Universities South Africa
Events News
Universities South Africa’s 3rd Higher Education Conference starts in Pretoria today
South Africa’s universities converge in Pretoria this week for the 3rd Higher Education Conference starting at the International Convention Centre of the Council for Scientific and...
A financial inclusion enterprise wins Intervarsity 2023 finals in the Tech category
It was a big week for the founder of Libex, a Web3 ecosystem company whose primary aim is to promote financial inclusion and democratise financial...
A plastic waste transforming company wins in new Research Based Business category of Intervarsity 2023
“The plastic pollution crisis is here. But luckily, we have the ultimate solution: Bioplastics: plant-based and biodegradable alternatives to regular plastics. WRONG!” Ms Dominique Rocher, 1st...
An after-school play and learn facility for pupils wins student R10 000
A staggering 250 000 learners drop out of school in South Africa, with 81% of Grade 4 learners proven for not being able to read for...
Biking delivery company clinches first runner-up position at Intervarsity 2023
Mr Colin Mkosi, Founder of a delivery company called Cloudy Deliveries asked the audience at the Intervarsity 2023 finals if they had ever wondered how...
A company striving to reduce food waste wins Entrepreneurship Intervarsity in the Social Impact Category
“One of the biggest reasons for food insecurity is food waste. There is way more food in the value chain than we actually use. A...
Proud Eastern Cape community celebrates Walter Sisulu University student farmer’s R120 000 win
An entire community celebrated after a young student farmer was named the Studentpreneur of 2023 at the 5th EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity finals held in Johannesburg...
Successful businessman inspires at Entrepreneurship Intervarsity Awards event
A giant video screen flashing snippets of media footage illustrated how an entrepreneur turned a fictitious boerewors roll vendor called Vuyo into reality. So began the...
Changes sweep across Entrepreneurship Intervarsity Awards
The fifth Entrepreneurship Intervarsity Awards saw a few firsts and an end to a year-long process on 1 December 2023, as Universities South Africa (USAf) showcased...
What does student success mean, and how can universities contribute to it?
Student success at South African universities should not be reduced to a simplistic, one dimensional measure based on grades and academic accomplishments, according to research...
Supporting the well-being of Student Affairs and Support Staff in higher education
“Who cares for the caregiver?” was a question posed by Dr Thembi Kweyama, Dean of Students at Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT), during one of the...
Notwithstanding increased State investment in NSFAS, there is little improvement in universities’ stability and outcomes, says Professor Adam Habib
South Africa is spending R35-billion more on higher education than it did five years ago, largely due to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS)...
South Africa should have made early childhood education free for those who cannot afford it, not higher education, says Dr Max Price
Dr Max Price (left), who was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Town (UCT) at the time of the #RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall student movements,...
SA universities are consolidating planning towards integrating African Languages in their core functions and in administration
The 3rd Vice-Chancellors' Language Policy Colloquium that takes place from 5-6 December 2023 will sharply focus on implementation practices, monitoring and evaluation of the Language...
Inaugural SASS programme is an overwhelming success, with applications set to open during December for 2024
When Professor Sibusiso Chalufu (right) first heard about the launch, this year, of the inaugural HELM (Higher Education and Leadership Management) SASS (Student Affairs and Student...
Career advancement for SASS participants
They are the graduating class of 2023 – the 51 participants in the inaugural SASS (Student Affairs Student Success) programme which was conceptualised by a...
A SASS peer learning group examines the effect of NSFAS funding on student experience of higher education
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has been in the headlines recently with its former CEO fired over “breach of trust”, on-going reports of...
Academic mobility is about a lot more than students travelling between countries
Professor Loyiso Nongxa started his presentation at Universities South Africa’s (USAf’s) Research and Innovation Dialogue by declaring he was a dinosaur. He used to work at...
SA needs a serious rethink of postgraduate study if it is to address the declining uptake – especially in local students
Fewer and fewer South Africans are undertaking postgraduate studies. A national review of South African doctoral qualifications between 2020 and 2021 revealed that 56.7% of...
Student mobility was a hot topic at USAf’s Research and Innovation Dialogue
Universities South Africa’s (USAf’s) 7th Biennial Research and Innovation Dialogue lived up to its name of being a dialogue, a conversation, when a discussion in...
Universities are key actors in creating vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystems for sustainable prosperity and development
The university can be an excellent player in ecosystem development, enabling an environment in which entrepreneurship contributes to achieving sustainable development and societal changes. So...
What happens in neighbouring Thohoyandou is our business, says UNIVEN’s Professor Vhonani Netshandama
At the recent Universities South Africa’s (USAf) 7th Biennial Research and Innovation (R&I) Dialogue 2023, held on 21 and 22 September in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal, delegates...
Early findings show internationalisation is seen as part of SA universities’ core missions
Internationalisation is well embedded in the context of the core missions of South African universities, including research, teaching & learning and engagement. This emerged from...
Unpacking what went into the rapid trajectory of a successful Canadian university
The successful ecosystem-enabling experiences that drive social innovation and entrepreneurship at a Canadian university were shared with South African institutions and stakeholders at the 7th...
A clear vision and involved leadership; a recipe for achieving entrepreneurship and innovation goals
With only a decade in existence, the University of Mpumalanga (UMP) has an ambitious vision of becoming “an African university, leading in creating opportunities for...
Societally impactful research is already taking place in South Africa; institutions must locate the evidence and be more intentional about this approach
How can universities create impact with their research? Just start monitoring it, was the overriding message at a discussion on this topic at the 7th...
Africa, wake up and see your wealth creation and development potential – a visiting Ghanaian professor advises
Evidence of research and innovation generating jobs, sustaining wealth, and transforming societies for the better exists in so much abundance, globally, that Africa has no...
UCT’s Dr Linda Mtwisha calls for a national research impact assessment system
Dr Linda Mtwisha, the executive director of research at the University of Cape Town (UCT), said that it’s imperative to develop a national research impact...
Assessing the impact of university research is not complicated; it carries benefits for both the university and society, says Professor Chris Brink
Professor Chris Brink, who has been focusing on the societal impact of higher education research for about 10 years in both in the United Kingdom...
The HSRC’s Impact Centre is giving effect to the Council’s promise of “social science that makes a difference”
Creating impactful research in the knowledge system does not happen magically. Somebody needs to be driving it, says Professor Heidi van Rooyen, Group Executive: Impact...
What follows the Joint Colloquium of Mathematicians, Linguists and Education Deans?
The Joint Colloquium on Multilingualism in the teaching and learning of Mathematics in Higher Education –Enhancing Success achieved its intended objectives with success, says the...
Mathematics teachers in the Venda region of Limpopo need to disclose the secret behind their high success rate
South Africa needs to study why TshiVenda communities produce an astronomical number of actuaries for this country, and why the Venda region of the Limpopo...
State funding for universities’ language initiatives could increase with compelling evidence of potentially bigger impact
The year 2023 marks the first year that the government has given more money to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) – an amount...
The changing profile of university students calls for a decolonial re-thinking of higher education, says Professor Emmanuel Mgqwashu
Despite all the financial and human resources pumped into higher education in South Africa, the depressing educational outcomes remain the same. Throughput, pass and dropout...
Teachers preferred adapting words from English rather than using coined terms in their first languages — a study revealed
Last week, Universities South Africa (USAf) held a Colloquium on Multilingualism in the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics – Enhancing Success but framing mathematics education...
Learners run away from any career that requires mathematical competence, says Dr Mxiwoxolo Krexe
At the recent Joint Colloquium on Multilingualism in the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics – Enhancing Success, Dr Mziwoxolo Krexe of theDepartment of Adult, Foundation Phase...
A framework for thinking about languages and literacies towards university mathematics curriculum for access and transformation
To make a case for a curriculum that encourages greater access and transformation, a mathematics education language development specialist used students’ talk about their experiences,...
Language is fundamental, but is not always the only enabler for university mathematics success
Results from research into engineering mathematics of students in the University of Cape Town’s Engineering Extended Programme showed that female students (58.6%) outperformed their male...
Research exploring alternatives to one-size-fits-all solutions to students’ Academic Literacy needs
Critical research is being done into improving curriculum responsiveness to enhance responding to students’ needs in both teaching and assessment. This is to move away...
Why meaning making is critical in multilingual mathematics classrooms
Professor Anthony Essien, Associate Professor in Mathematics Education and Interim Numeracy Chair, Wits School of Education used a rainfall chart to show his audience how...
USAf’s Transformation Dialogue seeks to shift higher education from a compliance-driven to an innovation and inclusivity-driven transformation process
Is there real transformative activity taking place in higher education, or has this been a box-ticking exercise? This question spurred Universities South Africa’s (USAf) Transformation...
Multilingual mathematics classrooms can enhance learner understanding, change attitudes towards mathematics and increase success
Africa is endowed with works of art available for classroom illustration of various mathematical concepts from elementary schooling, all the way to university instruction —...
Multilingual education provision is invaluable provided this model is appropriately resourced, says a higher education top executive
Learning environments allowing students to exchange mathematical ideas in their mother tongue enable learners to grasp complex concepts more naturally and deeply, thereby turning multilingualism...
Issues warranting priority attention in universities’ pursuit of multilingualism in mathematics teaching and learning
Each of the three communities of practice (CoPs) that jointly hosted last week’s Colloquium on Multilingualism in the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics – Enhancing...
USAf’s three groups congregate at Stellenbosch University this Thursday to explore multilingual mathematics education in higher education
About 70 delegates representing all public universities in South Africa are expected to descend on Stellenbosch University this Thursday, 17 August, 2023. These are members...
Universities’ loadshedding webinar yields a Working Group to help institutions set up energy initiatives
A Working Group has been established to draw up a framework that will enable the higher education sector to set up alternative energy projects in...
Managing its own solar plants has given the University of the Free State lots of research data
The University of the Free State (UFS) has adopted diverse measures to ensure energy efficiency. Not only do all campuses have solar plants, but one...
Nelson Mandela University’s experience of setting up a solar energy plant through a Power Purchase Agreement
Had Nelson Mandela University opted to use its own resources to set up the solar energy plant on its main campus, it would have cost...
To counteract loadshedding effectively, universities first need to monitor their energy needs
The first step in addressing electricity supply at universities in this time of rolling blackouts is to do an energy audit. Institutions can start with...
Why universities should join forces to thrive, notwithstanding loadshedding
One mechanism universities could use to offset loadshedding is to coordinate a combined tender for the purchase of solar panels and batteries. Dr Lawrence Pratt,...
USAf’s three Communities of Practice to explore Multilingualism in the teaching and learning of mathematics at universities
August 17 is a very special day for Universities South Africa (USAf), the representative body of South Africa’s 26 public universities. It marks the gathering...
Strategies for institutionalising entrepreneurship; building an entrepreneurial university
Sound policies, adequate resources and identifying champions became recurring themes as past recipients of the annual Rising Star Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) and DVC of the...
At its core, social entrepreneurship is about driving positive social change
Cognisant that businesses of any kind ought to generate profit, Dr Paul Igwe, Senior Lecturer in Strategy and Enterprise and Programme Leader in the University...
Reflect and learn as a leader and change agent at your own institution
The sound of the late Tina Turner’s What’s love got to do with it enveloped the conference room. As the last few individuals took up...
Universities South Africa celebrates the launch of two digital platforms for emerging scholars
The way South African universities have joined forces to help emerging scholars is of historical significance, says Dr Phethiwe Matutu, the chief executive officer of...
Some key pointers on signing up on Thuso Connect
Comment after comment at last week’s launch of Thuso Connect reinforced how this online mentoring platform for early career researchers is fulfilling a need in...
Accolades for the two new digital platforms that offer help to emerging researchers
A new digital platform that connects early researchers with experienced mentors has been compared to the online dating app, Tinder. “But instead of a...
Researchers whose work changes human lives honoured with CEOs’ prestigious Award
Researchers whose work changes human lives honoured with CEOs’ prestigious Award Social sciences and humanities research scholars whose work helps uplift the human condition...
Scholar Activist, UJ’s Professor Ashwin Desai, wins the Established Researcher Award
Scholar Activist, UJ’s Professor Ashwin Desai, wins the Established Researcher Award His academic colleagues regard him as a highly renowned and well-respected scholar-activist and...
An academic, intellectual activist and social justice crusader wins an award for his research
An academic, intellectual activist and social justice crusader wins an award for his research Dr Vishwas Satgar has been a social justice warrior all...
Award-winning research means impactful change for young unemployed men
Award-winning research means impactful change for young unemployed men The critically important work done by Dr Hannah Dawson (left), Social Science Researcher at...
Social Justice Research Awards: Team winners seek epistemic justice in the gender justice agenda
Social Justice Research Awards: Team winners seek epistemic justice in the gender justice agenda Putting women front and centre by promoting attitudinal and social...
CoPAL has pressing issues to deal with in 2023
With the 2nd Vice-Chancellors’ Colloquium on language practices now achieved, real work begins for Universities South Africa’s Community of Practice for the Teaching and Learning...
The incalculable progress made by CoPAL as the language issue is now firmly centre stage
When Professor Langa Khumalo ends his term as the Chairperson of the Community of Practice for the Teaching and Learning of African Languages (CoPAL) this...
Why universities need to start sharing language resources
Even though universities thrive on competition, they need to stop competing in every single innovation. If, say Rhodes University is doing something about developing isiXhosa,...
The complexities surrounding multilingualism in South African universities
Just what are the challenges and complexities facing South African universities when it comes to the implementation of the new Language Policy Framework for Public...
Dedicated infrastructure, resources, and collaboration, must drive multilingualism implementation at universities
Stakeholder engagement, dedicated infrastructure, collaboration between universities and partnerships with other entities are key to furthering the implementation of multilingualism in public universities. ...
“Lift the language and you lift the people” – an esteemed professor borrows from DF Malan
When 80-year-old white-haired Professor Kwesi Kwaah Prah made his way to the podium dressed in the Kente cloth of his birth country, Ghana, a ripple...
The VCs’ Language Colloquium 2022 provided universities an opportunity to collaborate like never before
Language is not just a means of communication but the very fabric of peoples’ cultures and religions. This was emphasised by all speakers at the...
Universities can share language resources, notwithstanding their ongoing pursuit of a competitive edge
It was time to stop talking and start implementing. This was the view of speakers at the second Vice-Chancellors’ (VC) Consultative Colloquium on the revised...
2nd Vice-Chancellors’ Consultative Colloquium on the revised Language Policy Framework begins today
Public universities’ executive leadership and other stakeholders will descend on the University of Pretoria’s (UP’s) Senate Hall in Hatfield this afternoon for a start to...
Global university leaders exchange leadership attributes, challenges and opportunities
How can universities be a driving force for change in broader society and what role should their leaders play in our ever developing world? These...
Leadership in higher education is often about reaching out and listening to people
Professor Jonathan Jansen says one important lesson he has learnt from his leadership experience at all levels in higher education – is that you have...
Academics offer solutions for the challenges encountered during Mathematics Teaching Practice
South Africa’s public universities face shared challenges regarding Teaching Practice (TP) and giving students the best possible experience. These include lack of communication, supervision and...
