Since its independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low-income, agriculturally-based economy to a middle-income, diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist sectors. For most of that period, annual growth has been five to six per cent. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lower infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is grown on about 90 per cent of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25 per cent of export earnings. The government's development strategy centres on expanding local financial institutions and building a domestic information telecommunications industry. Mauritius has attracted more than 9,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India and South Africa. Investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector, has been well placed to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Economic growth for the year 2008 is expected to remain strong. However, given the impact of persistently high oil prices, increasing inflationary pressures and higher interest rates, annual growth is predicted to be approximately 5.5 per cent in 2008 compared with 5.7 per cent in 2006. The government aims to boost the annual growth rate and counteract the impact of slower global growth on the Mauritian economy by adopting an expansionary fiscal policy and implementing measures to further stimulate the activities of the private sector. It is hoped that these measures will increase the GDP for 2007 in Mauritius to six per cent.
The Mauritian Government is determined to make Mauritius a regional and international centre of educational excellence by ensuring that the higher education institutions offer quality education. Education is a major investment in human capital, as more people seek to acquire knowledge, skills and technology. It is also one of the key focuses of the Mauritius Strategy 2010, which aims to establish Mauritius as a centre of e-communications excellence and as a knowledge hub.
The main threat to UK universities in Mauritius remains the declining value of the Mauritian Rupee, which is at present 62:1 to the British Pound.
In brief, the education system in Mauritius is categorised into three levels: primary, secondary and tertiary. Most Mauritians complete their studies until the secondary level. However, with Mauritius' aspiration to become a knowledge hub for the region, a 30 to 40 per cent increase in the number of 17 to 23 year olds in higher education is expected by 2010. With the establishment of a third public university, more students will have the opportunity to pursue their studies at a tertiary level.
Students usually have the option to pursue their tertiary studies either at the two publicly funded universities or a number of private education institutions. Recently, there has been an increase in demand for overseas education programmes taught partly in Mauritius, with a growing number of students on twinning / international joint programmes. This is mainly due to the perception that the cost of study overseas is relatively higher when being compared against academic programmes which are completed locally.
The education industry in Mauritius continues to grow rapidly, therefore many countries, namely Australia, the USA, New Zealand and Canada, are making their presence felt in the market there. Russia and the Ukraine have successfully positioned themselves as medical destinations, while countries such as Germany, India and France are increasing their marketing activities.
The Ministry of Higher Education, universities and other institutions of higher education will play an important role in the development of human and intellectual capital. This is in-line with the Government’s priority to produce quality graduates and achieve the objectives of Vision 2020.
The Government has set a target for at least 40 per cent of the population within the 17 to 23 age group to obtain tertiary education by the year 2010. To ensure that students would be taught by qualified lecturers, the Government encourages all lecturers to pursue PhD studies.
To increase the number of professionals with the required skills, the Government awards scholarships to outstanding students to pursue courses such as science, pharmacy, medicine and engineering at graduate and postgraduate levels in renowned foreign universities. Besides these courses, biotechnology and the sea food hub, as well as information and computer techonology, have also been highlighted as new sources of growth in Mauritius.
Education institutions in Mauritius had been urged to link themselves closely with the industry, especially in engineering, technology and bio-medical fields, to keep abreast with current progress in the private sector.
British Council Mauritius provides in-depth information about the market in Mauritius to UK universities which intend to penetrate the education market there.The British Council also functions as a mediator between the UK universities and local bodies in Mauritius (e.g. public institutions, private institutions and government authorities) to establish productive relations and resolve any issues which may arise.
To ensure that the presence of UK education is continuously felt throughout Mauritius, British Council Mauritius organises numerous activities, such as education exhibitions, alumni gatherings and visits to schools to reach out to the public. The Internet, which is fast emerging as the preferred mode of communication in Mauritius, has also been utilised effectively to keep the public informed on the latest happenings in the UK. With all these efforts in place, it is envisioned that the public’s awareness of the UK will increase. Indeed, statistics show that Mauritius currently sends around 1,600 undergraduate students and around 800 postgraduate students to the UK every year. These figures increased by ten per cent from last year. Despite the rise in the Pound Sterling vis a vis the Rupee, these numbers are expected to rise in 2007.
The British Council office is located in the centre of Rose-Hill. The premises houses a large English language teaching and examinations operation (four classrooms), a Resource Library (Knowledge and Learning Centre) and an Education UK resource centre, with staff on-site to provide free and impartial information.
| 
