Study South Africa
- International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA), Jooste, Nico
- Authors: International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA) , Jooste, Nico
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Education, Higher -- South Africa , Universities and colleges -- South Africa , Technical Institutes -- South Africa , Vocational guidance -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/64983 , vital:28642 , ISBN 9780620448161
- Description: [Extract from message from Minister of Higher Education and Training, Hon. Dr BE Nzimande]: It gives me pleasure to provide support to the International Education Association of South Africa’s (IEASA) 9th edition of the Study South Africa publication. The focus of this edition, which is Higher Education and Development in South Africa, is most appropriate today as South Africa continuously strives to ensure that higher education remains relevant and responsive to the developmental needs of the country. To this end, we always have to bear in mind that South Africa is a developing country, and as such still confronts challenges such as poverty and under-development. These challenges are characteristic of most developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, our higher education sector, through its core functions of teaching, research, and community engagement, should seek to address these issues especially as they affect the poor and other vulnerable members of our society. Since we became a democratic state in 1994, South Africa has gone a long way to transform and restructure our higher education system to ensure amongst others equity with regard to the demographics of our staff and student population. The gender and racial profile of our students has improved significantly over the years to the extent that we now have black and female students constituting the majority at our institutions, especially at undergraduate level. It is also pleasing to note that our institutions enjoy good international standing. South African researchers and institutions continue to engage in research collaborations with their peers and counterparts around the world, and thus, are integral parts of research programmes and networks. With respect to student mobility, our higher education institutions continue to attract large numbers of international students, particularly from other parts of Africa. In 2007 the number of international students enrolled at our institutions was counted at 59 209, a significant increase from 44 439 in 2000. About 85% of these students originate from the African continent, more specifically the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Several factors account for the increase in the number of international students coming to South Africa. These include the country’s natural and ecological resources, rich and diverse cultural heritage, and the stable socio-political conditions. The consistent growth in the number of international students seeking to study in South Africa is a positive affirmation on the quality of the country’s institutions and the international reputation of their academics and qualifications. As a country, we see this growth as a positive development as it provides us with the opportunity not only to impart or relate our experiences, but also, to learn from others, and by so doing further enhance the international standing of our higher education system. , 9th Edition
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA) , Jooste, Nico
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Education, Higher -- South Africa , Universities and colleges -- South Africa , Technical Institutes -- South Africa , Vocational guidance -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/64983 , vital:28642 , ISBN 9780620448161
- Description: [Extract from message from Minister of Higher Education and Training, Hon. Dr BE Nzimande]: It gives me pleasure to provide support to the International Education Association of South Africa’s (IEASA) 9th edition of the Study South Africa publication. The focus of this edition, which is Higher Education and Development in South Africa, is most appropriate today as South Africa continuously strives to ensure that higher education remains relevant and responsive to the developmental needs of the country. To this end, we always have to bear in mind that South Africa is a developing country, and as such still confronts challenges such as poverty and under-development. These challenges are characteristic of most developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, our higher education sector, through its core functions of teaching, research, and community engagement, should seek to address these issues especially as they affect the poor and other vulnerable members of our society. Since we became a democratic state in 1994, South Africa has gone a long way to transform and restructure our higher education system to ensure amongst others equity with regard to the demographics of our staff and student population. The gender and racial profile of our students has improved significantly over the years to the extent that we now have black and female students constituting the majority at our institutions, especially at undergraduate level. It is also pleasing to note that our institutions enjoy good international standing. South African researchers and institutions continue to engage in research collaborations with their peers and counterparts around the world, and thus, are integral parts of research programmes and networks. With respect to student mobility, our higher education institutions continue to attract large numbers of international students, particularly from other parts of Africa. In 2007 the number of international students enrolled at our institutions was counted at 59 209, a significant increase from 44 439 in 2000. About 85% of these students originate from the African continent, more specifically the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Several factors account for the increase in the number of international students coming to South Africa. These include the country’s natural and ecological resources, rich and diverse cultural heritage, and the stable socio-political conditions. The consistent growth in the number of international students seeking to study in South Africa is a positive affirmation on the quality of the country’s institutions and the international reputation of their academics and qualifications. As a country, we see this growth as a positive development as it provides us with the opportunity not only to impart or relate our experiences, but also, to learn from others, and by so doing further enhance the international standing of our higher education system. , 9th Edition
