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Universities South Africa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Universities South Africa
Formation22 July 2015
TypeAssociation of Universities
Location
Membership
26
Chief Executive Officer
Dr Phethiwe Matutu
Websitewww.usaf.ac.za

Universities South Africa (USAf), formerly known as Higher Education South Africa (HESA), is platform that represents all 26 public universities in South Africa. USAf offers different fora for members to debate, share best practices and collaborate.[1] USAf aims to support the South African Higher Education sector by advocating for its interests, facilitating collaboration among institutions, and promoting high-quality teaching, research, and community engagement. The USAf board is made up of 26 Vice-Chancellors drawn from member universities.[2] USAf has positioned itself as "The Voice of South African Universities" and they endorse a comprehensive and equitable national higher education system that is responsive to the many challenges facing the country.[1]

Through a mixture of lobbying, advocacy and activism,[3] USAf attempts to facilitates an optimal environment, conducive for universities to function effectually[1] and maximally contribute to the social, cultural, and economic advancement of South Africa and its people.[4] These captains of academia were firmly committed to so-called “digital transformation” during the pandemic.[5] However, this wholesale pivot online, due to COVID-19, had a disproportionate negative effect on disadvantaged students and "exacerbated historic inequalities" among those who did have adequate access to computing resources or bandwidth / data to connect to their institutions while learning off campus.[6] In their desire to address these negative consequences of the online pivot, USAF should be aware of techno-determinists and their "brokers’, ‘accelerators’, ‘enablers’, ‘incubators’, ‘consultants’, or ‘meta-organizations’"[7] who uncritically provide "solutions", to serve the 4IR.

Background

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USAf represents all 26 public universities and universities of technology in South Africa and is a Section 21 company. Previously known as Higher Education South Africa (HESA), this voice of universities in South Africa was constituted on 9 May 2005 as the successor to the two statutory representative organisations for universities and technikons (now universities of technology), the South African Universities Vice-Chancellors Association (SAUVCA) and the Committee of Technikon Principals (CTP).

  • SAUVCA was an aspirational framework for the transformation and restructuring of South African higher education.[8] It was established as a statutory body for the 21 public universities in South Africa by the Universities Act (Act 61 of 1955). As a statutory body, it made recommendations to the Minister and Director-General of Education on matters referred to or any other issues deemed necessary for universities.
  • The CTP was a national higher education association established in 1967 regarding the Advanced Technical Education Act (No. 40 of 1967). It consisted of the rectors, principals and [Chancellor (education)|Vice-Chancellors] of technikons in South Africa.

Restructuring of the higher education sector, resulted in the establishment of new institutional types and a need for a robust and unified body of leadership was identified. Higher Education South Africa (HESA) changed its name to Universities South Africa (USAf) on 22 July 2015.[9]

Programmes

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The Higher Education Leadership and Management Programme (HELM) was founded in 2002.[10] HELM is one of the flagship programmes, offered by USAf. This programme offers contextual and bespoke leadership and management programmes for emerging, middle and senior managers and leaders in universities. HELM is intended for both individuals and institutions. It is used to "identify their capacitation needs within their specific contexts and align individual leadership development pathways with their organisational objectives". HELM's purpose is intended to develop effective leaders in higher education, thus contributing to student success.

The Entrepreneurial Development in Higher Education (EDHE) is the USAf's second flagship programme. The EDHE platform was setup in 2016, and is intended for entrepreneurial development across the university sector.[11]EDHE is essentially a response to graduate and youth unemployment and the diminishing resources available at universities. [12]

Transformation, however, remains a major issue that "bedevils the higher education landscape.[6] University leaders and management have been talking about "transformation" for three decades, with limited success.[13] Student's "throughput, pass and dropout rates ...remain racialised and gendered".[14] Universities transformation efforts are "agonisingly slow".[15] Clearly, higher education has to consider alternative theorisations of teaching and learning. [16]With a national unemployment rate of 32% in the first quarter of 2024.[17] There's an obvious mismatch between the labour market demands, what students are being taught, and the qualifications they receive.[18] In the absence of formal work opportunities, the imperative to drive student and graduate entrepreneurship is urgent and necessary.