Mathematics Teacher Practice during the 4th Industrial Revolution
Teaching Practice (TP) is a vital component of teacher education and training because it provides student teachers with an opportunity to gain experience in the...
The importance of ICTs in Teacher Education
It is vital that teachers – including students pursuing teaching careers – are digitally literate and understand the enormous benefits of using ICTs (information and...
Academic advising is a critical determinant of student success
Academic advising plays a critical role in improving the success rate of students, and in advancing social justice. This was the message from...
The valuable lessons learnt during South Africa’s Academic Advising journey
Students want to be empowered to drive their success towards achieving their own academic and career goals. This is where academic advising is critical. ...
SAJU 5 cements prospects for long-term research collaboration between South African and Japanese Universities
The recently completed fifth conference of the South Africa-Japanese Universities (SAJU) Forum hosted 41 papers or posters concerning completed or ongoing research in the three...
The SAJU Forum commits to mobilise Japan’s and Africa’s academia to address Africa’s sustainable development challenges
The fifth South Africa–Japan University (SAJU) Forum conference that concluded on 29 July, 2022, re-committed itself to pursuing strong and sustainable research, innovation and education...
South Africa is minerally positioned to lead the world in green hydrogen energy generation
South Africa is home to 80% of the world’s reserves of platinum group metals (PGMs) that play a critical role in green hydrogen power generation....
South Africa-Japanese Universities Forum 5 conference echoes mutual trust in collaboration for the common good
The opening session of the virtual South Africa-Japanese Universities (SAJU) Forum 5 Conference, yesterday, featured keynote lectures on the two countries’ perspectives towards open academic cooperation with trust. ...
Social science research kept South Africans informed during the pandemic
The research of engaged scholars in the social sciences and humanities kept government, and South Africans, abreast of the trajectory of the pandemic. ...
Reconfiguring the knowledge project by adopting a human-centric approach
The changing world we live in – where movements like Me Too and Black Lives Matter, alongside campaigns like Fees Must Fall – call for a radical reshaping of the...
Engaged scholarship should be driven by service and purpose, a visiting scholar declares
Authenticity, intellectual and moral integrity, radical empathy and compassion are the qualities it takes to be an “engaged scholar”. As Africa and the world exit...
The HSRC and USAf honour researchers seeking to change people’s lives for the better
Scholars who make a significant difference in the everyday lives of human beings were recognised – and rewarded – for their distinguished and often ground-breaking...
Towards improving the mental health of students at South African universities
Findings of one of the largest student mental health surveys ever undertaken in the world – which was initiated by Universities South Africa (USAf) and...
The HSRC-USAf Research Medals D-Day is 24 hours away
Up to 60 guests are expected to grace the 2021/2022 HSRC-USAf Medal for the Social Sciences and Humanities ceremony on Tuesday, 12 April 2022, at the Protea Hotel...
Four days to go to the HSRC-USAf Research Awards ceremony
With four days left before the 2021/22 HSRC-USAf Medal for Social Sciences and Humanities Research ceremony, we feature the last group of nominees who combine...
Five days to go to the HSRC-USAf Research Medals ceremony
The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), in partnership with Universities South Africa (USAf), will be hosting the 2021/2022 HSRC-USAf Medal for the Social Sciences and Humanities...
Six days to go to the HSRC-USAf Research Medals ceremony
The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) in partnership with Universities South Africa (USAf), will on 12 April 2022 honour scholars and research teams whose studies...
The countdown to the HSRC-USAf Research Medals event begins today
In the quest to promote quality scholarship that is engaged with social issues, the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), in partnership with Universities South Africa...
How EDHE is enabling the entrepreneurship ecosystem within South Africa’s universities
The Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme – which was established in 2016 “with humble beginnings” – is broadening its scope from creating business in its...
A Namibian-born scholar is taking Coventry University, in the UK, to new entrepreneurial heights
Professor Gideon Maas has implemented a module titled Contemporary Issues in Entrepreneurship at Coventry University in the United Kingdom, which has no predetermined content. “There...
EDHE’s bumper programme for 2022 includes a new video campaign
At the recent Executive Leadership Workshop of Universities South Africa’s Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme, EDHE’s Project Manager, Ms Zana Boshoff, outlined their busy programme for...
There is no clearcut answer about which skills are needed to commercialise research
Professor Keolebogile Shirley Motaung did not have to rattle off a list to illustrate The skill set required for commercialisation, which was the title of the...
Universities can build relationships with industry by inviting people to networking events
The first session of the two-day Executive Leadership Workshop (ELW) on Commercialisation of Research, held in Cape Town last week – featured two speakers from...
Commercialisation in the nano-biotechnology field
Dr. Anita Goel has an impressive pedigree when it comes to merging science and research with being a global entrepreneur. She’s an award-winning world-renowned expert...
Taking a research lab discovery into the marketplace; the Entiro story
Stick to one field and focus if you want to be successful. This was the message from Professor Leon Dicks, Distinguished Professor in Microbiology at Stellenbosch...
Commercialising research requires universities to think differently
“It will not be long before institutions are chosen by students because of the innovative and entrepreneurial environments and cultures that they create,” Dr Norah...
