Universities South Africa
General HE News
South Africans can access billions of Euros’ worth of research grants via the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation
Universities South Africa’s (USAf’s) 3rd Higher Education Conference in October 2024 revealed that the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) has a host of...
Impactful research case studies must demonstrate societal changes already achieved, not hoped-for
In May 2024, Universities South Africa (USAf) initiated a groundbreaking project to showcase how the 26 public universities it represents are making an impact on...
Funding research for impact can transform lives, says NRF executive director
Funding research is not only about handing out money. It is an investment that can extend far beyond the actual qualification it might provide for....
The SA universities’ SDGs study provokes animated response from conference delegates
The release of the South African Universities – Mapping the Sustainable Development Goals report generated a multitude of responses at USAf’s 3rd Higher Education Conference...
SA universities’ contribution to Sustainable Development Goals unveiled at the HE Conference 2024
During 2023, Universities South Africa (USAf) commissioned a study to map the contributions of the country’s 26 public universities to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals...
A call for innovation: reimagining artisanship and Work-Integrated Learning in South Africa’s Higher Education
At a pivotal moment in South Africa's educational landscape, delegates at the recent Higher Education Conference in Pretoria highlighted the urgent need to rethink the...
Universities must re-model themselves around Artificial Intelligence
Universities may cease to be as relevant as they are today if they don’t change their way of teaching and their curricula in the face...
Big tech and implications for higher education
Tech giants – particularly Google and Microsoft – have become, in many cases, de facto mediators to fundamental rights such as access to information and...
We need to shift philanthropy in Africa’s favour
Philanthropy has a critical role to play in the future of the university in Africa, more so now than ever, but higher educational leadership cannot...
Tshilidzi Marwala’s vision for transformative Higher Education
The plenary session titled The University, its Future and Academic Freedom – A Global Conversation presented a range of perspectives, from a veteran politician advocating...
Navigating the intersection of educational technology and ethics; insights from a higher education strategist
With technology still shaping the current educational landscape, there has never been a more important time to consider ethical dimensions in developing and implementing technologies...
University leaders reflect on the academic freedom discourse
The discussion that followed the address by Dr Naledi Pandor, a politician and the former Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, at the recent 3rd Higher...
The erosion of academic freedom; Pandor’s call for intellectual integrity in higher education
At the 3rd Higher Education Conference hosted by University South Africa (USAf), Dr Naledi Pandor, former Minister of International Relations and Cooperation in South Africa,...
Can SA universities realise genuine transformation and endure, long-term?
How to achieve transformation without risking sustainability; what defines a university; whether blackness is synonymous with dysfunctionality, and whether black elites are enforcing an educational...
Transformation must not become synonymous with instability
The concept of transformation in higher education needs to transform, itself, if it is not to be made synonymous with instability and unsustainability. Universities also...
Imperfections in the transformation of South Africa’s higher education – Lis Lange’s perspective
Deviating from what is considered a norm in the South African higher education system requires conviction and an ability to take a risk that very...
Will there be a need for universities in future, or not?
Two presentations at the breakaway session of Universities South Africa’s (USAf’s) Teaching and Learning (T&L) Strategy Group triggered an informative discussion at the recent 3rd...
Challenging established rules is the way forward for teaching and learning at universities
A university is a space for challenging established ideas and engaging in open-ended inquiry, where students and faculty alike are encouraged to question, reflect, and...
The future of teaching and learning: a perspective from the African continent
“We asked our former students how much of the content that we taught them they used in their current work lives. One very prosperous student...
The type of leaders universities need right now to endure, long-term
The African proverb “If you want to go fast, go alone but if you want to go far, you go together” could provide a solution...
Good governance is vital in higher education
Leadership and governance are inextricably linked, says Dr Jane V Usher, MBA Programme Coordinator at Boston City Campus. “Strategic leadership is made up of individuals...