Additional USAf Programme

  • Students need to meet the requirements for Matriculation Exemption to be accepted to universities. The Universities South Africa Matriculation Board (http://mb.usaf.ac.za) offers advice.
  • The university sector is underfunded.[19] USAf uses Higher Education Price Index (HEPI) when negotiating subsidy increases with the government.[20] HEPI measures the inflation rate for higher education by considering universities' typical spending patterns. HEPI plays a crucial role in ensuring the affordability and accessibility of higher education, an essential aspect of their commitment to fairness and equality.
  • Advancing Early Career Researchers and Scholars (AECRS) [21] is an attempt by USAf, to build capacity, offer support and enrich careers through collaboration and partnerships in the South African higher education and research sector.[22] ACERS manages two platforms. Thuso Resources a national toolbox for emerging scholars” and Thuso Connect, a mentorship platform.[23]

Members

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USAf and addressing corruption

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Educational fraud, contact cheating and unethical behavior within academia is a global challenge that faces all higher education systems worldwide[24] Published research has highlighted that "a culture of corruption is rampant” in certain South African universities. Despite policies, systems or structures, [25] weakened university systems allow and enable fraudsters to access funds through corrupt means".[26] Cause for concern about graft in Higher Education was raised by a popular book entitled "Corrupted: A Study of Chronic Dysfunction in South African Universities”, by Jonathan Jansen, a former VC of the University of the Free State. The book examines the root causes of corruption in South African Higher Education,[27] and counts at least 20 interventions by the South African government into 15 of the country's 26 public universities since 1994.[28]

Coherence in the National System of Innovation (NSI) is more a policy wish than a reality. [29] A review by the Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Institutional Landscape (HESTILL), chaired by Ihron Rensburg, has also found that the NSI had avoided coordination and greater planning and coherence was necessary.[30] With systemic weaknesses affecting the academic reputation of academic and research institutions, USAf has placed a "Fraud Hotline (free call)" on their webpage.[31] USAf have also published a directory of fraud hotlines where suspected fraud can be reported to the concerned institution’s hotline. Here, the reporting policies of institutions are also mentioned. Good Governance[32] for HEIs requires modern, transparent, and accountable governance arrangements. [33]

Other attempts have been made to address corruption and fraud and there have been positive changes. These include "whistle-blowing mechanisms; anti-corruption hotlines; and ombudsman to deal with academic-related student complaints",[34] Whistleblowing has recently become a more common mechanism to report corruption, as seen under the Zondo Commission. Under law, whistleblowers should be able to make safe and protected disclosures.[35] In practice, whistleblowers often do not receive protection and many face harassment and persecution, Internal whistleblowing hotlines are common on university campus, but are also fraught with "complexity and contradiction".[36] It is reported that "anti-corruption procedures and tools deployed across the system varied widely; were not consistently applied; and were not always that effective."[37]

USAf and NSFAS

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Policy changes within the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) have created risks and challenges for universities.[38] USAf has highlighted risks of bad debt.[39] 2023 marked a seminal point in state spending patterns. DHET allocated more money to NSFAS than universities for the first time.[40] The non-payment of NSFAS funds in 2024 have created new challenges for universities.[41] While South Africa is funding students' access to higher education through NSFAS, there hasn't been a visible improvement in stability within Higher Education and are still battling to function effectively [42]

USAf and University Rankings

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The Council for Higher Education (CHE) has recently raised important questions about university rankings. A critical opinion,[43] has been published on the rankings industry. The piece argues that rankings are both an example of neocolonialism and neoliberalism. Certain members of USAf believe that higher education is a market, instead of a collective endeavour . Many USAf member's press releases that mention their university rankings. Despite knowing that university rankings are biased and methodologically flawed,[44] have short-term publicity gains[45] and are acknowledged as an unscientific "game",[46] this practice continues.