Save the date: The 2021/22 HSRC-USAf Medal for Social Sciences and Humanities
The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), in partnership with Universities South Africa (USAf), will be hosting the 2021/2022 HSRC-USAf Medal for the Social Sciences and Humanities on 12...
Being mindful of the words we speak over ourselves to cultivate resilience and sustainability
When members of the Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme (SWEEP) gathered online on 23 February 2022 to unpack the topic of resilience...
Registration for the popular Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2022 opens
A call to entry for the most prestigious Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2022 kicked off with a resounding roar last Thursday, 24 February....
2021 Entrepreneurship Intervarsity winners give new entrants tips for success
Advice, encouragement and warnings on potential pitfalls were shared by last year’s winners at the launch of the fourth Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Entrepreneurship...
How language scholars and activists are keeping multilingualism on universities’ transformation agenda
South African universities are required to start implementing the government’s Language Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutionsfrom this year – a measure that aims...
SA universities claim to be multilingual yet have monolingual websites; a recent language symposium heard
With South Africa’s new Language Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutions set to enhance the role and status of marginalised languages scheduled to kickstart...
EDHE enlists the Oxford University Innovation expertise at its Innovation Ecosystems workshop
The Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Programme’s Kick-off event for 2022, starting today, takes the form of a workshop on Innovation Systems and Academic...
Introducing SWEEP chapters at public universities
The recent three-day Economic Activation workshop of the Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme (SWEEP) climaxed when EDHE leaders introduced SWEEP University Chapters intended for all...
How to build a positive self-image for success in business
While personality is imperative in human relations, appearance tends to be the primary impression maker on any person, or brand. Therefore, Universities South Africa’s Entrepreneurship...
Dealing with trauma and hardship requires personal resilience skills
Resilience is about thriving and growing despite the hardship or challenge that has engulfed us. That was the message of Dr Norah Clarke, Director: Entrepreneurship...
Nudging entrepreneurial women towards creating viable enterprises
When Ms Leonie Greyling asked women attending an entrepreneurship workshop what came to mind when they heard “innovation”, a few sprang to respond, and their...
How-To Tips for Aspiring Student Women Entrepreneurs
Making a success of one’s business enterprise was the focus of Day Two of the inaugural Economic Activation Workshop of The Student...
How patriarchy and apartheid practices shaped a white woman into a feisty entrepreneur
She was raised on a farm in rural KwaZulu-Natal by strong, brave, and tenacious women who gathered firewood. Watching her own mother being downtrodden by...
Courage, Confidence, Resilience and Professionalism: Essential skills for budding businesswomen
Two speakers at the inaugural Economic Activation Workshop of The Student Women Economic Empowerment Project (SWEEP), identified resilience and courage as the key qualities necessary...
Session One of the SWEEP Economic Activation Workshop focuses on mentorship and goal-setting
The Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme (SWEEP) – the brainchild of Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE), kicked off its inaugural Economic Activation Workshop with...
Simon Gifford to grace EDHE’s Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme Economic Activation Workshop as speaker
A much-admired and respected entrepreneur, Mr Simon Gifford, will be sharing entrepreneurship insights with members of the Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme (SWEEP) during the...
Extension of the date for submission of nominations for the 2021/22 Medal for Social Sciences and Humanities
The closing date for the electronic submission of nomination forms in respect of the HSRC-USAf Medal for the Social Sciences and Humanities has been extended from 20...
Medal for Social Sciences and Humanities Recognising Engaged Scholarship Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) & Universities South Africa (USAf)
Pretoria, Monday 13 December 2021 – The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), in partnership with Universities South Africa (USAf), invite nominees for the HSRC – USAf Medal...
EDHE recognises the contributions, and outcomes, of the entrepreneurship communities of practice
At the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2021 last Friday, Dr Norah Clarke, Director: Entrepreneurship at Universities South Africa (USAf), affirmed the leadership of the five communities...
Women sweep the board at the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2021
The EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2021 event, organised by Universities South Africa’s Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme, was a women-dominated event. In an unprecedented...
A very personal entrepreneurship journey inspires studentpreneurs
If it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a village to create an entrepreneurial eco-system for studentpreneurs to succeed. So said...
A winning formula at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University
Professor Eunice Seekoe is a Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC): Teaching, Learning and Community Engagement at the Sefako Makgatho University of Health Sciences (SMU). Chosen from...
All universities must strive to reach the pinnacle of the annual EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity
A total of 18 of South Africa’s 26 public universities were represented at the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2021 finals last week – and the address...
Crowdsource funding business wins UCT medical student entrepreneur R120 000
GoShare, the winning business in the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2021, will not just be financially viable: it will change lives. That is what fifth-year University...
Making a difference: meet the owners of businesses that have huge social impact
The winners in the social impact category of the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2021– which showcased successful student enterprises from 18 of South Africa’s universities –...
Drones as a security back-up idea wins Entrepreneurship Intervarsity award
Sickened by the increasing number of farm attacks and wanting to give farmers an early warning system sparked an award-winning business idea in drone technology....
Winning online language academy promotes the learning of African Languages
Turning the teaching and learning of a language into a business has won studentpreneur, Ms Chido Dzinotyiwei, R20 000. As important is the desire of...
