JULY 2016

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The StaffingSouth Africa’sUniversitiesFrameworkincludescapacitybuilding,mentoring andinternationalmobilityopportunitiesfor newlyappointedlecturers atSouth Africanuniversitieswith the aim ofencouragingmore youngSouth Africansto enter theacademicprofession.

‘ The 15 USAuniversities atthe EducationPartnershipForum agreedto form aconsortium tosupport SouthAfrica’sUniversityCapacityDevelopmentProgram,and tosupport theinitiative,fundingsources will bein investigated.

‘

GHALEEB JEPPIE

HIGHER Educationand TrainingMinister BladeNzimandeundertook official

working visits to the United States ofAmerica and Canada recently toconsolidate and forge newinstitutional partnerships to supportthe University DevelopmentCapacity Programme (UCDP), forstrengthening the capacity of theuniversity system as a whole.

This aim included the seeking ofmobility and developmentopportunities for South Africanacademics and students to pursuepostgraduate studies in critical andscarce skills areas.

The visit also explored newsupport for the implementation ofthe Staffing South Africa’sUniversities Framework (SSAUF),which includes capacity building,mentoring and international mobilityopportunities for newly appointedlecturers at South Africanuniversities as part of the NewGeneration of AcademicsProgramme, which aims toencourage more young SouthAfricans to enter the academicprofession.

The Minister also met withuniversity representatives andspecialist education agencies, andvisited Community Colleges inorder to understand aspects of thecommunity college model that canbe adapted to the South Africancontext.

WORKING VISITTO THE USA

AT an Education PartnershipDiscussion Forum, the Minister

indicated that the UCDP wasdeveloped to address thechallenges identified instrengthening university capacity.

The UCDP has threecomponents: a student component,an institutional component and astaff development component.

Its purpose is to identify andnurture academic talent early in theacademic development trajectory,at senior undergraduate level orearly postgraduate level; and tosupport newly recruited academicsto acquire doctoral degrees (orMaster’s Degrees in selectedfields); develop teaching expertise;develop research skills, includingscientific publication skills; andprovide development opportunitiesfor academic staff at all levels;

The 15 USA universities at thePartnership Forum agreed to form aconsortium to support SouthAfrica’s University CapacityDevelopment Program.

To further support the initiative,funding sources will beinvestigated, including the use ofalumni networks, briefing the USA’sChamber of Commerce in SouthAfrica and considering requestingthe Deputy-President aschairperson of the HumanResources Development Council ofSouth Africa (HRDC-SA) to engagewith American businesses as wellas attracting retired academics tocome and work in South Africa forshort periods.

Adult Education: TheAcademy of Hope AdultPublic Charter SchoolA visit was undertaken to theAcademy of Hope Public CharterSchool in Washington DC, whichhas been offering adult educationcourses since 1985.

The academy provides a variety

of programmes and services foradult learners, ranging from adultbasic education, digital literacy andcomputer training, and careercounselling and careerdevelopment.

The academy’s model ofimplementation will be considered,including its funding strategy and itscapacity to attract teachervolunteers, in the establishment ofpilot Community Education andTraining Colleges.

The University ofWisconsin Milwaukee(UWM) This meeting agreed that a numberof areas of cooperation arepossible, including the areas ofhealth and engineering through thesharing of faculty staff, studentexchanges and the development ofnew areas of cooperation.

The College of Nursing could bean ideal partner with the newSefako Makgatho Health SciencesUniversity, particularly in relation totheir curriculum development workin nursing.

The University of IllinoisUrbana Campaign The Vice-Provost of the Universityof Illinois supported the need forpartnerships with South AfricanUniversities.

The university, which alreadyhas a partnership with theUniversity of KwaZulu-Natal, willnow expand to working with thenew University of Mpumalanga,particularly in areas related to foodsecurity.

Meeting at the Consulatein ChicagoSeveral USA universities attendedthis meeting:l UNIVERSITY OFMISSOURI

This university has a 30-yearpartnership with the University ofthe Western Cape (UWC). One ofthe outcomes of the partnershiphas been an extensive capacity-building model which covers thesciences, humanities, training ofpostgraduates and facultyexchanges.