A glimpse into the future and the way forward for universities
Just how do we envision the future? Are people ready for the new jobs envisioned in the years to come -- thanks to rapidly changing...
Institutional strategy has rendered the Arizona State University most innovative, socially responsive and sustainable
The green economy offers tremendous potential, especially in Africa, where it is projected to generate 100 million new and enhanced job opportunities across the continent...
Universities must lead with purpose and ambition to seize the future and endure
As globalisation blurs borders, there is a need to balance global relevance with the delivery of a locally significant education. At the same time, the...
How collaboration could stretch research funding in a climate of diminishing resources
In a world of shrinking resources, universities in South Africa face a pressing challenge: how can university-led research and innovation address the country's triple burdens...
How South Africa’s higher education sector must adapt to avoid system deterioration
If South Africa’s higher education sector proceeds with business as usual and maintains the current status quo, the system will deteriorate. This was among the...
Adapt or perish: a call for academics to embrace artificial intelligence
If academics do not embrace artificial intelligence (AI), they will soon find themselves having to teach students who grew up and studied in AI enabled...
Students must assume some responsibility for university tuition fees, a Stellenbosch professor says
Professor Stan du Plessis, Chief Operating Officer and Economics Professor at Stellenbosch University, has labelled the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) as “poorly designed...
South African universities need to make difficult decisions to sustain the system
Delegates at the 3rd Higher Education Conference engaged robustly over all the topics presented at the event. We present below, an edited version of the debate...
Five crucial lessons learnt from the last 30 years in higher education
A dark dystopian future awaits our children and grandchildren, said Professor Adam Habib, Director: School of African and Oriental Studies (SOAS) of the University of...
How universities can make globalisation achieve better results and longevity — Adam Habib’s perspective
The incentive structure on research subsidies and the ranking systems have pushed South African universities to try and be like each other. This undermines the...
The Future of the University put under the spotlight at the 3rd Higher Education Conference
Universities have a significant impact on the advancement of society – shaping the education system; producing and honing skills and competencies needed for the economy; contributing...
University councils need an overhaul if they are to perform their fiduciary functions effectively
“I am concerned that governance challenges continue to plague some universities, and there is a need for both a code of good governance practices and...
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...
South African and Canadian universities are pondering research partnerships ahead of an NRF Call for Proposals
A recent webinar between South African and Canadian universities closed on a high note as prospective researchers walked away with a sense of anticipation for what...
The South Africa-Canada Universities Network (SACUN) formalises a long-standing relationship
The inaugural webinar or South Africa-Canada Universities Network (SACUN) on Thursday, 5 September, was launching a relationship that started in April 2023 with a visit...
Entrepreneurship remains the most viable route to economic freedom; start now, in universities’ safe environments – Wits Chancellor
Students would do well to start business enterprises while still studying, to optimise the opportunity of experimenting in universities’ protected environments that offer support and...
The South Africa-Canada Universities Network begins to take shape with today’s inaugural webinar
South African universities will today (Thursday, 5 September) meet online with their Canadian counterparts in a webinar to identify opportunities for joint research between and among...
The Carnegie Math Pathways project is key to advancing students’ quantitative skills for enhanced success in mathematical sciences
Persistent disparities in students’ mathematics performance highlight the need for a more cohesive and dynamic approach to teaching mathematics, remarked Professor Alfred Msomi, Acting Chair...
From vision to strategy: transforming postgraduate mathematics training through NGA(MaSS) Research Training Networks
“Innovative and collaborative strategies are essential in addressing the challenges in mathematics education,” Professor Alfred Msomi (right), Acting Chairperson of the Community of Practice for...
Advancing doctoral assessment strategies; the importance of standardisation and the viva voce mode of assessment
Assessment standards as applied in postgraduate (especially doctoral) research proposals, dissertations and written and oral examinations were the subject of discussion at a recent meeting...