Four universities make it to the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity finals for the first time
Four of Universities South Africa’s 26 member institutions will be participating in the 2021 EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity finals for the first time since the competition...
Universities now need concrete action plans to achieve the engaged and responsive institutions that they have concurred to become
Deliberations and debates that took place at Universities South Africa’s recent 2nd Higher Education Conference have left universities in no doubt over what it is...
Financial sustainability is a prerequisite to universities’ continued existence
“We have to be financially sustainable to guarantee our very existence. If we do not exist, we will not be able to pursue our intellectual...
The quest for collaborative, ethical and impactful research
As she reported on the three breakaway sessions of the Research and Innovation Strategy Group (RISG), Professor Thoko Mayekiso, Chairperson of RISG and Vice-Chancellor and...
Report-back on the TLSG’s engaged scholarship sessions included two book recommendations
Every person in higher education should read two books, both central to the deliberations at Universities South Africa’s (USAf’s) recent conference on The Engaged University....
Creating Engaged, Student-centred and Responsive Universities
Professor Puleng Lenka Bula, Chairperson of the Transformation Strategy Group (TSG) and Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of South Africa, reported that she had...
Better together: Research collaborations in Africa
Although coming off a low base, there are signs that African research is slowing starting to grow across the continent. As Professor Aryeetey pointed out,...
Science as a public good
Professor Stephanie Burton, a biochemist by profession and Professor at the University of Pretoria’s Future Africa campus, was keen to highlight the role that universities should...
Research constraints, acceleration and commercialisation; the pursuit for impact
Covering from funding constraints at the National Research Foundation through the marvellous alacrity of research interventions brought about by CoViD-19 to the importance of establishing innovation...
Universities led CoViD-19 related research and response; higher investment in basic and clinical research could yield more for society
Coming at the topic from a researcher’s perspective, Professor Lynn Morris (left) is a virologist by training and explores the fascinating interplay between research and CoViD-19....
Demand-led applied research is likely to lead to commercialised innovation in South Africa
Addressing Research Impact from an innovation perspective, Dr McLean Sibanda (left), Managing Director of Bigen Global Limited started with the fundamentally weak status of South Africa...
Book launch: The Responsive University and the Crisis in South Africa; Engagement is, in fact, a methodology for teaching and research
The renowned scholar whose two fundamental questions to universities, 'what are we good at' and 'what are we good for', ignited reflective conversations among delegates at...
Universities are as transformed as they positively change the environments in which they are located
Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lincoln in England, and one of the contributing authors to the book The Responsive University and the Crisis in South...
Universities should not wait for another crisis to push towards building a future that society needs
Dr Bernadette Johnson, Director: Transformation and Employment Equity at the University of the Witwatersrand, who also commented on Professor Chris Brink’s edited book, The Responsive University...
It is the responsibility of universities to create environments conducive to students’ development and success
The Fallist movements of 2015/16 undoubtedly highlighted lived realities of students. They also reflected significant levels of alienation that they were experiencing in the learning environment...
Stellenbosch University’s transformation through visual redress
Dr Leslie Van Rooi, Senior Director: Social Impact and Transformation at Stellenbosch University, was the third panellist to tackle the sub-theme of The Engaged University...
Public universities’ poor performance on gender transformation targets must be penalised – two leaders suggest
The hearings that the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) has conducted in the last ten years in the university sector indicate that the absence of...
A different approach to gender transformation could yield more favourable results, Dr Thandi Mgwebi suggests
The university sector should consider selling the benefits of transformation rather than force or impose change. Dr Thandi Mgwebi (left), Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and...
During Women’s Month 2021, USAf’s TMF and HERS-SA examine burning gender issues within Higher Education
August 2021 marks the beginning of a second round of a collaboration commemorating Women’s Month, between Universities South Africa’s Transformation Managers’ Forum (TMF) and Higher...
The HSRC and USAf jointly celebrate South Africa’s outstanding academics and researchers in Social Sciences and Humanities
After a rigorous adjudication process, the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and Universities South Africa (USAf) will later today announce the awardees in the 2020...
HSRC and USAf announce nominees for the 2020 Medal in Social Sciences and Humanities
Pretoria, Tuesday 9 March 2021–The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and Universities South Africa (USAf) are pleased to announce the nominees for the 2020 Medal...
Human Sciences Research Council – HSRC Medal for the Social Sciences and Humanities to celebrate contributions to South Africa’s fight against COVID-19
Pretoria, Tuesday 2 February 2021 – The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) in partnership with Universities South Africa (USAf) invites nominations for the HSRC Medal...
The conversation at the Round Table on African languages and 4IR suggested new ways of thinking
Should South African universities focus only on their own African languages? What is happening about the digitisation of indigenous language literature? Is interdisciplinarity essential for...
We will lose our identity if African languages are left behind in the world of technology
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is regarded as the era when things become smaller and faster. However, the smaller part is debatable because when it comes...
Data is the new commodity in our digital world
Dr Karen Calteaux, from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has never forgotten a comment a Google speech technologist made at a conference...
A UP academic is leading cutting-edge research to increase the availability of African languages online
If you have ever thought “there are hardly any African languages on the internet”, Dr Vukosi Marivate’s presentation at a recent USAf Round Table not...