Enquiry into VC remuneration

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MP's have been advocating for an investigation into salaries of vice-chancellors and senior managers at universities since 2019.[47] The Minister of Education wrote to the Council on Higher Education (CHE) requesting that they research the matter.[48] In the CHE-led probe[49] entitled an "Inquiry into the Remuneration of University Vice-Chancellors and Senior Executive Managers in South Africa", many serious issues about governance were highlighted. According to the terms of reference, the CHE inquiry into remuneration was supposed to be completed by March 2021.[50] The final inquiry to parliament was delivered on the 21 Feb 2024, three years later than promised.[51] Ongoing salary increases in higher education have been compared to a runaway train.[52] Among many issues raised, poor institutional governance and management and lax financial practices were highlighted.[53] This salary disparity has been dragging on for almost a decade.[54] USAf has stated its support for the inquiry and intends to regain the public's trust in its financial management.[55] However, until substantive issues are addressed directly, history has shown that these self-serving patterns in universities will, in all probability, linger.[56] The DHET has also committed itself to establishing an ombuds system,[57] to resolve ongoing issues within tertiary education.

Academic Leadership and Integrity

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Under the Freedom Charter, "the doors to learning and culture shall be opened". Higher Education should serve the public good, contribute to the commons re-imagine a new society and level the playing field and reduce and differential graduation rates based on race, gender, class and other critical variables. [58] USAf has committed itself to offering “an optimal environment conducive for universities to function effectively”. In their strategic plans, they have also realized that they cannot achieve this by themselves and are looking for appropriate alliances and strategic and operational partners[59].

While alliances and partnerships may "provide keys to unlocking otherwise seemingly impossible problems and challenges"[60]. Outsourcing or privatization can lead to enclosure and reenforces digital capitalism’s hegemony.[61] This has a variety of unintended effects and can limit both institutions and students[62] Academic integrity has to be institutionalized [63]. Institutional governance[64] must be strengthened with policies and reporting systems.[65] University optimization should also extend into matters of transparency around remuneration, and a commitment to addressing the scourge of corruption in their respective university chambers.

