Higher Education’s Curriculum and Challenges of the 21st Century: The Case Study of Cameroonian Public Universities

This paper is supported by Zhejiang Province Philosophy & Social Science Discipline, Major Subsidised Project 2019. No 19YSXK05ZD Abstract Higher education is worldwide recognised very crucial in socioeconomic development. University’s education generates new knowledge, innovates and stirs critical thinking that contribute to the economic growth and social development. In this regard, this study aimed to explore Cameroonian university programmes and their capacity to face socioeconomic development challenges. Based on one of the researchers’ own experience partly as Cameroonian university alumni, and a student enrolled at a university abroad; but also based on the documents’ analysis, the study used qualitative method to throw a critical view on the extent to which the quality implemented curriculum in Cameroonian state universities can or not meet the country’s economic development objectives. The results showed that state university’s programmes are mostly based on social sciences and humanities, which, yet, have no big significant impact on economic growth. Based on these results, critical socioeconomic development programmes such as STEM curriculum have been suggested so that state university programmes match the country’s needs as well as the international labour market. Keywords: Higher education, university curriculum, skill, socioeconomic development, Cameroon DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-18-16 Publication date:June 30th 201