Question NW1592 to the Minister of Higher Education and Training

Reply:

There are no policies on decolonized education in higher education institutions. However, the Department is spearheading its contribution to university transformation through the implementation of a new integrated programme called the University Capacity Development Programme (UCDP). The programme follows on from the successes achieved through programmes that were implemented using the earmarked Teaching Development Grant and Research Development Grant. It is a consolidation and extension of the functions of these grants. The UCDP will be implemented in three-year phases and assist to address transformation imperatives in student development, staff development and programme/curriculum development.

a) With respect to student development, universities will be supported to:

• Strengthen their data analytic capacity to generate stronger evidence and knowledge of student performance and the factors impacting on it, and use this to implement evidence-based interventions;
• Put strong student advising systems in place that help direct students to appropriate pathways, and channel students to support that address specific learning barriers;
• Implement activities that focus on improved student success such as first-year experience programmes, tutoring programmes, mentoring programmes, academic support programmes, supplementary instruction programmes, psycho-social support programmes and others; and
• Select high-achieving undergraduate and postgraduate students as mentors and tutors and support selected students to take the first steps on an academic career pathway.

b) With respect to staff development, the UCDP will:

• Help develop university academic and professional staff in roles including teaching, researching, leading, managing and administering;
• Promote access for senior undergraduate/early postgraduate students to academic career development opportunities;
• Support the recruitment and development of new, talented academics that will contribute to a transformed demographic profile at universities, through the New Generation of Academics Programme (nGAP);
• Support the development of existing and newly recruited academic’s teaching and research capacity, prioritising staff who do not hold a PhD degree; and
• Provide development opportunities for university staff who are in leadership and management positions at universities, or who show potential and interest in following this pathway. Part of this will involve contributing to the establishment of a professoriate that is demographically representative.

c) With respect to programme and curriculum development, the UCDP will:

• Provide support for the development of new programmes identified as national, regional and/or institutional priorities; and
• Provide support for university processes that interrogate the relevance of higher education curricula and enable their transformation.

COMPILER/CONTACT PERSONS:

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DIRECTOR – GENERAL

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QUESTION 1592 APPROVED/NOT APPROVED/AMENDED

Dr BE NZIMANDE, MP

MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING

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