PhD Defence Nilza César: 'An Examination of the Suitability of PADev as a Method for Effective Participatory Assessment of the Development of Higher Education Institutions: The Case of Eduardo Mondlane University (1976-2016)'
On Thursday 11 December 2025 from 11:00 to 11:00, Nilza César will defend his dissertation 'An Examination of the Suitability of PADev as a Method for Effective Participatory Assessment of the Development of Higher Education Institutions: The Case of Eduardo Mondlane University (1976-2016)'.
Her dissertation examines how higher education in Mozambique has been affected by totally different ideologies since 1962. Between 1962 and 1974, the first higher education system was based on the colonial ideology. When the Portuguese colonial regime last, in 1975, the Government of the newly independent nation adopted a Marxist-Leninist ideology in order to achieve development, construct an egalitarian society and remediate the social inequalities inherited from the colonial period. In late 1980s, the government’s ideology shifted towards a more liberal constitution which included democracy and free market principles. During these three periods, the existing higher education system and the only higher education institution - Eduardo Mondlane University - experienced remarkable changes. As part of her research, Nilza César focuses on the changes and the factors and agents influenced the changes and how these changes and the actors are perceived by the University community and its external stakeholders.
Registration is not required. It is possible to attend in person or online, via this link.
Speaker
Nilza César is a PhD candidate at the African Studies Centre Leiden. The aim of Nilza’s research and dissertation is to identify the factors that have both positively and negatively influenced the development of the Eduardo Mondlane University on the academic, administrative and management structure and functioning from 1976 to 2011. This will be done applying qualitative research design, and using a methodology that comprises a participatory assessment of the development (PADev). The PADev approach will be used as an alternative approach to get the full picture of the development and change in this particular Higher Education Institution, allowing the internal collaborators identifying the development initiatives resulting from the aid interventions’ taking place within the institution, as well as the main actors and their roles.
Date, time and location
11 December 2025
10:00-11:00
Academy Building, Rapenburg 73
Great Auditorium
Posted on 31 October 2025, last modified on 31 October 2025