Universities South Africa
General HE News
Emerging researchers and scholars encouraged to use available support tools for success – USAf CEO
"We cannot claim to have covered all the bases concerning the support and empowerment of early career researchers and academics, but we are getting there,"...
Who owns AI? Digital literacy, inequality, and the future of learning
Tools like ChatGPT have become a daily part of life for students and educators alike. But beneath the surface of convenience and efficiency lies a...
Digital literacies in the era of AI; A lively discussion
The rapid rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT has forced educators and policymakers to grapple with urgent questions: How should universities prepare students for...
A four-way public-private-international partnership strengthens entrepreneurship education in SA for national advancement
The fruition of the Embedding Entrepreneurship in Curriculum workshop series, notwithstanding the strained political relations between the United States and South Africa, demonstrates the power...
Integrating entrepreneurship into higher education curricula should unlock young talent to drive economic growth
Universities South Africa (USAf), through its Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme, just started a series of regional workshops to equip university leadership, faculty,...
Why it is beneficial to measure an applicant’s academic readiness for university
There is an expectation gap between high school and university life, which arises from differences in academic expectations and the level of independence required at university. First-year...
The challenges facing first-year mathematics students transitioning from high school
Transitioning from high school mathematics to university mathematics can be daunting for many first-year students, possibly leading to lower success rates. These gaps and the...
CoPAL contemplates driving a joint language conference with other associations
The Community of Practice for the Teaching and Learning of African Languages (CoPAL) of Universities South Africa (USAf) is exploring the possibility of convening an...
Postgraduate study leaders from SA universities assemble to share ideas
The round-table layout at the recent colloquium on Exploring Preparedness for Postgraduate Studies was distinct from the typical straight-seat-rows format that people tend to expect...
National Plan targets versus sector realities — Dr Nomakwezi Mzilikazi highlights provocative tensions
At the recent Enabling Quality Postgraduate Education (EQPE) colloquium, Dr Nomakwezi “Kwezi” Mzilikazi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships at Rhodes University, told...
Targeted PhD numbers raise many questions at a recent colloquium
Numbers are always a key focus in any discussion on postgraduate students: the currently enrolled numbers vs those to which the university sector aspires, within...
Happy students with well-being are more likely to graduate, says Professor Liesel Ebersöhn
The fruit bowl at the University of Pretoria’s Centre for the Study of Resilience is not incidental. It is an intentional part of the Centre’s...
AI may not do your literature review, but it will identify the gaps, says Dr Nompilo Tshuma
At the recent colloquium on Exploring Preparedness for Postgraduate Studies, Professor Sioux McKenna of Rhodes University interrupted keynote speaker Dr Nompilo Tshuma as she stood...
Research leaders develop an action plan for students and the sector’s well-being
One of the key features of the recent Exploring Preparedness for Postgraduate Studies colloquium was a two-hour breakaway session in which research leaders and organisational...
Universities’ on-going commitment to multilingualism
As South African public universities come to terms with the complexities of multilingualism, many are making notable inroads into implementing multilingual teaching on their campuses....
Sharing language resources for the benefit of all
Universities need to collaborate to meet the objectives of the Community of Practice for the Teaching and Learning of African Languages (CoPAL) of Universities South...
Universities urged to support the multilingualism study
Universities South Africa’s Community of Practice for the Teaching and Learning of African Languages (CoPAL) Chairperson, Professor Nobuhle Hlongwa, has urged public universities to support...
DHET update on two university research studies: Gender Transformation and Sexual Harassment in Higher Education Institutions
At the first sitting of Universities South Africa’s Transformation Managers’ Forum (TMF) in March, officials from the Department of Higher Education and Training presented plans of...
Analysing disability support at South African public universities
Universal access and disability support in higher education remains a subject of concern for Universities South Africa’s (USAf’s) Transformation Strategy Group (TSG) – hence the imperative...
Unveiling new Employment Equity targets
South African universities have until 1 September this year to implement new plans to meet updated Employment Equity (EE) regulations and targets. According to the Department...
SA universities’ visit to Hungary culminates in the signing of a formal collaboration agreement
Thursday, 3rd April 2025, marks the last day in the official programme of Universities South Africa’s (USAf’s) delegation to Hungary, in eastern Europe. The 26-strong...
