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A Perspective on Challenges to the Delivery of Distance Education in the Unisa Context Prof Narend Baijnath - VP Strategy, Planning and Partnerships - Unisa. 1. Institutional Context. Climate of constant change Organisational size and complexity Regulatory environment
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A Perspective on Challenges to the Delivery of Distance Education in the Unisa Context Prof Narend Baijnath - VP Strategy, Planning and Partnerships - Unisa
1. Institutional Context • Climate of constant change • Organisational size and complexity • Regulatory environment • H E System/Sector in flux • Technological advancements • Societal change and impact on the University • Demands for skilled personpower –access, throughputs • Diversity and differentiation in the sector
2. QA Challenges • Access with success • Geographical reach • Student diversity – diverse needs • Scale versus diversity of choice • Legacy – PQM, culture, capacity • Change and resistance • MIS, institutional architecture
3. Towards a highly planned organisation • Advocacy, dissemination, evangelism (whose responsibility ?) • From Institutional purpose to outcomes • Integrated, co-ordinated and aligned processes of planning – but detailed planning at manager level • From Unisa 2015 to individual/Institutional outcomes • From potential and promise to impact and effects • Planning as achieving coherence between purpose and outcomes = STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
INSTITUTIONAL PURPOSE Strategic plan Functional plans Operational plans Individual perf. plans O U T C O M E S Utility Social mandate Quality Strategic leadership Vision, advocacy, accountability, analysis, MIS A HIGHLY PLANNED ORGANISATION Relevant knowledge Institu- tional character/ type Strategic organisation Structures, competencies, business architecture, technology, processes Relevant HR capacity Policy/ regulatory framework Strategic planningPlanning, coordination, integration, alignment, resource allocation Relevant community outreach Institutional capabilities/ objectives Critical citizenship Strategic managementResponsibility, performance, evaluation, reporting National culture identity Systems, methods, instruments, institutional intelligence, policies, guidelines Competitive positioning
4. UNISA 2015 On Planning • Planning in.. Context of ambiguity and shifting sands; in the economy, society, and the higher education sector. We accept that uncertainty and rapid change have become the pervasive conditions under which planning must be done • A highly planned institution offers the best protection against shifting and changing conditions • A good plan must find expression in the allocation of its resources. It must then culminate in properly monitored implementation to ensure that performance outcomes are achieved
5. Reflection and Evaluation • How do we know we are achieving intended outcomes? • Performance Indicators • Monitoring and evaluation • Business Intelligence (MIS, IR, analyses)
6. QA processes • Trial Audit – testing the robustness of the QA systems • HEQC Compliance, regime of QA – methods, instruments, processes • Capacities, infrastructure • Saturated priorities
7. Obstacles • Ownership and buy-in • Management detachment • System/process convolutions and failures • Planning capacity • Perceptions and reality - morale • Cost-effectiveness vs effective educational experience • Resistance, apathy and indifference • Ideology, capacity and commitment gap between legacy and status quo, and transformational agenda • Embedded cultures and practices • Unisa 2015 competing for attention
7. Going Forward • Ownership, responsibility, accountability • Strategy implementation • Stress on strategic management • Integrated Planning Framework and Planning guidelines • Review, reflection and analyses and research