At present, certain institutions whistle-blowing policies are either not in place, out of date, or not shared by USAf.[66] Good governance requires that leaders are accountable about their activities and not cover up their failures[67] HESA / USAf have published their annual reports from 2010 up until 2022.[68] Leadership in higher education is fraught. In the context of “disruption, complexity, change, and in the global pursuit of the Engaged University”, VCs with integrity have to be proactive, transparent, reach out and listen,[69] instead of silencing its critical voices[70]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Home - Universities South Africa". 2024-07-25. Archived from the original on 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
  2. ^ "Governance". Universities South Africa. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  3. ^ "Radical approach needed to tackle student debt". 23 July 2015.
  4. ^ "Prof Bismark Tyobeka heads USAf's Funding Strategy Group". news.nwu.ac.za. Retrieved 2024-08-16.
  5. ^ Shoba, Sandisiwe (2020-10-31). "Varsities leap into the future". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  6. ^ a b https://helm.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2023_State_of_Transformation_in_Universities_TOC-DHET_FULL_REPORT.pdf
  7. ^ Decuypere, Mathias; Hartong, Sigrid; Brandau, Nina; Joecks, Lucas; Loft-Akhoondi, Anja; Ortegón, Carlos; Tierens, Toon; Vanermen, Lanze (2024-06-11). "Maneuvering constellations of valuation: a critical investigation of the edtech startup sector". Critical Studies in Education: 1–20. doi:10.1080/17508487.2024.2362196. ISSN 1750-8487.
  8. ^ https://www.saide.org.za/resources/Library/SAUVCA%20-%20A%20Vision%20for%20South%20African%20Higher%20Education_Nov%2002%20-%20Final.pdf
  9. ^ https://www.dhet.gov.za/SiteAssets/Latest%20News/August/New%20name%20for%20SA%E2%80%99s%20university%20body.pdf
  10. ^ Seale, Oliver; Schreiber, Birgit (2023). "Higher Education Leadership and Management (HELM) – Advancing and supporting leadership development in South African higher education through scholarship". Journal of Student Affairs in Africa. 11 (2). doi:10.24085/jsaa.v11i2.4912.
  11. ^ "Changes sweep across Entrepreneurship Intervarsity Awards". 13 February 2024.
  12. ^ Seale, Oliver; Schreiber, Birgit (2023). "Higher Education Leadership and Management (HELM) – Advancing and supporting leadership development in South African higher education through scholarship". Journal of Student Affairs in Africa. 11 (2). doi:10.24085/jsaa.v11i2.4912.
  13. ^ "Universities fall short of 'deep transformation'". 2023.
  14. ^ Anstey, Gillian (August 2023). "The changing profile of university students calls for a decolonial re-thinking of higher education, says Professor Emmanuel Mgqwashu".
  15. ^ "Universities fall short of 'deep transformation' - HSRC". 6 July 2023.
  16. ^ "Understanding Epistemic Access and Success for Historically Disadvantaged Students in South African Public Universities | Council on Higher Education". che.ac.za. Retrieved 2024-08-16.
  17. ^ https://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0211/P02111stQuarter2024.pdf
  18. ^ "Articulation of Graduate Unemployment in SA Remains A Work in Progress in Higher Education Sector". 2023-06-14. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  19. ^ "2. Making sense of funding in the SA higher education sector". www.sun.ac.za. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  20. ^ Scott, Zanelle. "Finance Executives' Forum (FEF)". Universities South Africa. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  21. ^ https://aecrs.usaf.ac.za/
  22. ^ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370983788_Advancing_Early_Career_Researchers_and_Scholars_AECRS_Building_capacity_and_enriching_careers_through_collaboration_and_partnerships
  23. ^ "Universities South Africa celebrates the launch of two digital platforms for emerging scholars". 22 May 2023.
  24. ^ Denisova-Schmidt, Elena (2020). Corruption in higher education: global challenges and responses. Global perspectives on higher education. Leiden Boston (Mass.): Brill sense. ISBN 978-90-04-43386-1.
  25. ^ Ngcamu, Bethuel Sibongiseni; Mantzaris, Evangelos (2023). "Anatomy and the detection of corruption in 'previously disadvantaged' South African universities". Journal of Contemporary Management. 20: 323–349. doi:10.35683/jcman1001.197.
  26. ^ Ngcamu, Bethuel Sibongiseni; Mantzaris, Evangelos (2023). "Anatomy and the detection of corruption in 'previously disadvantaged' South African universities". Journal of Contemporary Management. 20 (1): 323–349. doi:10.35683/jcman1001.197. ISSN 1815-7440.
  27. ^ "Corrupted by Jonathan D Jansen – The Wits Shop". Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  28. ^ "'University Elders' sound the alarm about HE leadership".
  29. ^ "Academics warn against 'cannibalisation' of science funding". University World News. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  30. ^ "HESTIIL Review Report; SMU Vice-Chancellor Inquiry Report | PMG".
  31. ^ "Contact Us". Universities South Africa. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  32. ^ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303443573_Governance_in_South_African_Higher_Education_Research_Report
  33. ^ https://www.che.ac.za/file/6020/download?token=ujoEv6qY
