Gearing universities
Distance and online education has been changing the educational landscape for years now, but questions are being raised by academics regarding whether or not universities are geared for the future and attuned to emerging developments. There are important issues around growing capacities, with greater emphasis on leadership and discourse on governance in higher education.
Unisa’s principal and vice-chancellor Professor Mandla Makhanya, speaking at t he recently-held International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) conference at Sun City in the North West Province, said he believes sustainable, quality higher education is the epicentre of nation-building and development as it undergirds the global desire for better societies.
He questioned whether there are adequate resources — skills, capacities, expertise and funds — to achieve the aspirations of higher education. “I want to challenge us to broaden our thinking to the opportunities of an integrated, articulated post-school system. I believe that if there is consideration for broadening access and absorption, then universities alone will not be the answer,” Makhanya told conference delegates.
He said the sustainability of higher education in the post-2015 agenda will require a leadership cadre with multi-disciplinary talents and understanding of issues such as public governance able to “integrate the academic project, accountability, institutional autonomy and quality to best effect within the university environment”.
“Governance is aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability of university leadership and monitoring and maintaining oversight of the university management. On the other hand, it seeks to maximise institutional performance, success and sustainability in the context of the mission and strategy of the university. Thirdly, it ensures stakeholder management, representation and democracy in the way the university is led and managed.
Massification of education
“However, with the introduction of governance imperatives into the university environment, there is emerging demand for regulation, administration management, reporting, risk and compliance regimens. The current debate is whether focus on governance in higher education has come at the cost of innovation, creativity and academic autonomy.
“Massification of education has resulted in universities increasing in size, with their regulation moving from centralisation to a decentralised supervisory framework from government.”
According to Makhanya, accusations of waste and inefficiency, coupled with a declining economy, have resulted in institutions becoming more entrepreneurial in their operations, significantly increas-