A meeting on decolonisation of pedagogy raises fierce debates among academics
A robust engagement around pedagogy in higher education institutions ensued on Friday, 30 October 2020, during the Transformation Managers' Forum (TMF) webinar. The session titled:...
How USAf is working towards bringing prominence to African languages in cyberspace
When COVID-19 struck and communication went largely online, Prof Mbulungeni Madiba soon realised how inadequate African languages are in the digital arena. Read more> ...
Perspectives on commercialisation and technology transfer in the SA university ecosystem
Professor Kyle Farmbry of Rutgers University in Newark in the United States (US) made an announcement at the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Lekgotla that...
The Challenges and Opportunities facing Higher Education Institutions in the Digital Era
Three leading South African academics shared a virtual platform to discuss High Tech Innovation in Africa at the annual Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Lekgotla...
Smart farming technologies present solutions to farming challenges
New-entry farmers stand a better chance of succeeding in their farming ventures when they adopt smart technology applications. Ms Mbali Nwoko, Chief Executive Farmer at Green...
Unsettling paradigms; the quest for inclusive and democratised knowledge
From a scholarly project commenced in 2017, four academics had come together to share insights emerging from on-going research projects investigating what to change, how...
Science, discipline and firm business acumen birthed CapeBio Technologies (Pty) Ltd
She threw her full weight behind her studies and, in the process, obtained her BSc in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering with no fewer than 24 distinctions...
How the Durban University of Technology supports the growth of student startup businesses
The question posed to Ms Dineo Lioma (on Monday, 14 September) regarding: Where do you locate South African universities in this space (offering technical skills, exposure...
Unsettling paradigms; the quest for inclusive and democratised knowledge
From a scholarly project commenced in 2017, four academics had come together to share insights emerging from on-going research projects investigating what to change, how...
Universities hold the key to South Africa’s economic recovery – speakers at the opening of EDHE Lekgotla 2020 concede
The first two speakers at the opening session of the 4th annual national Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Lekgotla were such a hit that the...
African child: problems of this continent are your opportunities to innovate and profit…
Although the African continent is plagued by many challenges, such as basic healthcare, food and water security as well as exponentially high unemployment rates, massive opportunities...
Unsettling paradigms; the quest for inclusive and democratised knowledge
She revolutionised the teaching of Instrumental Music Studies at Rhodes University by substituting western musical instruments for indigenous African performance practice. In just three years,...
All systems go for the EDHE Lekgotla 2020
The 4th Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Lekgotla, starts today. This event is being anchored from USAf’s offices in Hatfield and freely live-streamed on the...
System-wide collaboration and partnerships are the way to capacitating early career academics
The fourth plenary at Universities South Africa's Higher Education conference, titled Generating talent: transforming support for the research landscape in South Africa, was different to...
Entrepreneurship has taken root at numerous institutions with impressive results; however, universities still need to do far more
The question of graduates' readiness for the world of work took centre-stage at the recent National Higher Education Conference. Questions arose on: What attributes do...
You cannot reinvent South Africa’s universities for the future without reassessing the curriculum – but there isn’t an easy formula for it
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Hunting down the elephant in the room: transformation and institutional culture
"The best way to stop a conversation about institutional culture is to attempt to get a shared definition of it." -- Prof André Keet The...
Giant leaps for mankind – South African universities must stop being shy and move from research to entrepreneurial success
The session titled Imagining the exponential and entrepreneurial university of the 21st century at University South Africa's recent national higher education conference scored top marks...
Five speakers and five different views on which principles should drive the design for social justice in universities
The session on transformation by design at Universities South Africa's recent conference on higher education got off to an unexpected start. The title of the...
Ethics in research publishing has become a hotbed of concern for academics and institutions
One of the first sessions on the opening day of Universities South Africa's recent Higher Education conference addressed the gravity and extent of unethical research,...
The CHE shares its plans and priorities — and sparks off a debate
Established as an independent statutory body in May 1998 in terms of the Higher Education Act of the previous year, the Council on Higher Education...
Student Funding, Past, Present, Future
The context On December 16, 2017, the then President, Jacob Zuma, declared that the government would provide free higher education and training for poor...
Reshaping the university to become responsive
What are we good for? The idea of the university that is plugged into and responsive to the physical context in which it finds...
Mining the numbers: the state of research in South Africa
The presentation was divided into two sections. The first was a summary of a study carried out called The state of the South African research enterprise (2019)...
Infrastructure planning for future universities requires a total paradigm shift
If you thought that a building is just bricks, mortar and glass; a purely utilitarian enclosure and an insignificant player in the life of a...
In the year 2025: the future of technology and learning in higher education
Utopia or dystopia Prof Paul Prinsloo, Research Professor: Department of Business Management at the University of South Africa (UNISA), led delegates through a rapid-fire...
Notwithstanding job losses suffered due to new technological advances, new jobs are also being created
The world is being turned on its head and this is a good thing, according to Dr Colin Thakur, the global expert who put the...
