-9800-1
Smit, R., & Fritz, A. (2020). Understanding the role of higher education in human capital development: A theoretical and empirical analysis. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 42(1), 46-61. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2020.1722146
Teichler, U. (2009). The relevance of international student mobility for the development of higher education. Higher Education, 57(3), 355-372. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-008-9175-6
McMahon, W. W. (2009). Education and development: The relationship between education and economic growth. International Journal of Educational Development, 29(1), 54-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2008.01.002
Barro, R. J., & Lee, J.-W. (2013). A new data set of educational attainment in the world, 1950-2010. Journal of Development Economics, 104, 184-198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdeveco.2012.03.012
Becker, G. S. (1993). Human capital and the economic theory of education. American Economic Review, 83(2), 82-87.
Card, D. (2001). Estimating the return to schooling: Progress on some persistent econometric problems. Econometrica, 69(5), 1127-1160. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0262.00229
Knight, J. (2004). Internationalization remodeled: Definition, approaches, and rationales. Journal of Studies in International Education, 8(1), 5-31. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315303260832
Havergal, C. (2020). The changing role of higher education in global development: Trends and challenges. Higher Education Research & Development, 39(1), 3-12. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2019.1682486
Bhandari, R., & Blumenthal, P. (2018). The global market for higher education: Sustainable competitive strategies for the new millennium. International Journal of Educational Management, 32(6), . https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-10-2017-0343
c) Reports and websites
World Bank. (2018). World development report 2018: Learning to realize education's promise. World Bank. https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/wdr2018
UNESCO. (2017). Global education monitoring report 2016: Education for people and planet: Creating sustainable futures for all. UNESCO Publishing.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (2021). UNESCO global education monitoring report 2021/2: Education and the COVID-19 pandemic. UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000375681
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (2020). Human development report 2020: The next frontier: Human development and the Anthropocene. UNDP. https://hdr.undp.org/en/indicators/137506
Commonwealth of Learning. (2020). The role of open and distance learning in enhancing higher education in Africa: A report on the contributions of the Commonwealth of Learning. Commonwealth of Learning.
World Bank. (2017). Higher education in developing countries: Peril and promise. World Bank. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2017/02/02/higher-education-in-developing-countries-peril-and-promise
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2019). Education at a glance 2019: OECD indicators. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/f8d7880d-en
Alrahmah Foundation for Education and Development. (n.d.). About us. Retrieved August 18, 2024, from http://alrahmahfoundation.com/about-us/
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Abdiaziz Abdullahi Hussein (Mubarak)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