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
The idea of the university in South Africa today
- Authors: Pillay, Krishnavani
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Education, Higher -- South Africa , Universities and colleges -- South Africa , Blacks -- Education (Higher) -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DEd
- Identifier: vital:9527 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/901 , Education, Higher -- South Africa , Universities and colleges -- South Africa , Blacks -- Education (Higher) -- South Africa
- Description: This thesis aims to examine the concept of the university in contemporary South Africa. The aim of this thesis evolves from the question, what is the idea of the university in contemporary South Africa? This question evolves from my current experiences as an academic in a contemporary South African university. My colleagues and I are faced with many epistemological challenges on a daily basis as we try to teach our students, by providing them with both access to higher education as well as epistemological access, as we try and transform our curricula from an Apartheid determined one, to one that is more congruent with the values of our new dispensation, and which at the same time will contribute to the coherent development of both our universities and our country. Central to these issues and practices is a particular understanding of a university in our context. This priority is very challenging in a context such as ours which has a rich history of a politically determined, highly differentiated university sector. A direct consequence of this legacy is an unclear and shared understanding of a university in our country at present. What is currently required in our university and broader context is more determined thinking about a concept of the university in this country. In order to examine the concept of a university in contemporary South Africa, I engaged in a conceptual analysis. In so doing I divided my thesis into two parts, on the basis of the two conceptual analysis techniques which I used. In Part one I constructed a Model Example, and in the second part I applied this Model Example (scope of application) to different contexts. My Model example of a concept of a university is predicated on a Theory of concepts; a Theory of institutions, a Theory of practices, a theory of Inquiry and a Theory of Higher Education. I then examine the concept of a university in South Africa, by focusing on an examination of the concept of a university in different chronological and geographical contexts. In this part of my thesis I engage in examining the scope of applicability of a particular concept of a university. I examine the concept of a university firstly at a more historical level, by going back to Cardinal Newman, Von Humboldt and Jaspers. This examination is important to the contemporary concept of the university in South Africa, as our current concept of a university still attempts to hold onto the components that characterised the concept of the university that these historical figures were instrumental in developing. I then go on to examine a concept of a university in Germany and America, as contemporary South Africa has extended its borders to become part of a more globally competitive context. In so doing the concept of the university in contemporary South Africa is also at the same time, influenced by the kinds of developments in such countries. I then go on to examine a concept of a university during Apartheid South Africa, to provide a context for current change initiatives in this sector. The last two chapters focus on the post Apartheid university context. On the basis of two seminal higher education policy documents, I extrapolate a concept of a university in the contemporary South African policy context. I then go on to examine how this concept of a university is impacting on current transformatory initiatives in contemporary universities. In attempting to examine an idea of a university in a contemporary South African context, I had to grapple with an array of issues. But the most fundamental challenge for me was trying to clarify an essentially contentious concept. What emerges continuously from an examination of a concept of a university is the tension that has existed and which continues to exist, between the social responsibilities of a public institution such as a university; and its traditionally established epistemological functions. Most conflicts and disillusionment regarding this concept and its use, is predicated on the challenge of trying to establish how a university can be both relevant and valuable to society and still maintain its epistemic authority and value. The South African context further complicates this dilemma, because central to our transformatory goals is a particular world view that we as South Africans regard as valuable. Such a world view is based on the social epistemology and ontology of Ubuntu. This world view comes up constantly in policy documents and discourses that underpin the university terrain. I set out to examine the idea of the university in contemporary South Africa within the parameters of such a context and world view. It is against such a backdrop that I construct a Model Example of a concept of a university. My model example acknowledges both the socio-political functions and identity of a university; as well as its constitutive epistemological functions and identity. Central to such an understanding is the imperative to maintain a dialogical balance between these two important functions. Although this thesis goes into deep epistemological regions, it just skims the surface of such an exciting epistemological terrain. What it does do however, is open up an alternate perspective on how to try and understand a concept of a university and extend its scope of applicability in a variety of ways.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Pillay, Krishnavani
