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The South African UoT Experience

The South African UoT Experience Professor Roy du Pr é Vaal University of Technology From CATEs to UoTs 1967 – Six Technical Colleges developed into Colleges of Advanced Technical Education (CATE)

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The South African UoT Experience

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  1. The South African UoT Experience Professor Roy du Pré Vaal University of Technology

  2. From CATEs to UoTs • 1967 – Six Technical Colleges developed into Colleges of Advanced Technical Education (CATE) • 1979 – The CATEs were changed to “Technikons” offering post-school tertiary education • 1993 – Technikons granted degree-awarding status: offering degrees up to doctoral level • 2003 – Department of Education redesignates Technikons to Universities of Technology

  3. Milestones in the Development Process • 1981 - Four-year diplomas, Master’s Diplomas, Laureatus added to three-year national diplomas • 1983 - Establishment of Committee of Technikon Principals (CTP) • 1986 – Establishment of South Africa Society of Cooperative Education (SASCE) • 1986 – Establishment of Technikon Certification Council (SERTEC)

  4. Committee of Technikon Principals (CTP) • Association of Technical Colleges formed in 1920s as spokesman for technical colleges on matters of common interest. Association given recognition in 1967. • 1979 - became Association of Technikons • 1983 - CTP formed as a Statutory Body • Provision made for legal protection of the use of the name "technikon" and also for legal protection of technikon qualifications • Provision made for Minister to delegate some of his functions to a technikon council

  5. Functions of CTP • Coordination and co­operation among technikons on matters of common interest, such as • evaluation and recognition of qualifications for student admission purposes • giving advice on establishment of courses • Making recommendations on State subsidies.

  6. Unique Strengths • The Convenor System and National qualifications • Committee for Tutorial Matters (CTM) • Focus on Cooperative Education • Development of Research Capacity after 1993 [Alliance with NRF] • Spirit of Cooperation and support

  7. The Drive towards a University of Technology • Post 1994 : Restructuring of Higher Education • 1996/7 – National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE); SAQA Act (1995) and Higher Education Act (1997) • International Linkages and Benchmarking • 1997 - Debate within CTP on the “University of Technology” • 2000 - CTP Strategic Workshop • 2001 - CTP Declaration and Document - Reaction by DoE and Universities • 2003 – The “Announcement”

  8. Progress: 1993 - 2003 • Development of degrees • Improvement of Staff Qualifications • Developing Research and capacity • 46% increase in student numbers 1994 – 1999 (decline in traditional universities) • 2000 – first-time enrolments in Technikons bypass that of universities

  9. Challenges for Technikons at the end of 2003 • Improvement of Staff qualifications • Building research capacity and increasing research outputs • Strengthening cooperative education and industry ties • Increase in postgraduate students • Building quality • Growing success and graduation rates • Challenging the SA HE pyramid

  10. Universities Technikons/UoTs Technical Colleges THE DESIRED HIGHER EDUCATION PYRAMID

  11. THE SOUTH AFRICA HE PYRAMID Universities Technikons/UoTs Technical Colleges

  12. Reconfiguration of HE • 2000 – CHE Task Team • 2002 – National Working Group • 2003 – Mid-Year Proposals • 2003 – October Announcement • 1 January 2004 – First UoTs • 1 January 2005 – Final UoTs • Other Technikons merged with traditional universities to form “Comprehensives”

  13. Challenges for UoTs in a new HE Landscape • Competing on a level playing field • Sustaining growth and gains made by technikons since 1993 • Reaching DoE benchmarks on staff qualifications, research outputs, success rates and graduation rates • Increasing postgraduate student numbers • Growing applied research

  14. The Need for a SA TN • Impact of Mergers on Technikons • Impact of Mergers on CTP • Formation of HESA • Future of technology higher education • Network for the 6 UoTs and 4 Comprehensive Universities

  15. A South African Technology Network • CTP agreed that a TN be established along the lines of the ATN to • assist the UoTs to build on what was good as technikons and • to develop UoTs as a “new” sector to complement traditional and comprehensive universities • to ensure that the distinctiveness of technology higher education is not diluted • to guard against academic drift

  16. Importance of UoTs in the South African HE System • the diversity within South Africa's unitary higher education system should form the basis of its strength • UoTs, which specialise in making knowledge useful, will, alongside the traditional and comprehensive universities, constitute a dynamic and excellent higher education system for South Africa. • The difference in focus and ethos between UoTs and traditional universities will bring much wider variety and diversity into the HE scene and contribute meaningfully to greater technology transfer and international competitiveness

  17. Thank You

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