Advancing student affairs to transform higher education in South Africa
What is relevant, effective and impactful Student Affairs, Student Support and Development for holistic student success, and how does it look like across South Africa’s...
Collaboration between academic and support staff is key to student success
South Africa’s higher education institutions are unique; they exist within varied financial, socio-economic and historic contexts. However, within this diverse landscape, there needs to be...
Executive Secretaries’ annual workshop 2024 tackles leadership and adaptability in times of change in Higher Education
The annual workshop 2024 for Personal Assistants (PAs) and Executive Secretaries in the Vice-Chancellors’ Office was hosted on 5-6 December 2024 at the Protea Hotel...
USAf and THENSA sign a formal agreement to collaborate for the common good of higher education in South Africa and beyond
On Tuesday, 28 January 2025, Universities South Africa (USAf) and Technological Higher Education Network South Africa (THENSA) signed a collaborative agreement that the chief executive...
Teacher training programmes must respond to South Africa’s national priorities
The quality of South Africa’s teacher training programmes came under scrutiny during a high-level discussion convened by the national Department of Basic Education with education...
New fee capping framework sparks debate over higher education sustainability
A newly proposed Draft Fee Regulation Framework for South African universities, released on 1 November 2024, by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET)...
Using Digital Art to teach Mathematics: a practical, fun, innovative way of teaching Mathematics
A novel initiative to empower township learners with algorithmic thinking and digital art – even traditional African fabric shweshwe is being used as a teaching...
Goodbyes in the TLM CoP as two office bearers vacate their seats for new incumbents
The extensive achievements of Universities South Africa’s (USAf) Teaching and Learning of Mathematics Community of Practice (TLM CoP) were named, and applauded, at the group’s...
Two new office bearers elected to lead Universities South Africa’s TLM CoP from 1 January 2025
At its last sitting for 2025, on 13 November, the Community of Practice for the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics (TLM CoP) elected a new...
Intervarsity 2023 winner pledges to give back to the EDHE programme that supported him
There was thunderous applause when a young student farmer from rural Eastern Cape and Studentpreneur of 2023, committed at the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity finals on...
Helping a sister study leads innovator to a prize winning tutoring and mentoring business
Bridget’s Learning Hub, an e-learning hub that provides tutoring and mentoring services to primary and high school students all across South Africa, won its 24-year-old...
Greatfuel produces biodiesel from cooking oil
“Can you drive Africa? Well, I can.” So began Hope Mapheto, founder of Greatfuel, her business which was established in 2021 and produces biodiesel from...
Banana wine wins its maker the top Social Impact prize at Intervarsity finals
When Anga Mzozo, co-founder of winning business AL Winery in the Existing Business: Social Impact category said Bye Nana at the end of her pitch...
Disability solution seeking turns into an award-winning business for a dyslexic medical student
Nothile Ngema turned her dyslexia and slow speech into a winning business, e-Aggrandizer, that won her the Existing Business: Tech category prize and R20 000....
A DHET chief director applauds six years of entrepreneurial innovation at students’ intervarsity award ceremony
The EDHE programme represents an important contribution to transformation in Higher Education in terms of growing studentpreneurship, developing an entrepreneurial mindset in academics across disciplines...
New French partnership with USAf calls for AI and Blue Ocean Tech researchers
The Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme is going international through the French Embassy in South Africa. These were the introductory words of Dr...
Drug re-invention wins young pharmacist R100 000 and Studentpreneur of 2024 title
“I hate death. I want to save our people.” These words have driven the overall winner of the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2024, 28-year-old Emmanuel Kiyonga,...
The EDHE Intervarsity national finals event draws a prestigious high level crowd
The Director: Entrepreneurship, Universities South Africa (USAf), Dr Edwell Gumbo, began his opening address by naming those on the guestlist that included vice-chancellors, their deputies,...
WiL alumni gathering in 2025: sustaining the momentum
A significant gathering of the Higher Education Leadership and Management’s (HELM’s) Women in Leadership (WiL) alumni is set for early 2025, and is envisioned as...