More than 400 PhDs have beenawarded to date. According to thetwo Vice-Chancellors, the benefitshave been mutual.

A range of opportunities werefurther identified for discussion,including the advancement of moreHumanities and Social Sciencesexchanges.

Collaboration must also beexplored beyond UWC with otherHistorically DisadvantagedUniversities.

l ROOSEVELT UNIVERSITYThe University has partnershipswith the University of Cape Town’sCentre for Humanities. The strengthof Roosevelt University in relation tofaculty and student exchangeswould be in their professionalMasters programme. TheUniversity of KwaZulu-Natal is alsocollaborating with RooseveltUniversity on student exchanges.

It was agreed that furtherengagement on expandingcollaboration would need to takeplace, especially concerning itsprofessional Master’s programmes.

l UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGOPotential opportunities forpartnerships would be in the area ofMaster’s and PhD programmes.The University of Chicago has apartnership with the African Institutefor Mathematical Sciences and theUniversity of Cape Town.

It was agreed that there couldbe information sharing on existing

programmes as well as thepossibility of developing acustomised three- to four-weeksummer programme.

Meeting with Dr SaleemBadat, ProgrammeDirector InternationalHigher Education andStrategic Projects, MellonFoundationThe Minister expressedappreciation for grant funding andcontinued by providing a briefing onthe University Capacity BuildingProgramme.

After a meeting held with theMinister in September 2015, theAndrew Mellon Foundationallocated R1-billion over the nextfive years for country programmes.R800-million will go towards SouthAfrican universities andR200-million for the rest of theuniversities in the African continent.

A further R16-million will beawarded for developing aprofessoriate in seven SouthAfrican universities over five years.

Furthermore, the Foundationwill fund seven universities’ work oncurriculum transformation,specifically on decolonising thecurriculum.

The Institute of AfricanStudies at ColumbiaUniversityAgreement was reached withColumbia University to create aprogramme to support young SouthAfrican academics throughMaster’s and PhD co-supervisionand sandwich programmes, as wellas teaching exchanges.

The programme will be namedafter Columbia University alumnusand president of the ANC in the1930s, Pixley ka Seme (1881-1951).

Western KentuckyUniversity It was indicated that WKU focusedon PhDs for public health, nursingeducation, engineeringprogrammes and doctorates forpractical nursing.

Currently WKU had exchangeprogrammes with the University ofLimpopo.

It further provides teachereducation at Master’s level forCommunity Colleges and TechnicalColleges.

The Carnegie Corporation At this meeting, the Ministerexpressed appreciation for theongoing support to the highereducation sector and briefed theCarnegie staff on the importance ofsupport for the UCDP.

As a way forward, the CarnegieCorporation was requested to co-ordinate and share information withthe Department in relation toexisting funding allocations to SAuniversities.

University of Connecticut This university is keen to

internationalise and South Africa isone of the targeted locations forpartnerships. The university has anarchive of papers of the AfricanNational Congress and amemorandum has been signedbetween the ANC and theuniversity. It was suggested thatscholarship opportunities should beoffered to students to conductresearch on the history of the ANC.

The University ofPennsylvania As one of the oldest US universitiesThe University of Pennsylvania, iswell positioned to provideopportunities for international

exchanges. The university has prioritised

four regions as part ofinternationalisation efforts.

New York UniversityNew York University identifiedpotential programmes as acontribution to the UCDP. Therewas an indication that one of theirstrong areas was in student supportand mobility opportunities forstudents.

It was indicated that 100 USAstudents visited the University ofFree State annually for two weeksof exposure.

Another potential area ofcollaboration is a focus on womenleaders. Summer modules wereheld three times a year in New York.

A third possible area would beon school leadership development.University leadership would betargeted for this programme.

It was indicated that the BankSector Education and TrainingAuthority (BANKSETA) annuallysent management and leadershipto attend programmes in the Schoolof Business.

There was agreement that anumber of further activities will beundertaken.

WORKING VISIT TO CANADA

The Canadian Bureau forInternational Education(CBIE)THE CBIE is a 50-year-oldorganisation composed ofuniversities.

Its purpose is to exploreinternational education partnership,do research, advocate and create

linkages with government, provideprofessional development and hostan annual national conference onhigher education issues.