The SAJU Forum has yielded visible successes over time, which could be enhanced through expansion
The South Africa - Japan Universities (SAJU) Forum was this week hailed as a uniquely successful network, characterised at its core by trust, mutuality, co-design...
A celebration of enduring and fruitful partnerships
The not so hospitable weather in Stellenbosch this week was downplayed as speaker after speaker at the opening of the SAJU 6 Conference counted on...
The SAJU Forum is a model of effective North-South partnerships
South Africa’s collaboration with Japan is a model of productive North-South partnerships, benefiting both nations through advancements in research, internationalisation efforts and mutual progress in...
Universities South Africa’s Board of Directors pays tribute to the late Professor Brian O’ Connell
The Board of Directors of Universities South Africa (USAf) joins the community of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in paying tribute to UWC’s...
A research study highlights key impediments to student women participation in entrepreneurship at SA universities
Low self-esteem is a significant barrier to student women participation in entrepreneurship at universities, according to findings of the study titled Barriers Faced by student...
SAJU 6 is set to foster sustainable research, innovation and impact partnerships from Stellenbosch University in 2024
Universities’ executive leaders, senior and emerging academics and researchers, as well as students interested in global research partnerships will descend on the 6th South Africa-Japan...
Universities South Africa’s second Student Affairs and Student Success cohort begins their leadership programme
Wednesday, 14 August saw the Higher Education Leadership and Management (HELM) programme launching its second intake of the Student Affairs and Student Success (SASS) programme,...
A feisty political scholar and analyst is set to address Universities SA’s Higher Education Conference in 2024
He is an accomplished scholar and former Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of the Witwatersrand – a term he held for seven and a...
Registration for the 3rd biennial Higher Education Conference extended to 30 August
Join us in-person for USAf’s 3rd biennial Higher Education Conference taking place, in person, from 9 to 11 October 2024 at the CSIR Convention Centre....
Optimism in Higher Education as the new Minister of Basic Education promises to hear USAf out on priority issues
It was one meet-and-greet in a series of scheduled stakeholder meetings between the new Minister of Basic Education, Ms Siviwe Gwarube, MP, and a myriad...
SWEEP is a response to South Africa’s national challenges and is therefore justified
According to findings of Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey of 2024, the youth unemployment rate reached 32.9% in the first quarter of 2024....
Behind every successful person there is a story worth drawing from
Paul Ryan once wrote that “behind every business, there’s a story worth knowing.” He was recently proven right through the extensive thought leadership that was...
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...
Universities South Africa’s third higher education conference is set to be a deliberations powerhouse
The third biennial higher education conference of Universities South Africa (USAf) promises to be a deliberations powerhouse, judging from the range of speakers confirmed to...
Advancing African Languages in Education: Prospects and Progress for Teaching and Learning
The increased need to integrate African languages in South Africa's basic and higher education system to improve learner performance and foster inclusive teaching and learning environments...
Public universities are invited to showcase their positive impact on the South African society
Universities South Africa (USAf) recently invited universities to submit case studies illustrating the positive outcomes of their research and academic work in society. This initiative...
Teacher competency and passion in mathematics are vital for nurturing mathematical talent and love in students
Appropriate levels of mathematics competency and passion in the subject can bring out the best in students, raising their competency in and love for the...
NSFAS consultation with senior university administrators advances clarity on the new Loan Scheme
In a consultative session held on 26 March 2024, registrars, chief financial officers and senior administrators from public universities engaged in a dialogue that sought to...
Universities South Africa announces the launch of a cross-cultural energy transition project partnership with the Texas International Education Consortium (TIEC)
Universities South Africa proudly announces the launch of a cross-cultural energy transition project partnership between herself and the Texas International Education Consortium (TIEC). This relationship...
Universities South Africa signs a collaborative agreement with a consortium of Texas universities
Universities South Africa (USAf), a representative association of South Africa’s 26 public universities, has sealed an exciting partnership with the Texas International Education Consortium (TIEC),...