Early career academics talk about being mentored — what works and what could work better
When Dr Heike Lucht, a research assistant at the University of Pretoria, was paired with a mentor affiliated with Rhodes University (RU) through an online...
Education must reclaim its place as a means to the betterment of life
If Dr Mimmy Gondwe could have her way, all higher education graduates would be fully active in the economy – selling and even exporting their...
Growing a movement: Women in Leadership (WiL)
The final session of the 2024 Women in Leadership (WiL) programme on 1 November 2024 began with a seemingly simple but profoundly symbolic activity: a...
There are as many models of mentorship as there are mentors and mentees, says Professor Stephanie Burton
In the true spirit of a community of practice (CoP), which meets to share knowledge and information and support on common concerns, the recent meeting...
Effective mentoring can be about making people independent of any need for guidance
Mentoring does not have an end point - even if someone is on a specific mentoring programme with a cutoff date. “I hope when you...
Build differently: global tech opportunities for SA Entrepreneurs
“One in four people in the world will be African by 2050,” declared global entrepreneur Ms Christine Souffrant Ntim at a roundtable discussion hosted by...
Beyond the classroom: SWEEP empowers the next generation of women entrepreneurs
“Success doesn’t happen overnight,” Ms Zana Boshoff, Project Manager for Universities South Africa’s (USAf) Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme emphasised in a one-on-one...
“Mission accomplished” pretty much sums up USAf’s Higher Education Conference 2024
The 3rd Universities South Africa (USAf) Higher Education Conference 2024 set out “to bring the university sector with its multiple publics to engage in conversations...
Cutting operational costs is one way public universities could survive, long-term
Stellenbosch University is considered to be a very well-resourced institution compared to others, said Bismark Tyobeka, yet it still faces a projected six-year deficit of...
Universities South Africa’s Strategy groups recap the outcomes of their sessions at the HE Conference
One of the intended outcomes of the recent Higher Education conference of Universities South Africa (USAf) was to come up with proposals to enhance the...
North-West University’s sustainability programme aims to drive societal change
Plastic litter is a big no-no at North-West University (NWU). From banning plastic bottles on its three campuses in Mahikeng, Potchefstroom and Vanderbijlpark, to prohibiting...
“A university cannot survive without water,” says Professor Kirsty Carden of UCT on Day Zero
“The availability of water of acceptable quality is one of our single greatest and most urgent development constraints. So we really do need to do...
Transforming entrepreneurship education; Elona Ndlovu’s perspective
During Day 2 of the 3rd Higher Education Conference by Universities South Africa, Ms Elona Ndlovu, a Chartered Coach and Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at the...
Sustainable development goals present viable opportunities for sustainable entrepreneurship – Kerrin Myres
South Africa, though plagued by huge social problems amid rich natural resources, also presents significant opportunities in sustainable entrepreneurship – if only we could respond...
Audience insights on work-integrated learning and the responsibility of universities
Entrepreneurship Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) and the Responsibility of Universities brought to the fore, the gaps warranting attention at universities, if entrepreneurship education is to yield...
Preparing graduates for an ever-evolving world
The man who prides himself for creating youth-centred brand experiences offered some insightful counsel to universities at the recent Higher Education Conference in October. Mr...
Murimbika’s vision for Higher Education is to transform universities into innovation catalysts
At the October Higher Education Conference of Universities South Africa (USAf), Dr McEdward Murimbika, Director at the University of the Witwatersrand’s (WITS) Centre for Entrepreneurship and...
Innovative teaching approaches could yield most career-ready, entrepreneurial graduates – Olebogeng Selebi
Today's high levels of youth unemployment and increasing graduate unemployability strengthen the business case for more innovative approaches to teaching, if universities are to ensure...
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 (SDGs)....
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...
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...
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...
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...
The SEP-TLF study shines a spotlight on academic staff experiences during the pandemic
The long-awaited study that was exploring Staff Experiences of, and Perspectives on Teaching and Learning and its Future (SEP-TLF) has been concluded. This study, a...
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,...
Free Mandarin and Chinese Culture training open for students majoring in tourism and hospitality studies
The University of Johannesburg’s Confucius Institute (UJCI) will host a four-week Tourism Mandarin and Chinese Culture training course at no cost for South Africa’s tourism...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
ETDP SETA wishes to cement ties with USAf for continuing benefit to universities.
