Effectiveness of University Bridging Programs in Preparing Students for University Education: A Case From East Africa

Study abroad brings several advantages to students, universities, countries, and academe. However, across countries with incongruent preuniversity education structures, some students are denied admission to foreign universities, due to gaps in their admissibility. Some institutions offer university bridging programs, to enhance the admissibility of these students to the required level. Nonetheless, the efficacy of these programs, in closing the competence gap between their attendees and conventional enrolees, is the subject of much controversy—albeit neither their proponents nor critics have provided empirical evidence to support their side of the argument. To plug this gap, this study examined the academic performance differentials between students enrolled through the programs and those admitted through conventional routes, taking the case of Kampala International University. The findings were that, on the whole, there is no significant difference between the two, meaning that the programs are effective...