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 Education Deans’ Forum expresses concern over funding crisis
The year 2024 is a difficult time to be a leader in higher education, considering diminishing government funding evident in the National Student Financial Aid...
USAf’s Education Deans’ Forum acquires new leadership
The inaugural meeting of the Education Deans’ Forum (EDF) on 6 March saw the deans electing new office bearers, recognising that the term of office...
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...
USAf’s Teaching and Learning of Mathematics Community of Practice learns of an innovative use of AI to support learning
An artificially intelligent learning, tutoring and assessment programme, ALEKS – combined with the crafting of a student support system using National Benchmark Test (NBT) data...
AI is here to stay and academics need to embrace its use
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here to stay. Academics should embrace the excitement around it and explore its potential and many possibilities while incorporating it into...
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...
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...
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...
The SA government must lead the Open Access movement to develop a national policy position and strategy
There is an urgent need for the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) in partnership with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to...
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...
Exposure to Switzerland’s innovation and entrepreneurship landscape boosts confidence in a young South African
The founder of one South African student start-up that won a trip to a 10-day residency programme at the University of Basel in Switzerland, in...
Universities SA’s World of Work Strategy Group commits to an ambitious multi-year programme of action
Significant stakeholder engagements in the first half of 2023 sparked numerous project considerations in Universities South Africa’s World of Work Strategy Group (WSG) if the...
Key challenges created by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) place universities at risk of instability and being plunged deeper into debt
The Board of Directors of Universities South Africa (USAf) is deeply concerned about the key challenges that have been created by the National Student Financial...
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...
Startling Survey findings: SA is graduating fewer doctoral candidates
The country is simply not producing enough PhD graduates, and, by implication, post-doctoral fellows (post-docs). This was one of the crucial findings of a Tracer...
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...
EDF’s further investigation into the Teacher Supply and Demand Study gains support from education stakeholders
In 2019, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) commissioned Stellenbosch University to carry out the Teacher Supply and Demand Study to understand the national landscape in...
An ICT Faculty discusses a technological solution-in-the-making for multilingual teaching at the Tshwane University of Technology
The best way to develop and intellectualise African languages in our universities is by using technology, says Professor Nobuhle Hlongwa, Chairperson of the Community of...
Universities SA’s Education Deans’ Forum is leading the formation of a continent-wide collaboration platform
Inadequate funding, inadequate teacher training and limited access to educational resources are among numerous challenges that Africa seems to be grappling with, concerning education systems. It...
Deans must be adequately resourced to perform their multi-faceted functions at universities
A good look at South Africa’s education budget raises questions about whether the State resources this sector adequately, while another glimpse into universities raises the question...
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...
Environmental sustainability cognisance and action is taking root in South Africa’s higher education system
If the Higher Education Sustainability Community of Practice (HESCoP) is to have its way, South Africa’s universities will, over time, integrate environmental sustainability principles into...
Collaboration across universities finds expression in a new Community of Practice on Sustainability
The official launch and inaugural general meeting of the Higher Education Sustainability Community of Practice (HESCoP) under the auspices of Universities South Africa (USAf) was...
Designing inclusive environments for people with disabilities is not optional for organisations
Millions of people are classified as disabled in South Africa. After years of advocacy over developing inclusive cultures in organisations, Dr Karen Smit, Head of...
High school learners underprepared for critical foundational university mathematics courses
There is a significant gap between high school and university mathematics for science and engineering students in South Africa with learners entering institutions of higher...
Mathematics teachers’ Work Integrated Learning in the context of 4IR
An initial idea of the Community of Practice for the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics (TLM CoP) to gather empirical data for the purpose of...
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...
Although universities offer a welcoming, highly supportive environment, new entrants will need to put in serious work to succeed
As public universities prepare to receive a new cohort of fresh school leavers on their campuses for the 2023 academic year, the Chief Executive Officer...
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...
