GANTA CITY, Nimba County — Presidents, vice presidents and senior officials from Liberia’s public universities joined development partners and higher education stakeholders in Ganta City over the weekend for a two-day national retreat organized by the National Commission on Higher Education.
By Franklin Doloquee
Held against the backdrop of the city’s busy streets and the rolling hills of Nimba, the retreat brought together voices from across the country to chat a more coordinated and practical course for public higher education.
The event, supported by international partners, focused on strengthening collaboration and identifying actionable steps to improve the nationwide public higher education sector.
Participants included university leadership, NCHE Commissioners, representatives of development agencies, academic staff and student services officers, creating a broad cross-section of the higher education community.
The retreat followed a recent NCHE-supported feasibility study that examined management practices at most of Liberia’s public universities and reviewed observations from university board meetings.
The study highlighted significant variation in how institutions recruit, monitor and support students.
While some universities have established effective mechanisms to guide student recruitment, progression and completion, others continue to struggle with these core processes.
“Although our institutions operate under different circumstances and face varying levels of capacity, we share a common responsibility: to ensure that our students have access to quality higher education and receive the support necessary to complete their studies successfully,” NCHE officials said during opening remarks.
Dr. Cecelia Cassell, Executive Director of the National Commission on Higher Education, framed the retreat around five interrelated objectives: promote peer learning and knowledge sharing among public institutions, strengthen coordination among NCHE, universities and development partners, showcase innovative practices and lessons learned, identify shared challenges and context-specific solutions, and jointly develop priority actions to strengthen the sector.
Dr. Cassell emphasized that the retreat was designed to move participants beyond problem identification to actionable, measurable steps.
“We want clearly defined responsibilities and priorities that guide institutional improvements and inform broader policy reforms,” she said, calling for concrete timelines and accountable roles for follow-through.
Over two days, delegates took part in plenary sessions, small-group workshops and peer-led case studies. Workshops explored practical topics such as standardized student recruitment procedures, systems for tracking academic progression, approaches to improving student retention and completion and models for resource mobilization.
Participants also visited a demonstration session where one university showcased its student information system and counseling center examples offered as replicable practices for institutions with fewer resources.
Delegates reported a productive atmosphere of exchange and problem solving.
“The sessions have helped us understand what others are doing and what can realistically be adapted to our campus,” said one university official.
Development partners expressed readiness to support pilot programs and institutional capacity-building where the retreat’s recommendations demonstrate clear objectives and measurable outcomes.
Dr. Cassell said she expects the retreat to produce stronger partnerships, improved communication, and more efficient mobilization and use of resources to support institutional growth.
Participants also hoped that exchanging institutional experience will improve the quality and relevance of teaching, research, student services, and institutional management across the public university network, while fostering stronger networking among public universities nationwide.
“The future of Liberia’s public higher education sector will depend, in part, on the decisions we make, the partnerships we strengthen, and the actions we take together today,” Dr. Cassell told attendees, urging openness, mutual respect, and a commitment to constructive engagement.
In closing remarks, Dr. Cassell thanked partners and participants for their support and called for active participation throughout the retreat to produce concrete outcomes that advance Liberia’s higher education agenda.
NCHE officials said a follow-up plan will be circulated to all institutions, outlining priority actions, responsible parties and a timeline for implementation.
They also pledged to publish a short report summarizing the retreat’s recommendations and proposed next steps.
Possible immediate priorities discussed at the retreat include piloting a common student tracking framework, creating a peer-mentorship network among registrars and student services officers, standardizing minimum recruitment and admission guidelines for public institutions and seeking pooled donor support for capacity-building grants.
The retreat in Ganta signals a renewed push to close gaps across Liberia’s public higher education system by combining practical institutional reforms with coordinated policy and partner support.
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