The Ministry for Higher Education and Scientific Research was established in 1970 to shoulder the responsibility of formulating policies, plans and programmes for higher education and scientific research and the general coordination of work.  The institutions of higher education and scientific research consist of universities and institutes and centres, both Government and non-Government, and any centres and institutes of research which shall be legally established by laws and statutes or Acts; according to such Acts these institutions enjoy scientific, administrative and financial independence and each is supervised by a council with its administrative units.