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Education, Higher -- South Africa , Universities and colleges -- South Africa , Blacks -- Education (Higher) -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DEd
- Identifier: vital:9527 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/901 , Education, Higher -- South Africa , Universities and colleges -- South Africa , Blacks -- Education (Higher) -- South Africa
- Description: This thesis aims to examine the concept of the university in contemporary South Africa. The aim of this thesis evolves from the question, what is the idea of the university in contemporary South Africa? This question evolves from my current experiences as an academic in a contemporary South African university. My colleagues and I are faced with many epistemological challenges on a daily basis as we try to teach our students, by providing them with both access to higher education as well as epistemological access, as we try and transform our curricula from an Apartheid determined one, to one that is more congruent with the values of our new dispensation, and which at the same time will contribute to the coherent development of both our universities and our country. Central to these issues and practices is a particular understanding of a university in our context. This priority is very challenging in a context such as ours which has a rich history of a politically determined, highly differentiated university sector. A direct consequence of this legacy is an unclear and shared understanding of a university in our country at present. What is currently required in our university and broader context is more determined thinking about a concept of the university in this country. In order to examine the concept of a university in contemporary South Africa, I engaged in a conceptual analysis. In so doing I divided my thesis into two parts, on the basis of the two conceptual analysis techniques which I used. In Part one I constructed a Model Example, and in the second part I applied this Model Example (scope of application) to different contexts. My Model example of a concept of a university is predicated on a Theory of concepts; a Theory of institutions, a Theory of practices, a theory of Inquiry and a Theory of Higher Education. I then examine the concept of a university in South Africa, by focusing on an examination of the concept of a university in different chronological and geographical contexts. In this part of my thesis I engage in examining the scope of applicability of a particular concept of a university. I examine the concept of a university firstly at a more historical level, by going back to Cardinal Newman, Von Humboldt and Jaspers. This examination is important to the contemporary concept of the university in South Africa, as our current concept of a university still attempts to hold onto the components that characterised the concept of the university that these historical figures were instrumental in developing. I then go on to examine a concept of a university in Germany and America, as contemporary South Africa has extended its borders to become part of a more globally competitive context. In so doing the concept of the university in contemporary South Africa is also at the same time, influenced by the kinds of developments in such countries. I then go on to examine a concept of a university during Apartheid South Africa, to provide a context for current change initiatives in this sector. The last two chapters focus on the post Apartheid university context. On the basis of two seminal higher education policy documents, I extrapolate a concept of a university in the contemporary South African policy context. I then go on to examine how this concept of a university is impacting on current transformatory initiatives in contemporary universities. In attempting to examine an idea of a university in a contemporary South African context, I had to grapple with an array of issues. But the most fundamental challenge for me was trying to clarify an essentially contentious concept. What emerges continuously from an examination of a concept of a university is the tension that has existed and which continues to exist, between the social responsibilities of a public institution such as a university; and its traditionally established epistemological functions. Most conflicts and disillusionment regarding this concept and its use, is predicated on the challenge of trying to establish how a university can be both relevant and valuable to society and still maintain its epistemic authority and value. The South African context further complicates this dilemma, because central to our transformatory goals is a particular world view that we as South Africans regard as valuable. Such a world view is based on the social epistemology and ontology of Ubuntu. This world view comes up constantly in policy documents and discourses that underpin the university terrain. I set out to examine the idea of the university in contemporary South Africa within the parameters of such a context and world view. It is against such a backdrop that I construct a Model Example of a concept of a university. My model example acknowledges both the socio-political functions and identity of a university; as well as its constitutive epistemological functions and identity. Central to such an understanding is the imperative to maintain a dialogical balance between these two important functions. Although this thesis goes into deep epistemological regions, it just skims the surface of such an exciting epistemological terrain. What it does do however, is open up an alternate perspective on how to try and understand a concept of a university and extend its scope of applicability in a variety of ways.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
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