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Three South African universities have new approaches to assessing students: why this is a good thing

Three South African universities have new approaches to assessing students: why this is a good thing

SOUTH African higher education faces many complex challenges rooted in the legacy of apartheid. They include the fact that many students are unprepared for or excluded from higher education. Quality education is not available to all. It’s therefore difficult for many students to remain in higher education and eventually graduate. DANICA SIMS, Lecturer, University of Oxford The data points to two persistent trends. The first is that, according to 2018 figures, 69% of young South Africans (20-24) were not enrolled in education programmes. The second is that racial disparities remain in the profile of those enrolled at higher education institutions.…
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A free messaging app seemed useful for disadvantaged South African students: why they didn’t agree

A free messaging app seemed useful for disadvantaged South African students: why they didn’t agree

SOUTH African higher education is plagued by inequalities due to the social and economic legacies of apartheid. More than 50% of enrolment in higher education is from black, working-class, disadvantaged households from rural areas who depend on state-funded student aid. At the same time, some institutions of higher learning are also historically disadvantaged: they were designated for non-white students during the apartheid era. These institutions suffered discrimination, underfunding and limited resources, creating disparities in the country’s higher education system. FAZLYN PETERSEN, Information Systems Senior Lecturer, University of the Western Cape In a rapidly evolving digital era, one of the big…
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Closing the Divide: Virtual universities transforming higher education in Africa

Closing the Divide: Virtual universities transforming higher education in Africa

WEST Midlands Open University (WMOU) is Nigeria's first private virtual institution to "go live", part of a wave of openings that is sweeping the continent. The country's National University Commission granted Lagos-based WMOU the green light to offer degree programs virtually. According to Adebayo Akande, the institution's founder, "WMOU will catalyse national development and global competitiveness by utilising sustainable technologies and high-quality programs to provide training and education." On a continent where smartphone adoption and affordable internet access is changing lives, education startups and institutions are capitalising on these advancements in communications to bring tertiary education to both urban and…
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South African universities have taken to online teaching: but it can’t be permanent

South African universities have taken to online teaching: but it can’t be permanent

THE uptake of educational technology in South Africa’s higher education sector has been highly uneven and very slow. Before the pandemic, most courses offered in South African universities had some form of Learning Management System presence. Students could access course guides and readings, upload their assignments, and possibly communicate with their lecturer and peers via forums. But beyond that, many academics seemed to resist making use of the technology, even though it could allow for greater engagement and interactive learning. SIOUX MCKENNA, Director of Centre for Postgraduate Studies, Rhodes University And then 2020 happened and suddenly everyone found themselves thrown…
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African students the most mobile in the world

African students the most mobile in the world

SETH ONYANGO, BIRD NEWSROOM AFRICAN students seeking higher education are the most mobile in the world, with over 405, 000 ― 5 per cent of the 8.1 million tertiary students on the continent, studying overseas or elsewhere. According to French Campus, which monitors students’ data movement, the figure is more than double the global average of 2.4 per cent. As of September, last year, France had 29,000 Moroccan students, followed by students from Algeria and Tunisia. In the United Kingdom, there were more than 17, 000 Nigerian students followed by students from Egypt and Kenya. In the United States, there were…
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What complexity theory can teach leaders of South African universities today

What complexity theory can teach leaders of South African universities today

UNIVERSITIES are complex, dynamic organisations which must adapt in ways that aren’t always planned or predicted. For some university leaders, such challenges present an opportunity to lead for great change within the sector. For others, the sheer speed of unplanned change makes the situation feel chaotic and overwhelming. CYRILL WALTERS, Postdoctoral fellow, Stellenbosch University To succeed, university leaders need to understand that the qualities of leadership that may have worked in the past are different to those required in a complex world. South African higher education institutions experienced significant political unrest since March 2015 when the #RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall movements…
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Post COVID-19: opportunity for universities to have a rethink

Post COVID-19: opportunity for universities to have a rethink

UNIVERSITIES have a long history of operating in environments that are unstable, disruptive and unpredictable. They’ve endured political upheavals, financial crises and disruptive trends such as digital transformation and globalisation. TAWANA KUPE, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University, University of Pretoria GERALD WANGENGE-OUMA, Director of Institutional Planning, University of Pretoria They’ve had to respond to demands for greater access, life-long learning and multiple competing demands from students, society, the state, industry and local communities. But the COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented and a more formidable challenge. The scope and scale of its challenges have multiple dimensions. In the South African context,…
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