| Abstract: | With the liberalization of Uganda government policy on higher education (HE) services in the
1990s, student enrollment has increased substantially. This is evidenced by the number of private
higher education (PHE) institutions being set up in Uganda. However, the higher education
institutions (HEIs) are faced with a difficult situation of trying to understand how helpful regional
Higher Education institutions can support and sustain development. This conceptual paper seeks
to explore the criteria with which regional HEIs can support, sustain development and build a
conceptual model to suit to the local HE services industry based on the principles of systems
thinking, participatory planning, and sustainable development. Lastly, the required changes in
teaching learning process were explained to create a base for new academic culture. To achieve
the purpose, the literature of sustainability in HE, and the most popular activities, around the world,
for integrating sustainability into all functions of universities and the role regional institutions in
development were reviewed. The formation of Sustainability Committee in universities to plan for
integrating sustainability into education, research, and outreach is the most important part of the
model. It is hoped that the designed model could help to develop HE, on course of scientific
power sustainability of the country. Based on this review, the elementary model was designed and
areas for future research are highlighted. |
