Universities South Africa
Board News
Relief in higher education as the National Students Financial Aid Scheme responds positively to persistent issues
Vice-Chancellors of public universities expressed relief at the constructive spirit demonstrated by the National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) Administrator, Mr Freeman Nomvalo, during a...
National Graduate Academy for Mathematics and Statistics knocks on USAf’s door for all-inclusive support
In pursuit of excellence in mathematics and statistics at South Africa’s public universities, the National Graduate Academy for Mathematical and Statistical Sciences – NGA(MaSS) presented...
The USAf Board welcomes a new member while bidding goodbye to a long-serving USAf employee
The first ordinary meeting of Universities South Africa’s (USAf’s) Board of Directors on 19 March opened with the Chairperson, Professor Francis Petersen, officially welcoming the...
NSFAS presents new loan scheme to the USAf Board of Directors
Vice-Chancellors of South Africa’s 26 public universities were last week engaged on the Government-launched loan scheme earmarked for students not qualifying for the full bursaries...
The USAf Board Directors welcomes the decisions of the NSFAS Board pertaining to findings of an investigation into the appointment of student allowances direct payment service providers
The Board of Directors of Universities South Africa (USAf) welcomes the decisions of the Board of the National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS): To terminate...
USAf has adopted a Code of Conduct re: POPIA as a guide to universities
In the quest to prepare and enable its member institutions to comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), Universities South Africa compiled a...
A Special Board Meeting to explore the financial status of the higher education sector – especially in the context of COVID-19
The USAf Board of Directors has given the nod to a suggestion to convene a Special Board Meeting as soon as possible, to focus specifically on...
Business continuity in the face of COVID-19 dominates the agenda of the USAf Board of Directors’ meeting
The impact of the coronavirus on universities’ operations dominated the agenda of USAf’s Board of Directors’ meeting on Tuesday, 24 March. The meeting which was executed...
Board elects a new Chairperson
At their third and final sitting for 2019, the USAf Board of Directors elected Professor Sibongile Muthwa, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Nelson Mandela University as the...
Call by Vice-Chancellors for a meeting with the President of South Africa
The Vice-Chancellors of all 26 public universities are calling for an urgent meeting with the President of South Africa, to register their anger at the scourge...
Board News from 24 October 2018
At the USAf Board of Directors’ last 2018 meeting on 24 October, new decisions ranged from endorsing new members to USAf structures to approving the 2019...
2019 priorities of all strategy groups approved
The Board approved the 2019 priorities of all strategy groups and the renewal of all membership terms due to expire on 31 December 2018. New changes...
Decisions concerning USAf’s governance structures
Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board Committee: The USAf Board endorsed a recommendation from this Committee, that a high-level meeting be secured with the Minister of Higher...
USAf Board welcomes the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Programme
The Board of Directors also welcomed absorption into USAf, of the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Programme, which was established in the Department of Higher...
USAf Programme Updates
A. Higher Education Leadership Programme The Board heard that HELM got off to a good start in 2018, thanks to funding secured from the Department of...
USAf Board takes a long-term view of the PSET sector
The Board of Directors of Universities South Africa (USAf) has decided to take a multipronged, long-term view of South Africa’s post-school education and training (PSET) sector,...
Audited financial statements approved
Among other major decisions emerging from the 2018 AGM, the Board accepted annual financial statements as audited for the USAf Group (including those of the Committee...
Potential impact of private higher education provision
Taking into consideration the growth of private higher education provision in South Africa, the USAf Board adopted the view that it could be of value for...
Student matters
Tuition fees for 2019: Agreeing that determining an acceptable tuition fee increase for 2019 was urgent, the Board tasked the Funding Strategy Group (FSG) to urgently...
National skills development
The Board decided that USAf, through the Future of Work Strategy Group (which is in the process of being formed), should seek a meeting with the...
New Board members welcomed
The USAf Chairperson, Professor Thandwa Mthembu, welcomed three new members of the Board. From left, Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Johannesburg...
Members re-appointed to the Admissions Committee
The Board approved the re-appointment to the Admissions Committee of the following members, for the period 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2020: Prof C Foxcroft...
Draft Policy Framework on Internationalisation of Higher Education in South Africa
The Board noted that the public commentary process in respect of this policy was at an advanced stage and that it looked forward to the finalisation...
Common Campaign Days
The Board approved the recommendation to dedicate the month of August to a Common Campaign Days event, themed “Social inclusion and wellbeing”. The 2018 theme is...
Higher Education Gender-based Violence Policy and Strategy Framework
Dr Ramneek Ahluwalia, Chief Executive Officer of the Higher Education and Training Health, Wellness and Development Centre, presented the draft policy and strategic framework for higher...
Dr Max Price bids peers goodbye
The second ordinary meeting of the Board for 2018 was also an occasion to bid farewell to Dr Max Price, who, on account of vacating the...
Funding matters pre-dominate USAf Board discussions at first sitting for 2018
Concerns over financial stability of the public university sector once again dominated debates at the first ordinary sitting of the Board of Universities SA on 20...
Progress on some priority projects for 2018
The projects discussed below represent only a fraction of what strategy groups reported on at the Board meeting. Only those against which concrete milestones have been...
The Transformation Strategy Group
In line with the Board’s decision of October 2017 to add two new focus areas to the work of the Transformation Strategy Group, the TSG will,...
Other Board decisions of 20 March
Entrepreneurship programme within universities This programme, a brainchild of the DHET, was conceptualised with the strategic purpose of a) building a culture of entrepreneurship on our...
The Teaching and Learning Strategy Group (TLSG)
Optimisation of educational technology on campuses As part of a strategic intent to promote usage of educational technology especially off campus, the TSLG undertook a survey...
New Board members welcomed
The Board welcomed Prof Sibongile Muthwa into their midst, following her assumption of the Vice-Chancellorship at Nelson Mandela University as of 1 January 2018. Prof Sibongile...
Policy development and sustainability of higher education are top priorities of USAf’s new Chair
Professor Thandwa Mthembu’s appointment, announced on January 3, 2018, is sandwiched between two presidential announcements, and is then followed by the budget speech. This could be...
Recognising outgoing members and welcoming new ones
The USAf Board congratulated Dr Sibongile Muthwa on her appointment as the new Vice-Chancellor-designate of Nelson Mandela University (NMU). Dr Muthwa will assume her position as...
USAF Board welcomes Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize and Deputy Minister Buti Manamela
At the last sitting for 2017 on 18 October, the Board of USAf welcomed the appointment of the new higher education and training minister, Minister Hlengiwe...