Volume 5, Number 1

Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) and the Dili Institute of Technology (DIT) are universities of technology in developing economies with students from educationally
disadvantaged backgrounds. Both organisations aim to deliver educational programmes that are locally relevant and meet international standards. This article identifies the teaching challenges that they face trying to achieve this goal. It reviews issues identified by theorists, comparing them to those identified by academic staff within these institutions. It concludes with a brief discussion of some recommendations that have been made and solutions other organisations have used to strengthen their capabilities in this area.

Keywords: Tertiary education; teaching practices; developing economies.