The Education, Training and Development Practice Sector Education and Training Authority (ETDP SETA) has confirmed to the Skills Development Facilitators (SDF) Forum that they...
The learnership programme for insourced security personnel at universities is lauded a success
The first cohort of trainees drawn from universities’ security officers who were absorbed into universities as part of a sector-wide insourcing initiative completed their learnerships...
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...
USAf’s Education Deans’ Forum made 2020 count, amidst challenges
Deans of Education from South Africa’s 26 public universities used the last meeting of the Education Deans’ Forum (EDF) for 2020 to reflect on this...
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...
Covid-19 fosters a need to re-imagine the university as a social institution
Covid-19 has upended higher education across the world. Deep concerns related to its infectiousness, virulence and the trajectory of spread all contribute to extraordinary uncertainties shaping...
USAf has adopted a Code of Conduct re: POPIA as a guide to universities
In the quest to prepare and enable its member institutions to comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), Universities South Africa compiled a...
Online learning is integral to the future of Higher Education; embrace it or become irrelevant
COVID-19 has presented an opportunity to Africa's universities to take stock of their current practices and identify new ways of doing things; all for resilience...
Registrations are open for a virtual Study-in-Japan Fair from 14-18 September 2020
The Government of Japan is encouraging more students from Sub-Saharan Africa, especially South Africa, to enrol in Japanese higher education. Japan offers a variety of courses...
Public universities are accepting 2021 applications
Despite the disruptions caused by COVID-19 in 2020, the applications season is open at most public universities, with varying closing dates across the sector. Read...
A Special Board Meeting to explore the financial status of the higher education sector – especially in the context of COVID-19
The USAf Board of Directors has given the nod to a suggestion to convene a Special Board Meeting as soon as possible, to focus specifically on...
Preparations for staff and students’ phased return to campuses progressing well, universities report
From Friday 27 March 2020 university campuses in South Africa have been largely deserted, even more so than during vacations. No students have been buzzing...
COVID-19 has not sounded a death knell on contact teaching as we know it, says Dr Sizwe Mabizela
If you thought that COVID-19 had sounded a death knell on contact teaching as we know it, think again, Dr Sizwe Mabizela, Vice-Chancellor and Principal...
Universities are enduring the COVID-19 pain with students; they believe in pulling through, together
As university leaders re-committed to completing the 2020 year without leaving a single student behind, a student shared the pain of having to access lectures...
Appendices: Universities’ individual accounts of on-going research and stakeholder engagement in the fight against COVID-19
The attachments in this box represent universities’ individual accounts of on-going research and stakeholder engagement in the fight against COVID-19. USAf will continue to add to...
Business continuity in the face of COVID-19 dominates the agenda of the USAf Board of Directors’ meeting
The impact of the coronavirus on universities’ operations dominated the agenda of USAf’s Board of Directors’ meeting on Tuesday, 24 March. The meeting which was executed...
Staff from the Universities SA Office are working from home
The Universities South Africa (USAf) Office has equipped its 46-member staff to work from home, with effect from 23 March. In a staff briefing held...
“We need to enhance their learning experience for nothing but success”
As students arrive at various campuses to register for their first year of undergraduate study, all role-players within the university system would do well to pull...
Entrepreneurship Intervarsity Competition 2020 launched in Gauteng
The 2020 edition of the Entrepreneurship Intervarsity Competition was launched in Johannesburg on Wednesday, 21 January. It was a joyful event attended by academics and...
EDHE Shining a Spotlight on Studentpreneurs across South Africa
The Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme will be launching the second iteration of the national Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2020 competition on 21 January 2020 at...
Entering entrepreneurship competitions is the best thing students could do for their start-up ventures
At the 2020 Entrepreneurship Intervarsity Competition event on 21 January, all four winners from the 2019 competition were invited onto the stage to participate in...
Universities South Africa acquires a new Director: Operations and Sector Support
Dr Linda Meyer is the new Director: Operations and Sector Support at Universities South Africa (USAf). She succeeds Dr Berene Kramer who hung up her...