There was agreement that moreadvocacy will be undertaken on thescholarship of the African Leadersfor Tomorrow programme.

It was agreed the administrationof the scholarships programmeshould be reviewed.

Universities CanadaA range of opportunities forcollaboration were identified,including that Universities Canadawas administering a newscholarship programme, the QueenElizabeth Diamond Jubileescholarship.

Research exchange grantswere also available for possibleexploration.

It was agreed that there must befollow up on the scholarshipprogrammes, including facilitatingformal links between UniversitiesCanada and Universities SouthAfrica.

The International ResearchDevelopment Centre (IRDC) The IRDC presented its variousprogrammes on grants forfellowship programmes: the QueenElizabeth Diamond Jubileescholarship for Commonwealthcountries, doctoral and post-doctoral degrees, twinningprogrammes and a Chairsprogrammes.

It was agreed that the IRDCprogramme resonated well withcomponents of the UCDP.

As a way forward, there shouldbe an exploration of a twinningprogramme between South Africaand Canada, a Chairs programmeand support in the Science,Technology, Engineering and

Mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

The Ontario UniversitiesApplication CentreA presentation on the model of theOntario Universities ApplicationCentre indicated the scope andgovernance arrangements in theCentre.

The centre processesundergraduate applications to all 20Ontario universities.

A college applications systemalso exists that is managed by theOntario College ApplicationService.

It was agreed that a critique onthe draft South African CentralApplications Systems policy wouldbe conducted.

Meeting with Canada’sMinister of Training,Colleges and UniversitiesMinister Reza Moridi welcomedcloser collaboration and noted thatthere were more than 77 000international students in Ontario.Given that the lingua franca isEnglish, South African students willhave no difficulties settling in andvarious universities havescholarship programmes forinternational students that must beexplored.

Ontario, it was noted, has one ofthe best schools internationally foranimal and veterinary sciences.

Minister Moridi indicated that hisprovince has 50 communitycolleges, that the reputation of thecollege sector is very high and thatthe employers value the traininggiven to students.

Opportunities to become job-ready have seen an increase inparticipation rates. The collegeshave a very close workingrelationship with industry.

The perception is that with a

college certificate, your jobprospects are better: 75% ofstudents find jobs within six monthsafter completing their collegeprogrammes.

University of Toronto The University is ranked in the top15 institutions globally and thepresentation at this meetingfocused largely on the work of theFaculty of Medicine.

This faculty has the capacity fortraining PhDs, faculty developmentprogrammes and innovativecombined Master’s and PHDdegrees.

International faculty and studentexchanges are thereforeencouraged and opportunities areavailable.

This resonated well with thepurpose of the UCDP and theStaffing South Africa’s UniversitiesFramework (SSAUF).

It was agreed that further follow-up is necessary because SouthAfrica has established the SefakoMakgatho Health SciencesUniversity as a dedicated facility forHealth Sciences.

Meeting with RyersonUniversity The university is an urban universitywith 50 000 students. Its Presidentpointed out that there are a numberof fruitful projects with South Africanuniversities that have been inexistence for a few years,particularly with Wits andStellenbosch Universities.

There was a need to meet withkey stakeholders on issues ofbusiness incubation in South Africa.

Mr Ghaleeb Jeppie is Chief Director: International

Relations at the DHET

INCREASING GLOBALCOLLABORATION: The aim of Minister ofHigher Education and Training BladeNzimande’s North American visit includedthe seeking of mobility and developmentopportunities for South African academicsand students to pursue postgraduatestudies in critical and scarce skills areas, andfor strengthening the capacity of theuniversity system as a whole.

FUNDING FOR CHANGE: Former Rhodes University Vice-Chancellor Dr Saleem Badat is now at the Mellon Foundation, USA, which will fund seven SA universities’ work on curriculum transformation,specifically on decolonising the curriculum.

Chicago University’s Harper Midway campus

University of Toronto

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2 UniversityofChicago

Minister visits USA and Canadato forge PARTNERSHIPS

Minister visits USA and Canadato forge PARTNERSHIPS

Minister visits USA and Canadato forge PARTNERSHIPS