Universities SA appeals to key stakeholders to join hands in ensuring smooth registration of new and returning students in 2023
A meeting held on 28 November 2022 with the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) Board, senior officials at NSFAS and other key stakeholders, highlighted...
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...
UCT’s Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng advocates for compulsory basic language courses at universities
“To ensure implementation of multilingualism at South African universities, we should not start with learning in an African language. First, we need every university student...
Are universities complying with the revised Language Policy Framework, or are they really committed to multilingualism?
The stage has been set for universities to uplift the status of previously marginalised African languages. South Africa has revised the Language Policy for Public...
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...
UFS students corroborate the value of multilingualism and translanguaging in teaching
In the build up to the 2nd Vice-Chancellors’ Language Colloquium on the revised Language Policy Framework for Higher Education Institutions, students from the University of...
The use of IsiZulu in teaching is helping UKZN students excel academically
Some institutions have begun to witness positive results from incorporating South Africa’s indigenous languages in teaching and learning. One such institution is the University of...
SA’s indigenous languages must all be fully developed and featured in digital resources – a UP professor says
South Africa has 11 official languages but we may be moving into a world of monolingualism, especially when it comes to finding information online, says...
The Linguistic Revolution at the University of KwaZulu-Natal
The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) is one of the country’s pioneers in developing a language policy, a process that started in 2004 and culminated in...
The role of PanSALB in upholding multilingualism in SA’s society
In order to effectively elevate the status of South Africa’s indigenous languages, they have to be transformed into, and used as, languages of learning —...
From theory to implementation – the tools needed to make the Language Policy Framework workable
Promoting South Africa’s indigenous languages at universities as required by the Language Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutions is not only about teaching and...
We cannot afford not to embrace and implement multilingualism says Professor Madadzhe
Studying African languages in institutions of higher education does not mean abandoning English. It simply recognises languages as an integral part of humanity, as communication...
SA universities are reimagining postgraduate supervision in diverse ways
The student-supervisor relationship at universities is changing. It is no longer bound to the model where the post-graduate is the apprentice of the supervisor. Now...
Postgraduate supervisory models practised at CPUT and UCT
Speaking at the recent meeting of Universities South Africa’s (USAf’s) Community of Practice (CoP) for Postgraduate Education and Scholarship (PGES), Professor Dina Burger, Director: Research...
The strides that the University of Mpumalanga is making towards multilingualism
The University of Mpumalanga (UMP) recently introduced a Master’s degree in siSwati language and literature, following the offering of a Bachelor of Arts Honours in...
Implementing multilingualism can cost millions but the benefits outweigh the challenges—Stellenbosch University
Professor Deresh Ramjugernath of Stellenbosch University (SU) just provided a taste of what can be expected at the forthcoming 2nd Vice Chancellors’ Language Colloquium. Primarily...
New office bearers elected to lead USAf’s Community of Practice for the Teaching and Learning of African Languages
Professor Nobuhle Hlongwa (left), Dean of the School of Arts in the College of Humanities at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, is the new Chairperson...
How universities are transforming their language policies and why this is critical
Language has the power to change higher education in this country and lead to better social cohesion. This is the message from Professor Langa Khumalo,...
Emerging researchers in South Africa are about to get a big boost
Two new online platforms in higher education look set to change the face of early career researchers in South Africa. Inspired by the Sesotho word...
Universities express their support for new digital frameworks for emerging scholars
Dr Robin Drennan, Director of Research Development at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), expressed his appreciation for the work being done, after Dr Leandra...
First-year mathematics students need intensive support to improve their experience, an on-going study has shown
Intensive support, small groups and repeated exposure to information are some of the interventions needed to improve first-year mathematics students’ experience. These, and other findings...
Imagining the Mathematical Science Landscape of 2040
What will the mathematical science landscape look like in 2040? Who will teach, what will be taught and how it will be taught? ...
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. ...
