ESHEC is mandated under the Higher Education Act of 2013 to regulate and coordinate higher education in Eswatini. Its responsibilities include quality assurance, registration of higher education institutions, programme accreditation, policy advisory roles to the Minister of Education and Training, coordination of long-term planning for higher education development, resource vetting for HEIs, and ensuring compliance with set standards.
ESHEC develops and implements a quality assurance framework that includes registration, accreditation, institutional audits, and adherence to set standards under the Higher Education Act and associated regulations. Higher education institutions must register and meet standard requirements to operate legally.
As of 2025, there are 42 higher education institutions in Eswatini, including public (12) and private (30) institutions. These comprise universities, colleges, and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centres.
ESHEC accredits a wide range of programs across disciplines from ESQF Level 4 to 10. These include Education, Business, Information Communication Technologies, Arts, Services, Natural Sciences, Engineering, and Health
ESHEC has reviewed and updated guidelines to include quality assurance standards for online learning programs and institutions, ensuring these meet the same high standards as traditional programs. Revised institutional and program standards for online learning were approved by the Council and await final validation by the Ministry of Education and Training.
Yes, ESHEC conducts regular monitoring to ensure HEIs comply with the Higher Education Act and quality assurance standards. It reviews institutional policies, facilities, staffing, governance, and financial management. The Council also restricts the offering of franchised programs not accredited in their countries of origin.
The document you may read to check if an institution is registered with ESHEC and check a program accreditation status is the ESHEC List of Credible Higher Education Institutions, which is available on our website.
ESHEC launched a strategy for 2023–2026 focusing on developing relevant programs addressing skills gaps, automating operational processes, fostering collaboration with industry, and enhancing research and quality assurance capacity.
ESHEC provides regular training for higher education institutions and its own quality assurance teams on quality standards, programme design, qualifications framework, and the coding framework. It also holds workshops and orientations to strengthen institutional capacities.
The council has established an advocacy and communications function that publishes newsletters, hosts media engagements, and maintains social media presence on Facebook and LinkedIn.