  34. ^ https://helm.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2023_State_of_Transformation_in_Universities_TOC-DHET_FULL_REPORT.pdf
  35. ^ https://www.sahrc.org.za/home/21/files/Human%20Rights%20FAQ%20Whistle%20Blowers%20Booklet.pdf
  36. ^ du Plessis, Erik Mygind (July 2022). "Speaking truth through power: Conceptualizing internal whistleblowing hotlines with Foucault's dispositive". Organization. 29 (4): 544–576. doi:10.1177/1350508420984019. ISSN 1350-5084.
  37. ^ https://helm.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2023_State_of_Transformation_in_Universities_TOC-DHET_FULL_REPORT.pdf
  38. ^ "Key challenges created by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) place universities at risk of instability and being plunged deeper into debt". Universities South Africa. 2023-08-07. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  39. ^ Goodall, Keely. "Universities at risk of bad debts due to NSFAS failures – USAf CEO". EWN. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  40. ^ "State funding for universities' language initiatives could increase with compelling evidence of potentially bigger impact". Universities South Africa. 2023-08-30. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  41. ^ Fengu, Msindisi (2024-04-29). "University vice-chancellors reveal campus woes, NSFAS confirms non-payment concerns". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  42. ^ usaf.ac.za/notwithstanding-increased-state-investment-in-nsfas-there-is-little-improvement-in-universities-stability-and-outcomes-says-professor-adam-habib/
  43. ^ McKenna, Sioux (2024). "Critical Look at the University Ranking Industry".
  44. ^ Kaidesoja, Tuukka (2022). "A theoretical framework for explaining the paradox of university rankings". Social Science Information (SSI). 61: 128–153. doi:10.1177/05390184221079470.
  45. ^ Moustafa, Khaled. "University rankings: Time to reconsider". BioImpacts.
  46. ^ McKenna, Sioux (3 May 2024). "Reputation over rankings: universities unfazed by hollow threats".
  47. ^ "MPs want inquiry into academics' pay". The Mail & Guardian. 2019-10-18. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  48. ^ https://pmg.org.za/files/200619Portfolio_Committee_briefing_19_June_2020.pptx
  49. ^ https://www.che.ac.za/file/7139/download?token=c3ZDoplz
  50. ^ https://pmg.org.za/files/200619Portfolio_Committee_briefing_19_June_2020.pptx
  51. ^ https://pmg.org.za/files/240221CHE__Report_on_Remuneration_of_University_VCs_and_Execs_in_South_Africa.pptx
  52. ^ "Vice-chancellors' salaries a 'runaway train' in South Africa". University World News. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  53. ^ "Proposals to cap exorbitant vice-chancellor salaries – CHE Report – Inside Education Foundation". Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  54. ^ "Vast varsity pay gap exposed". The Mail & Guardian. 2015-01-23. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  55. ^ "Efficiency, public trust and leadership on USAf's radar". University World News. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  56. ^ "Self-serving universities have lost the equity plot". The Mail & Guardian. 2015-03-13. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  57. ^ "State of governance in higher education institutions: focus on UCT, UNISA, Fort Hare, UKZN (with Minister present) | PMG". pmg.org.za. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  58. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20240805170149/https://www.usaf.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Uncertain-Times-Paper.pdf
  59. ^ https://usaf.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Universities-South-Africa-Stratigic-Framework.pdf
  60. ^ https://usaf.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Universities-South-Africa-Stratigic-Framework.pdf
  61. ^ Achille Mbembe, "Mbembe, Achille. 2015. “Decolonizing Knowledge and the Question of the Archive.” Africa is a Country.", contributed by Angela Okune, Platform for Experimental Collaborative Ethnography, Platform for Experimental Collaborative Ethnography, last modified 14 August 2018, accessed 16 August 2024. https://worldpece.org/content/mbembe-achille-2015-“decolonizing-knowledge-and-question-archive”-africa-country
  62. ^ Wekullo, Caroline Sabina (2017-07-04). "Outsourcing in higher education: the known and unknown about the practice". Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management. 39 (4): 453–468. doi:10.1080/1360080X.2017.1330805. ISSN 1360-080X.
  63. ^ Marais, Ingrid (2022). "Institutionalisation of academic integrity: Experiences at a distance education university in South Africa during COVID-19". Critical Studies in Teaching and Learning. 10 (2). doi:10.14426/cristal.v10i2.585.
  64. ^ "State of governance in higher education institutions: focus on UCT, UNISA, Fort Hare, UKZN (with Minister present) | PMG". pmg.org.za. Retrieved 2024-08-16.
  65. ^ https://www.psc.gov.za/documents/docs/guidelines/PSC_odac_update.pdf
  66. ^ "Fraud Hotline Directory".
  67. ^ "Stench of cover-ups hangs over UCT — swift action needed on leadership failures". 9 October 2022.
  68. ^ "Annual Reports".
  69. ^ "Leadership in higher education is often about reaching out and listening to people". 23 November 2022.
  70. ^ "As UCT debacle shows, an NDA can kill knowledge, silence the knowers". 11 October 2022.
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