Universities in China reach out to their SA counterparts for collaboration
On 11 December, Universities South Africa hosted a five-member delegation of the China Association of Higher Education (CAHE) at USAf's offices in Hatfield, Pretoria. The...
Board elects a new Chairperson
At their third and final sitting for 2019, the USAf Board of Directors elected Professor Sibongile Muthwa, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Nelson Mandela University as the...
The HELM programme is lauded a lifeline to universities’ middle managers
The packed venue made it look like USAf had underestimated attendee numbers. But the group actually included an overflow of individuals who could not attend...
Culture change within public universities could improve performance on many fronts
Heads of departments who completed the final leg of the Foundation Programme training in Pretoria last week seem to be of the view that even...
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...
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...
You cannot reinvent South Africa’s universities for the future without reassessing the curriculum – but there isn’t an easy formula for it
If there is one aspect that is integral to conceptualising universities of the future, it is the question of what is taught and learnt. This...
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...
A UCT student aims to use 3D printers to level the education playing fields in South Africa
Denislav Marinov (21), a third-year BSc physics and chemistry student at the University of Cape Town (UCT), plans on using 3D printers in South Africa's...
He invented a pair of soccer boots, leading to the creation of Disktjie, a promising business
Dusty fields and gravel grounds punctuated by youngsters kicking ball are common sights in South Africa's townships. For many people this is just about the...
He aims to create employment while solving problems and is achieving exactly that
The Winner of the Student Entrepreneur of 2019 Award, who also won in the Existing Social Impact Business Category (Category 3) of the Entrepreneurship Intervarsity...
Call by Vice-Chancellors for a meeting with the President of South Africa
The Vice-Chancellors of all 26 public universities are calling for an urgent meeting with the President of South Africa, to register their anger at the scourge...
Universities must act in concert against gender based violence — among other social ills plaguing South Africa
Universities South Africa (USAf), together with all its member institutions, is deeply distressed by news of the gruesome death of a young woman and student at...
Empathy drove him to develop a used books selling platform, founding the business he named Quillo
Tamir Shklaz (22) is a fourth-year electrical and computer engineering student at the University of Cape Town (UCT). Like many students, he has had to...
UFS microbiologists solve brewing problems for South Africa and the world
At the Entrepreneurial Intervarsity Competition finals of 19 September, 2019, a 31-year-old old doctoral candidate at the University of the Free State, Christopher Rothmann, walked...
They are dispelling the belief that friendship and business do not mix
Much against the common belief that doing business with family or friends is a recipe for failure, Penang Shirindza and his childhood friend, Dean Mokoena,...
“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...
University of Limpopo is managing applications and admissions with great efficiencies – thanks to effective internet connectivity
The University of Limpopo (UL) introduced online applications only in 2016, four years after internet speed on the main campus was given a boost from 30...
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...
Technical Mathematics dominates discussions at USAf’s Community of Practice for the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics
The Community of Practice for the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics (TLM CoP) held the first of its quarterly meetings for 2019, at the University...
Towards becoming an entrepreneurial university – lessons from the Durban University of Technology
Although the Durban University of Technology (DUT) is naturally predisposed to produce innovators, it took creating a central home for entrepreneurship to get the institution...
DVCs embrace their role as drivers of entrepreneurship, if backed by strategy, resources and matching infrastructure
They were a group of 35 senior management leaders comprising, in the main, deputy vice-chancellors, executive deans and executive directors. The group, drawn from 19...
Entrepreneurship development needs a national policy push to succeed at public universities
Even though entrepreneurship is increasingly being accepted among university students as an engine of economic growth and possible career choice, entrepreneurship development is taking place...
Board News from 24 October 2018
At the USAf Board of Directors’ last 2018 meeting on 24 October, new decisions ranged from endorsing new members to USAf structures to approving the 2019...
2019 priorities of all strategy groups approved
The Board approved the 2019 priorities of all strategy groups and the renewal of all membership terms due to expire on 31 December 2018. New changes...
Decisions concerning USAf’s governance structures
Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board Committee: The USAf Board endorsed a recommendation from this Committee, that a high-level meeting be secured with the Minister of Higher...