Whose responsibility is it to inform students they don’t meet the doctoral standard?
Professor Andrew Leitch’s presentation on the Council on Higher Education’s (CHE’s) Doctoral Degrees National Report generated considerable discussion when he presented some of its key...
Putting the focus on the quality of South Africa’s doctoral qualifications
Are South African doctoral programmes educating the thinkers we need as a country? Professor Andrew Leitch (right), Emeritus Professor and former Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research,...
USAf’s new Community of Practice for Postgraduate Education and Scholarship has been hard at work
With just over three months in existence since its inaugural meeting on 31 March, Universities South Africa’s newly founded Community of Practice for Postgraduate Education...
DHET concerns regarding students still in the pipeline for phased-out ITE programmes
At the second meeting of Universities South Africa’s Education Deans’ Forum (EDF, recently, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) was invited to address...
The state of language policies at public institutions
As universities enter the second half of 2022, they are ramping up efforts to accelerate progress toward implementing the Language Policy Framework for Public Higher...
Challenges confronting the teaching of African languages at South Africa’s universities require dedicated attention
The possibility of a shortage of supply of African languages teachers across South Africa’s education landscape by 2030 became a subject of fierce debate among members...
Community of Practice for the Teaching and Learning of African Languages remains determined to achieve more in 2022
Universities South Africa’s Community of Practice for the Teaching and Learning of African Languages (CoPAL) has put together an elaborate plan of action aiming to realise...
Projects that explore experience of first year mathematics students unpacked
Early findings of two research projects being undertaken to improve the teaching and learning experience of first year students in mathematics, have exposed problem areas...
Measures that can be taken to improve first year students’ mathematics experience
First year mathematics students are often in much need of guidance and support. That is why student experience was the focus of the Diagnostic Mathematics Information...
A collaborative project aimed at improving first year mathematics students’ experience
The facilitation of engaged participation and not just the acquisition of knowledge is the aim of the Community of Practice on the Teaching and Learning...
A project that will benefit academics, institutions and students unpacked at Mathematics CoP
A moment of thoughts and prayers was dedicated to KwaZulu Natal communities and colleagues at the first meeting for the year, of the Community of...
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. ...
Can 4IR and Decolonisation ideologies co-exist and be of mutual benefit in higher education?
The emergence of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) could potentially submerge the bellowing of decolonisation in higher education by previously marginalised groups, especially considering the...
Higher Education in the melting pot: Emerging discourses of the 4IR and Decolonisation
Out of the deliberations of a September 2019 colloquium of the Education Deans Forum, where the deans explored the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and its...
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...
HEDSA appeals to vice-chancellors to prioritise the disability policy framework to enable its implementation
Disability units appear to be the only structures within universities that take the Strategic Policy Framework on Disability for the Post-School Education and Training System seriously. Ms...
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...
Eminent scholars laud USAf’s newest CoP as an excellent platform for strengthening SA’s postgraduate scholarship
The newly formed Universities South Africa’s Community of Practice on Postgraduate Education and Scholarship (CoP PGES) held its inaugural meeting online on 31 March. It...
Postgraduate education and scholarship is not an easy ride
Discussions that ensued at the inaugural meeting of Universities South Africa’s Community of Practice on Postgraduate Education and Scholarship (CoP PGES) on 31 March, between...
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...
USAf’s new Community of Practice on Postgraduate Education and Scholarship takes off today
A meeting set for today — Thursday, 31 March, will see a new community of practice beginning to shine a spotlight on South Africa’s public...
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...
DBE seeks to strengthen collaboration with universities to achieve a more effective basic education system
During their first sitting for the year in February 2022, education deans from public universities heard pleas of senior officials from the Department of Basic...
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...
Universities SA commends Government for assuring all qualifying and accepted NSFAS recipients of funding in 2022
Universities South Africa (USAf) has commended the Government for resolving a funding shortfall of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) for the 2022 academic...
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...