Universities need to be mindful of the social impact of their responses to modern technologies and the changing world of work
What are integrated technologies? At the recent USAf-hosted National Higher Education Conference, Prof Tshilidzi Marwala, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg, kickstarted his presentation...
Flying in Formation: the National Plan for Post-School Education and Training
The university as a "national asset" During his keynote address at the opening of Universities South Africa's (USAf) conference, Minister Blade Nzimande had made...
Universities must research underlying causes of the social ills crippling South Africa
Universities must do what they do best: that is, conduct research in critical challenges facing South Africa, as they carve their way into the future,...
Universities South Africa on a path to Reinventing South Africa’s Universities of the Future
Registration is now open for the first-ever National Higher Education Conference, organised by Universities South Africa from the 2nd to the 4th of October, 2019. The...
The National Higher Education Conference was a resounding success, says Professor Ahmed C Bawa
Universities South Africa’s first National Higher Education Conference concluded successfully on 4 October, 2019, at the CSIR’s International Convention Centre in Pretoria. The...
“You are not alone,” academic leaders learned at last week’s HELM event in Pretoria
They had come from all four cardinal points of South Africa: the north, south, east and west -- and also the centre. Each individual brought with...
It is all about the kind of university we want for the kind of society we want
The presentation by Professor Peter Maassen, Professor of Higher Education at the University of Oslo, on the role of universities in society provided an international...
There are many ways of remaking a university but they all relate to the society in which it exists
Perhaps the topic was complex; or we could put it down to the panellists' need to talk about all aspects of transformation; but the session...
Learning through doing is the gold standard
Mr Gideon Potgieter proudly began his presentation with a picture of a beaming young man standing in front of a row of computer numeric controlled...
Involve students more in higher education deliberations and re-consider your staffing strategies, says Naledi Pandor
Universities need to consider inviting and involving students more in their deliberations on higher education issues, according to the Minister of Higher Education and Training,...
Research must be introduced to students at 1st year undergraduate study level, University of Johannesburg professors argue
Universities tend to talk of research as though it only starts at graduate level and this is a big mistake, says the University of Johannesburg’s...
Dedicated funding for post-doctoral fellowships may resolve the challenge of early career researchers for South Africa
Creating a system of dedicated funding for post-doctoral fellows within South Africa’s university system seems to hold one solution to the challenge of early career...
The USAf-ACU symposium in a nutshell
“Disrupt the system,” “flip the model”, “change the rules” – these were just some of the provocative statements heard at a recent symposium on developing...
Symposium on Developing the Capacity of Early Career Researchers, March 2019
From 18-19 March, 2019, 20 of South Africa’s 26 public universities converged on the University of Johannesburg grounds to delve deeper into the conversation about...
Universities agree to work more collaboratively for optimum and lasting impact concerning early career academics
At the USAf-ACU (Universities SA–Association of Commonwealth Universities) symposium of 18-19 March, delegates generally agreed on the need for a more collaborative, eco-systemic approach to...
Why emerging researchers need to be supported
At the Universities SA-Association of Commonwealth Universities (USAf-ACU) symposium on developing the capacity of early career researchers held in March, presenters made a compelling case...
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE FUTURE AND THE FUTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY: Perspectives on the Future of Higher Education in South Africa
In a keynote address delivered at the Stadio Holdings 2018 Academic Conference in Pretoria on 15 October, Prof Barney Pityana laments the current open contestations about...
Highlights from the Research & Innovation Dialogue 2018, 31 May – 1 June
The 6th Research and Innovation Dialogue of Universities South Africa (USAf), held at the Emperors’ Palace from 31 May to 1 June, attracted up to 80...
Research and Innovation Dialogue 2018
The 6th Research and Innovation Dialogue of Universities South Africa (USAf), held at the Emperors’ Palace from 31 May to 1 June, turned out to be...
Do universities suffer from having too many masters?
This article is based on a paper that Prof Ahmed Bawa, USAf’s CEO, presented at the Going Global conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in the first...
Racism in a digital age
On Wednesday, 2 May 2018, the Nelson Mandela Foundation hosted a panel discussion titled: Racism in a digital age, in which Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, Vice-Chancellor at...
Universities SA supporting the 2018 South African Women in Science Awards
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) calls for nominations for the 2018 South African Women in Science Awards (WISA). The awards recognise and reward excellence...
South African and Japanese universities re-launch a collaboration pact in Tokyo
A large delegation from South Africa’s higher education sector will represent the country in the re-launch in Tokyo, of the South Africa-Japan Universities (SAJU) Forum. The...
SAJU set to promote prosperity and sustainable development in SA, and Africa
Collaboration between South Africa and Japanese universities should become a catalyst for sustainable development in South Africa and the African continent. It will also play an...
The Mathematics Teaching & Learning CoP gets off to a busy start
The newly-established Community of Practice for the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics came to a consensus on 31 August, that that there is a mismatch...
Black Researchers constitute only a third of DST development candidates
Speaking to the topic of Transformation and Human Capital Development in Universities, the Chief Director: Human Capital and Science Promotion in the Department of Science and...
Research & Innovation is central to performance on Sustainable Development Goals
The two-day Research & Innovation Conference on 7 and 8 April 2016 established that research and innovation is a key determinant in performance on the UN’s...