USAf Board welcomes the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Programme
The Board of Directors also welcomed absorption into USAf, of the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Programme, which was established in the Department of Higher...
USAf Programme Updates
A. Higher Education Leadership Programme The Board heard that HELM got off to a good start in 2018, thanks to funding secured from the Department of...
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...
USAf’s fast internet initiative transforms teaching and learning in a small town
Danwill Maans is such an enthusiastic and determined student that it is heart-warming to know that, although he is not based in a major city, he...
Commonwealth Scholarship recipients for 2018 gearing up to depart
On behalf of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, every spring, Universities South Africa (USAf), in collaboration with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and the...
Universities SA plans to investigate gender imbalance at top
In an article published in the University World News of 22 August, USAf announces its intention to investigate why women are struggling to break through the...
New Social Compact Between Society and Higher Education
In an opinion piece published in the City Press on Sunday, 19 August, Prof Ahmed Bawa and Prof Thandwa Mthembu invite South Africa’s society to a...
Decoding Madiba’s M-Plan and block chain technology
In this article, published in the Sunday Independent on 29 July, Professor Tshilidzi Marwala celebrates the Nelson Mandela centenary from an information and communication technology (ICT)...
USAf Board takes a long-term view of the PSET sector
The Board of Directors of Universities South Africa (USAf) has decided to take a multipronged, long-term view of South Africa’s post-school education and training (PSET) sector,...
Audited financial statements approved
Among other major decisions emerging from the 2018 AGM, the Board accepted annual financial statements as audited for the USAf Group (including those of the Committee...
Potential impact of private higher education provision
Taking into consideration the growth of private higher education provision in South Africa, the USAf Board adopted the view that it could be of value for...
Student matters
Tuition fees for 2019: Agreeing that determining an acceptable tuition fee increase for 2019 was urgent, the Board tasked the Funding Strategy Group (FSG) to urgently...
National skills development
The Board decided that USAf, through the Future of Work Strategy Group (which is in the process of being formed), should seek a meeting with the...
Emerging researchers/silent majority study findings
The 2017 study on emerging researchers and the silent majority (the large number of early career academics at lecturer and senior lecturer level who are not...
New Board members welcomed
The USAf Chairperson, Professor Thandwa Mthembu, welcomed three new members of the Board. From left, Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Johannesburg...
Members re-appointed to the Admissions Committee
The Board approved the re-appointment to the Admissions Committee of the following members, for the period 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2020: Prof C Foxcroft...
Draft Policy Framework on Internationalisation of Higher Education in South Africa
The Board noted that the public commentary process in respect of this policy was at an advanced stage and that it looked forward to the finalisation...
Common Campaign Days
The Board approved the recommendation to dedicate the month of August to a Common Campaign Days event, themed “Social inclusion and wellbeing”. The 2018 theme is...
Higher Education Gender-based Violence Policy and Strategy Framework
Dr Ramneek Ahluwalia, Chief Executive Officer of the Higher Education and Training Health, Wellness and Development Centre, presented the draft policy and strategic framework for higher...
Dr Max Price bids peers goodbye
The second ordinary meeting of the Board for 2018 was also an occasion to bid farewell to Dr Max Price, who, on account of vacating the...
Why engagement with their contexts should be at the heart of what universities do – USAf CEO, Prof Ahmed Bawa
This story is based on a USAf-commissioned interview on a June 18 interview between Ms Gillian Anstey, an independent writer, and Prof AC Bawa.Read more..
Prof AC Bawa chats about his childhood, his varsity life and why SA universities need to reimagine themselves
On 13 June 2018, the Chief Executive Officer of Universities SA (USAf), Prof Ahmed Bawa, was the subject of freelance writer Nicholas Claude’s weekly podcast, Voices...
Reconceptualising Health Professions Education in South Africa
As a response to the continuing shortages of healthcare professionals, the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) undertook a study to investigate the full value...
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...
USAf’s CoPAL pays tribute to the late Prof Gregory Kamwendo
On 22 May, 2018, a highly-esteemed sociolinguistics academic, Professor Gregory Kamwendo, was shot dead outside his Empangeni home in KwaZulu Natal. At their 14 June meeting...
