EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN

EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN Contextual challenges and opportunities for Higher Education in South Africa

CRITICAL QUESTIONS • How we see ourselves influences how we take up opportunities and reduce threats • Why should we do environmental scans? • Are we developing and allocating the kind of capacity and systems to steer and support national and regional initiatives and position the university in a competitive environment?

OPPORTUNITIES (1) • THIRD STREAM INCOME • CPD courses (FET educators, educator upgrading, NSC subject areas, 2010) • Participation in virtual/public academies (transport, judiciary, accountancy, public sector) • Support from provincial government linked to the implementation of the MoU (scarce skills, retention, growth and development sectors, longer term enrolment planning) • Improving throughputs (ASGISA, targeted government bursaries and other support) • Donor funding (Institute for Performing Arts) Note: Unless take debates on cost recovery forward many of the things listed as opportunities may actually be costs

OPPORTUNITIES (2) • GOVERNMENT FUNDING • HESA review of student fees • Review of teaching input subsidy • Review of teaching and research development grants • Changes in the funding for clinical training • Capital Development Grants(130m plus EBE) • Increasing the spend on R & D to 1% of GDP • Making use of increasing funds from DST and Trade and Industry – key to science innovation

OPPORTUNITIES (3) 3. PG STUDENT RECRUITMENT • Exploiting new NRF chairs • New national agreements (Brazil, India, China) • Areas linked to ASGISA and the provincial Growth and Development Strategy • Taking advantage of Centres of excellence • Are we providing appropriate programmes • Expansion of PG Diplomas • Multi-disciplinary programmes

OPPORTUNITIES (4) • STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS • Strengthening relationships with the provincial government and the city • OECD • Australian/other international universities linked to improving processes in priority areas • Southern African Regional Universities Association • African Leaders Forum • Presidential Working Group

THREATS (1) • FINANCIAL • Threat to cap fees • Affordability of a UCT education • Joint Agreement • Declining returning student numbers • Reduced third stream income especially in CPD area • Escalating staffing costs as proportion of budget

THREATS (2) • STUDENT RECRUITMENT • Increased competition for black and PG students • Reduced number of school leavers eligible to enter HE • Sophisticated and targeted recruitment drives from other institutions • Higher cohort success rates in other institutions impacting on attractiveness of UCT • Use of HEQC audit reports by the public • Impact of HIV/AIDS • Not keeping track of factors influencing students’ choice of institution

THREATS (3) • STAFF RECRUITMENT • Competition for meeting employment equity targets • Better packages/scholarships for junior staff from other institutions • Cost of housing in CT

Threats (4) • Emigration of graduates • Political instability in the Western Cape

OTHER HIGH LEVEL EXTERNAL TRENDS/ACTIVITIES Academic planning environment • HEQF and the GAP • Finalisation of the NQF Review (Trade and Occupation Quality Council) • Pressure from students to implement the recommendations of the HE Language policy task team State Steering • Impact of the external audits • Investigation into institutional autonomy and academic freedom • Impact of the work of the Presidential task Team on HE

EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN