Educational policy borrowing in the Cameroonian higher education system: A debatable paradigm from stakeholders' perspectives

Abstract

<p>Educational policy borrowing is almost the norm in today’s policy making, partly because of globalisation, the rise in information and communication technology, and the involvement of external stakeholders in higher education governance. However, the reasons, applications, and results obtained from the adoption and implementation of borrowed policies may result in debates among educational stakeholders because of varying perspectives across contexts, and across individuals. This article discusses, from a general perspective, the perspectives of higher education stakeholders in Cameroon towards policy borrowing; and analyses a specific case of policy borrowing via the adoption and implementation of Bologna Process ideas in this context. The findings discussed in this paper, both from the general standpoint and in terms of this specific case, indicate that policy borrowing is a controversial phenomenon in Cameroon’s higher education system. Although our contribution in this article is to the analytical strand of policy borrowing as a phenomenon, this article nonetheless has implications for the normative approach, considering that policy borrowing as a practice is part and parcel of today’s policy making.<br /></p>