Senior ICT undergraduates are invited to apply for a two-week ICT training in China
The Huawei Seeds for the Future programme offers undergraduate students (3rd or 4th year students) in ICT a two week training and cultural experience in China....
Exploring a Work-Based Values Approach in South African TVET Colleges to Improve Employability of Youth – a literature review
Notwithstanding the much expanded access to South Africa’s tertiary education in the past decade, youth employability remains a national concern. Technical and Vocational Education and Training...
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...
Initiatives in Higher Education to drive the development of Entrepreneurship among South African graduates
In this article, an independent author, Camilla Pennington, takes a look at initiatives in Higher Education to drive the development of entrepreneurship among South African graduates....
Universities SA’s support message to Nelson Mandela University, on the inauguration on 17 April, 2018, of new Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor
The appointment by Nelson Mandela University (NMU) of Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi as Chancellor and Professor Sibongile Muthwa as Vice-Chancellor bodes well for taking this university to even...
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...
Funding matters pre-dominate USAf Board discussions at first sitting for 2018
Concerns over financial stability of the public university sector once again dominated debates at the first ordinary sitting of the Board of Universities SA on 20...
The Research and Innovation Strategy Group (RISG)
The Rural Campuses Connectivity Project (RCCP) The RISG would continue to oversee the RCCP, whose objective it is to provide access circuits to connect rurally-based university...
Progress on some priority projects for 2018
The projects discussed below represent only a fraction of what strategy groups reported on at the Board meeting. Only those against which concrete milestones have been...
The Transformation Strategy Group
In line with the Board’s decision of October 2017 to add two new focus areas to the work of the Transformation Strategy Group, the TSG will,...
Other Board decisions of 20 March
Entrepreneurship programme within universities This programme, a brainchild of the DHET, was conceptualised with the strategic purpose of a) building a culture of entrepreneurship on our...
The Teaching and Learning Strategy Group (TLSG)
Optimisation of educational technology on campuses As part of a strategic intent to promote usage of educational technology especially off campus, the TSLG undertook a survey...
New Board members welcomed
The Board welcomed Prof Sibongile Muthwa into their midst, following her assumption of the Vice-Chancellorship at Nelson Mandela University as of 1 January 2018. Prof Sibongile...
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...
What we’re learning about our university students
The three-part series of publications titled Understanding Students -- published in March, October and November, 2018, shares findings from a set of surveys of students,...
USAf and ASSAf letter to the City Press
On 22 March, 2018, the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), in partnership with Universities SA, released a letter to the City Press in response...
Policy development and sustainability of higher education are top priorities of USAf’s new Chair
Professor Thandwa Mthembu’s appointment, announced on January 3, 2018, is sandwiched between two presidential announcements, and is then followed by the budget speech. This could be...
Are South African universities under assault?
In an article published in the Daily Maverick on 1 March, 2018, Professor Habib draws attention to the challenges facing the higher education sector and the...
Re-imagining the Social Purpose of Universities through Engagement
In this paper (published in 2017 in a Council of Europe publication titled Higher Education for Diversity, Social Inclusion and Community: a Democratic Imperative), Prof AC...
2018 Letter to All University Students
As teaching and learning get underway at all our 26 public universities, the Chief Executive Officer for the Higher Education and Training Health Wellness & Development...
Is new plan to help poor students reconciliation or political expediency?
In response to the Presidential declaration of free education on 16 December, 2017, Prof Ahmed Bawa, the USAf Chief Executive Officer, expressed an opinion. Read more..
Let’s be honest about free education
An independent author, Songezo Zibi, analyses the practicalities of implementing higher education in South Africa. Read more...
Commonwealth Scholarships
Universities South Africa (USAf) is the Nominating Agency for South African citizens who wish to apply for the Commonwealth Scholarships tenable in the UK for the...
Reconstituting institutional culture by focusing on the design of the universities around our students and around their more intensive engagement with their local and regional contexts:
There is a growing view that the TSG ought to be more engaged in the project of helping the sector to give effect to institutional...
Transformation Strategy Group
Implementation in 2018 of the transformation barometer in public universities: the Transformation Barometer is essentially a self-monitoring and reporting tool that enables institutions to set...
The Rural Campuses Connectivity Project (RCCP)
The RCCP was established to improve broadband connectivity of priority rural university campuses to the South African National Research Network (SANReN). RCCP is managed by Universities...
Study on Emerging Researchers:
There is deep concern about the fact that many young scholars who have graduated with doctorates are not developing into NRF-rated researchers. There is a strong...
Research and Innovation Strategy Group
National Site Licence for Journals: One of USAf’s signature projects in 2018 will be the move towards a national site licence for journals. First calculations indicate...
Curriculum transformation:
At its first meeting of the year in 2016, the TLSG identified curriculum transformation as a strategic issue for discussion. Under the theme: “Curriculum transformation in...
Teaching and learning technologies:
It was reported at the TLSG meeting on 30 May 2017 that there is a significant move by publishers towards the development of custom digital publications,...
Teaching and Learning Strategy Group
Enhancing the student experience at public universities: Following an indication by the TLSG, that enhancing students’ learning experiences was not receiving adequate attention through the Quality...
Projects of Strategy Groups
Funding Strategy Group The study to determine the appropriate level of funding of South Africa’s higher education sector: This study will take into account what...
Study to determine the Impact of Universities on Local and National Economies:
The concept paper in this regard was prepared during late 2016 and the project was duly scoped. The Office of the USAf CEO is making all...
The Protection of Personal Information (POPIA) Act
This Act is expected to come into force in mid-2018. Universities and other entities will be required to become compliant within 12 months of the Act...
Projects of the National Directorate (The CEO’s Office)
Insourcing or Sustainable Sourcing of Services:Universities have since 2015 been either implementing and / or considering different models of insourcing or what we now refer to...
The 2018 Operational Plan
The Board approved the USAf Operational Plan for 2018, which lays out priority projects of strategy groups as well as transversal projects co-ordinated by the office...
Universities must prepare themselves for the future
Beginning at this year’s USAf Board Workshop in June, a number of important explorations were put in place to understand how the university sector may respond...
Recognising outgoing members and welcoming new ones
The USAf Board congratulated Dr Sibongile Muthwa on her appointment as the new Vice-Chancellor-designate of Nelson Mandela University (NMU). Dr Muthwa will assume her position as...
USAF Board welcomes Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize and Deputy Minister Buti Manamela
At the last sitting for 2017 on 18 October, the Board of USAf welcomed the appointment of the new higher education and training minister, Minister Hlengiwe...
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...
Important Notice
It has come to our attention that a website unknown to Universities South Africa (http://saadmissions.com/) is using our corporate identity to promote information on SA universities...
Students must draw lessons from the late Ahmed Kathrada
At the time when there is so much concern about what is going on at our public universities , students would do well to take lessons from the life of the late stalwart and political activist, Ahmed Kathrada. of the late stalwart and political activist, Ahmed Kathrada.
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...
What the Commonwealth Scholarship means to the 2016 awardees
The 2016 Class of new South Africa’s scholars awarded Commonwealth Scholarships for 2016 enrolled from September to October, on a range of Masters and Doctoral studies...
The 2016 cohort of Commonwealth Scholars have settled in the UK
The 2016 Commonwealth Scholarship awardees, accepted to enrol from September/ October 2016 in post-graduate studies at various institutions in the United Kingdom, are young, vibrant, and...
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...
A Call for 2017 Applications for Commonwealth Scholarships
Universities South Africa administers a selection of scholarships schemes on behalf of governments, multi-lateral and private sector organisations, primarily for post-graduate study. Calls for applications are...
Universities SA Statement on the outcome of the consultative meeting between Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr BE Nzimande and the Boards of USAf and UCCF
Following a joint consultative meeting on 12 August, 2016, between the Minister of Higher Education and Training and the Boards of Universities South Africa (USAf) and Universities Chairs of Council Forum (UCCF), the outcome was published on 14 August 2016.
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...
Remuneration Study JM MG
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
UL The contribution of Higher Education to society_10_September_2013
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
The UJ Institutional Culture Survey 2012_A Transformation Barometer
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
The Role of Internationalisation in Higher Education Transformation Colloquium_ Kaunda
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD