Number
two,
1998
(DE Round Table is an occasional publication
reflecting discussions held
on key contemporary
The future of South African universities: What role for business? Part One
On 18 February invitation
199830
people met at the
of the Centre for Development
and Enterprise table discussions
the future of South African universities. Participants
included
university
ers, public policy makers, advisers other experts in higher education, business
people closely concerned
leadand and with
issues in this sector.
major issues in the university
sector and develops
for the first of two rouna on the role of business
identifies
a situation
Against this background in
table discussion
report.
CDE's next round
will focus more directly on
issues relating to business
strategies.
This is an edited version of the day's discussion.
A number of experts had been
asked to prepare short lead-in papers, extracts from these are summarised main text. Key points which emerged
The first round table sets the scene,
presented
in a summary.
, Where is the vision? What is the country trying to achieve in and through its universities, and in the higher education system as a whole? ~
CDE
BOlJj\[)
Ti\BLE
NUj\lBEH
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and
in the are
topics
.
FUTURE
OF
SA
UNIVERSITIES
Summary of
key points Vision and honesty
• We need a very thorough debate about
• South Africa does not have a national
excellence
and equity. What do these terms
vision for its higher education sector. What
really mean in a university context? Can
is the country trying to achieve?
they be pursued simultaneously?
• The size and shape of the higher education system must be reappraised.
BUT this
topic cannot easily be raised because to do so is perceived as racism.
• It is totally unrealistic excellence
can be achieved in all 21 univer-
sities. Government
• There are too many 'universities'
but
not enough institutions
to respond to the
country's development
needs.
and extremely
dangerous to assume that the same degree of policy and funding has to
reflect this reality. • We need effective strategies to draw on and develop the widest pool of talent avail-
• Higher education must serve many dif-
able among all South Africans if we are to
ferent needs in our complex society. There
become an internationally
must be flexibility for each institution to
nation.
carve out its own niche.
competitive
• Should all universities
• We pretend to have 21 universities when in fact we do not. Many graduates are excluded from consideration
for jobs
make good the deficiencies
be expected to of the school
system? • Education
as a whole seems to be a
because they come from such poor quality
sector which has not yet recognised the
institutions.
inescapable
need for tough choices.
Participants in the round table Monique Adams, Senior Divisional Human
Mike Ellis, Education spokesman,
Resources Manager, Anglo
Democratic Party
American Corporation
Brian Figaji, Rector, Peninsula Technikon Dr Nasima Badsha, Deputy Director General (Higher Education),
Jannie Gagiano, Department of Political Science, Stellenbosch University
Department of Education
Reg Berkowitz, Director: Corporate Affairs,
Jenny Glennie, Director, SA Institute for Distance Education
Investec
Ann Bernstein, Executive Director, Centre
Andre Hamersma, General Manager: Public Affairs, Standard Bank
for Development and Enterprise
Professor Colin Bundy, Vice Chancellor,
Professor Douglas Irvine, Senior Associate, Centre for Development
University of the Witwatersrand
and Enterprise
Dr Nico Cloete, Director, Centre for Higher David Katzke, Deputy Vice Chancellor
Education Transformation
(Finance), University of Fort Hare
Professor Donald Ekong, Scholar-inresidence, Ford Foundation Office, Johannesburg;
Margie Keeton, Chief Executive, Anglo American and De Beers
and former
Chairman's
Secretary General, Association of African Universities
CDE
HOlJr\1J
TABLE
NUJ\IBEB
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1998
Fund
ROUND
TABLE
Facts, figures, trends • African students now comprise at least • The state secondary school system is the grave-digger
of black aspirations.
From
25 percent of the intake at all so-called historically white universities,
with only one
1994 to 1997, the matric cohort grew by well
exception. At some of these institutions
over five percent per annum, but university
black students now outnumber whites. By
entrance passes dropped from 88 000 to
contrast, some historically black institutions
69 000. More black students came into the
do not have a single white student; and
higher education
others have very few.
years of apartheid
system during the last few than during the first three
or four years of the new democratic
regime.
• A huge bulge in potential university entrants was predicted
in the early 1990s.
This has not materialised.
Overall student
numbers are declining, particularly historically black universities.
at
• African enrolments
are concentrated
account for less than 30 percent of enrolments in the natural sciences - a very broad category which includes medicine, dentistry, agriculture,
architecture,
and others.
The bulge has
developed at the level of school-Ieavers
who
do not qualify for university entrance. These
Financial realities • South African universities
are still
young South Africans, with unfulfilled
funded according to a pre-1994 formula.
expectations,
Successive
are likely to pose political
governments
have been unable to
problems.
finance the full amount. Over the past
Thembile Kulati, Project Co-ordinater, Centre for Higher Education Transformation
Dr Nick Segal, Public Affairs Director, Anglovaal
Professor
Carole lewis, Dean, Faculty of Law, University of the Witwatersrand
Don Macey, Manager: Foundation
Standard
Professor
Andrew Sillen, Director: Development Office, University of Cape Town
Professor
Charles Simkins, Department Economics, University of the Witwatersrand
Bank
of
Professor Anthony Melck, acting Vice Chancellor, Unisa
Roger Smythe, Human Resources Manager, Siemens
Dr Teboho Moja, Special Adviser to the Minister of Education
Dr Rolf Stumpf, President, Human Sciences Research Council
Professor
Koos van Heerden, Training Manager: Organisational Development Unit, Amplats
Njabulo Ndebele, Vice Chancellor, University of the North
Dr Mamphela Ramphele, Vice Chancellor, University of Cape Town Dr Jairam
Helen Zille, Director of Communication, University of Cape Town
Reddy, Chairman, National Commission on Higher Education
C Il
E
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in
the human and social sciences. Africans
C ~
f)
T A H I. E
Views expressed by the participants are not necessarily those of CDE. NlJl\'IIlEB
'1'\\"01998
FUTURE
OF
SA
UNIVERSITIES
decade actual allocations 80 percent
have fallen from
to about 64 percent of the for-
mula entitlement.
A new financing
system
will be a major factor determining future of our universities,
the
is demand-driven, accountability.
subsidy works
deters innovation,
institutional
dis-
responsiveness
Universities
and
lack resources
to institute new programmes
because only
existing student enrolments
are subsidy-
earning; and when a new programme launched
human resource
or fund academic
development a competitive
global economy.
development
policy in which the role of
tertiary education
is understood, technikons institutions
by:
• costly duplications facilities
reflecting
the apartheid • large numbers
sensitive
landscape,
of
the fragmentation
of
era
sentative
students
Act makes prothe
but the power of the institutions
is a
play? Will its repre-
nature allow it to make tough
policy choices'? • The Minister's
of under-prepared
as
issue. What role will the Council
for Higher Education
and triplications
and other contribute
vision for the Minister to reconfigure minister over individual
crisis in higher educa-
and to
parts of a rational system.
essential
• The financial
the
• South Africa needs a human resource
institutional
tion is compounded
encourage
of high level skills needed in
grammes or bridging courses which are to overcome poor schooling.
policy, nor do
priorities
• The Higher Education
support pro-
and
does not have a national development
fmther education
to come through. Nor does the subsidy
of
goals.
which universities,
is
it takes two years for the subsidy
recognise
employment
public expenditure
• The way the university
independently
GEAR, and its broad macroeconomic • Government
but the formula
has yet to be developed.
courages
has been developed
role must be to steer
the system of higher education
within an
who often take six or seven years to com-
agreed framework,
accountabli-
plete a three-year
ty and using incentives
degree
• some 400 000 students the most expensive
in universities,
as instruments
form of higher educa-
tion, and only about half that number in technikons methods of delivery, largely
face to face and residential, a distance
in rationalising
education
sector noted for its
ment information.
• Regional cooperation
among universi-
little cooperation
in rationalising
library resources,
information
and research
development
information
of higher education
the system
effectively. Getting the
priority. transformation
work for higher education
technology
described
unless both stick
prehensive
and carrot are used.
and statistics
system right must be a top
• Government's
faculties,
and gaps exist in
needed to plan and administer information
ties is badly needed - but there will be
the system.
This can't be done without reliable manage-
the management
together with
cost -inefficiencies.
frame-
has been
as the most ambitious
and com-
in the world - BUT is there
sufficient capacity to carry it through?
the system effective
• There is a crucial lack of unifying leadership
and disincentives
• Critical weaknesses
• expensive
Making
demanding
to bring government
c
I)~:
B () U N IJ
facilities
must be used
In many cases students
campuses
L I':
with the accompanying
;~U\lBEB
TWO
199B
are
for only 28 weeks
of the year. Plant is under-utilised,
sector
TAB
more efficiently. on expensive
policies
together. Policy for the educational
• University
infrastructure
together
ROUND
including maintenance
staff. Elite
TABLE
were generally inadequate.
Many universi-
institutions and all their facilities should be
ty managers simply looked to government
open 18 hours a day for 365 days a year!
to solve their problems. More creative
• No big business organisation in
management
could have saved them from
this country expects to increase its employ-
the deplorable
ment. People must be taught to take their
place in so many countries.
decline which has taken
careers into their own hands. We must learn from experiments
in other parts of the world
which are aLlempting to inculcate entrepreneurial values through education.
Business • Business has long played a role in the education sector through its corporate
• South Africa must deal with its terri-
social involvement funds, bursary schemes,
ble legacy of apartheid, but the other chal-
and other forms of support for individual
lenges facing higher education are common
institutions.
throughout the world.
ern society which works efficiently in all
The African
Business wants a stable, mod-
spheres, and outputs from the education
experience
system are crucially important to business's
• Since the 1980s higher education in much of Africa has been in crisis.
own competitiveness • Higher education receives a dispro-
Universities depend almost entirely on
portionately
state subventions.
relative to the overall spectrum of society's
Faltering national
high investment from business
economies resulted in drastic reductions in
needs. The business sector is unlikely to
funding. With enormous pressures for
commit additional intellectual
access, enrolments continued to rise.
cial resources without clarity of purpose
Even so universities
and a sense of forward movement in higher
could not accommo-
date explosive increases in the number of schoolleavers
qualifying for university
and finan-
education. • At present, most captains of industry
entrance.
are likely to express deep concern about
• As subsidies declined, the first things
what they see in the university sector. They
to go were academic services, followed by
see crises; a lack of clarity about funding;
cuts to research funds, library acquisitions,
duplication
staff development,
tiation playing to local opportunities
equipment,
teaching facilities,
and infrastructural
mainte-
particular
nance. Frustrated
by the worsening acade-
mic environment,
talented staff began to
and
strengths; they see a shambles in
governance.
Confidence has to be restored.
• There are already many points of con-
leave, the quality of instruction declined, and gifted students are increasingly
where there should be differen-
tact between various businesses
reluc-
tant to consider academic careers.
and higher
education, though not in an organised way. These separate initiatives should be
• Large subsidies and financial support
brought together more closely. The next
for students were accepted as necessary by
step may be to move towards establishing
both colonial and post-independence
forum in which business and universities
gov-
a
ernments; but universal direct maintenance
can address issues of mutual concern - but
grants or indirect support through virtually
the degree of formality must be thought
free services led to inefficiency, waste and .
through, as well as the pros and cons of a
corruption.
single national forum or a number of
• Universities' responses to the crisis
C Il
E
Il 0
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TAB
different forums.
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FUTURE
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UNIVERSITIES
The round table discussion The day began with a discussion changing
role of universities
the dual imperatives
of the
environment.
as they face
of excellence
and
A paper on lessons from the
African experience ing session.
rounded ofl the morn-
Discussion
equity. This was followed by a doseI' look
specific
at current
facts, figures and trends in the
tion, the implications
university
sector; financial
university
constraints;
and
then focused on the
issues of institutionaltransformafor research,
and
autonomy. In the concluding
the nature of the emerging system as it is
session, business
concerns
likely to be shaped by policy and the wider
higher education
were raised.
in the field of
Introduction Introducing
the day's discussion,
recognised inescapable
the need
for tough
on edu-
This is sti II an area of great idealism,
racies need independent
scarcely
debate.
which has not yet
the policy literature
1995 with a very simple idea: that democ-
then try to influence
to be a sector
• Reading
cation is like taking a trip into the past.
think tanks which
can work on critical national
Education seems
Ann
Bernstein noted that CDE was set up in
issues and
orous debate.
macro-economic
the publ ic policy
CDE thrives on discussion It commissions
employment
and vig-
research
by
experts, brings people together to discuss issues freely, listens to different
related to current
points of
GEAH. Education the inescapable
institutions.
makers and the wider public.
need for tough choices.
money at them? Here we surely
face some difficult decisions in the public interest.
the universities
on
by experts and key players.
Looking at the pol icy literature
on edu-
• 'Cooperative
governance'
seems to deny politics,
set:
most importantly
such as housing,
in particular
health or education
remarkabl y insular. Educationists educationists, specialists, important
sectors
health specialists
are
talk to to health
and so on. It is critically to talk across sectors. Through
must be made. It is misguided that cooperative the problems
which
deny interests,
governance
and
to imagine will solve all
and challenges.
A final impression: plans, many documents
There are lots of - but where is the
vision '? What is the country tryi ng to achieve
about the universities
and in the higher education
national debate.
as unprob-
to deny that hard choices
this round table CDE aims to bring issues into the wider
for this sec-
It is a woolly concept,
cation, four points can be made at the out• Policy debates
about what is
tor seems to be widely accepted lematical.
But
mean for institutions'?
issue. Education
which it enters through this discussion
in par-
is clearly necessary.
CDE uses to get an overview of a complex is a new field for CDE,
and for
Hedress for individuals
ticular contexts Throwing
in high-
both for individuals
what does redress
The round table format is one device
choices.
on the whole seems to
• There is much talk of redress
what it thinks would be best for the coundecision
strategy,
be a sector which has not yet recognised
er education,
to
around
policy and the growth,
and redistribution
view. CDE then makes up its own mind on try, and puts forward policy proposals
debates
whole'?
in and through its universities, system as a
ROUND
TABLE
The changing role of universities Professor
Charles Simkins began by
observing
that a major lheme which can be
traced from classical
antiquity
the need for a specialist
nalural and human studies. exlernal
recognition
internal
operalions
long-slanding aristocracy'
Bul, unless
meet in a favourable are unlikely
with performance.
lo The
view that only a 'nalural of inlellecl
aboul the place of univer-
African sludenl
loan system introduced
lhe Independent
Development
lhe Tertiary Education
Fund of SA
the universities'
own stake in
students'
future earnings,
lhere is a much
interest
today in graduales'
The second factor shaping technological
which could not be produced
affected the changing
shaped
Since 1945
in particular
have
the modern debale :
• the expansion
of
higher education, • rapid technological
change, and
• expectat ions of expanded
substantial
increases
between
with
in funding and stu-
dent grants, was made possible economic
theory
of innovation
tends
by rapid
growth in the Wesl in the years 1945 and the early 1970s.
Universities
everywhere
and have lo
inputs into research
For
dangerous
which universilies
operale.
views about the role of universi-
lies in sociely is the expectation lic policy should be direcled expanding
people's
that pub-
towards
life chances
closely lied up with the expansion er educalion,
for individual
advancemenl.
In brief, this is the conlemporary
in the late I980s Auslralia
national and national
replaced
free higher educalion
discussion.
T _'\ 11 I. I,:
:-.; r
~1 II 1-: B
of high-
which was seen as crealing opportunities
T W
()
1
l) l)
background
g
and
interlo our
to
assume that the same degree of excellence can be achieved
in general
- in large parl a legacy of the post 194.5
inslance,
wilh a
unrealistic
tanl bearing on funding, and the ways in
social and economic
future earnings
l) _, Il
that this will
extremely
drawing down on students'
B ()
It is totally
lead lo reliable oulpuls. This has an impor-
unprecedented
C I) E
resource
and development
diversify their sources of income; including through various loan schemes.
advance
welfare stale in Western Europe. This was
are now in a
period of fiscal austerity,
and technical
to prevail, which emphasises
lemporary of universities,
reliably to
order. Nowadays a more mechanistic
The lh iI'd factor which has shaped con-
life
chances. The expansion
of new ideas or didn't,
work, with the expectation
or 'massification'
as a
thing lhat either happened
ological and political
in many
of
in the
used to think of innovation
as a consequence
Demands from other directions
the debale is
how this comes aboul. Economists
tected site' has been exposed to severe ide-
three new developments
eco-
change, and conceptions
rather peculiar
In lh is century the 'pro-
nature and role of universities.
Trust and
(TEFSA) in 1991. For a variety of reasons,
further education.
have also profoundly
by
including
I930s
pressures
loans.
The laller was in fact a model for the South
silies in the wider system of higher and
counlries.
pay
nomic prospects.
in this
is another critical point of refer-
ence in thinking
scheme whereby studenls
fees or take out income-contingent
sharper
and sensibility
should be eligible to participate enterprise
site for
of this site and ils own
conjuncti()f1, universities match aspiration
onwards is
protected
contribution
all
21
universities.
in
o
FUTURE
F
UN,VERS,T,ESII
SA
Excellence and equity?
The size and shape of the higher education system must be reappraised.
Do
Dr Mamphela Ramphele advanced the
through a very targeted academic develop-
proposition that if we seek excellence we
ment programme. Requirements
have no choice but to pursue equity simul-
ulating teaching and learning environment
taneously. Although excellence
are constantly being re-assessed.
and equity
are often thought of as incompatible, Africa cannot promote excellence
South
within
the university system without paying serious attention to issues of equity and redress at both institutional
we've got?
However,
all of this entails a huge commitment of resources - with no direct state support for these endeavours. University staff profiles are problemati-
and individual
levels. we want what
for a stim-
cal. Within the system as a whole something like 90 percent of full professors are
In talking about equity we need to know
white men. Good intentions and laissez
what national vision South Africa is pursu-
faire evolutionary approaches
ing in the university or higher education
are insuffi-
cient to achieve employment equity. Here
system. Until we are clear about that
too universities
vision, it will be very difficult to make
backed by appropriate
need clear strategic plans resources, and an
tough choices about how we allocate scarce
institutional
culture which supports the
resources. A national vision for higher edu-
development
of new talent, with targets
cation has yet to be defined. Had this been
and time-frames
done by the National Commission on
Employment
to measure change. equity is a national strate-
Higher Education (NCHE), government
gic priority for economic, political and
would now be in a position to insist that
social reasons. Business is used to the
each university should define its mission
idea of setting targets, developing appro-
as required by the Act. But a mission must
priate strategies and allocating resources
be defined within a context - and we don't
to support those strategies. When it comes
know what size or shape is envisaged for
to employment equity, this is somehow
the system.
considered
Ability is randomly spread throughout the population.
How do we identify the tal-
ented 'natural aristocrats'
if we draw on
inappropriate.
such resistance
Why is there
to the Employment
Equity
Bill? The Bill sensibly avoids quotas, recognises that there are real obstacles in
only a very narrow band in society?
achieving employment equity, but requires
Apartheid
businesses
excluded the vast majority from
access to opportunities.
We must develop
strategies with specific targets to draw on the widest pool of talent available if we are to become an internationally
competitive
nation.
and institutions
to demonstrate
that they are serious about making progress over time. This seems as moderate an approach as can be expected in South Africa. South Africa has to invest in the devel-
Most South African universities
are now
attracting talented students from a great variety of backgrounds.
UCT for example
has students from zero income families
opment of its people. Given that the development of blacks and women in particular was previously neglected that is where our focus has to be.
who have been identified as having the potential to succeed. Like a number of other universities,
UCT has developed
Discussion • Higher education needs a coherent
strategies to ensure that talented students
national vision, but we are in no position to
are brought in and then helped to achieve
develop a detailed blueprint for the system.
CDE
HOUND
TABLE
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TWO
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TABLE
ROUND
• We mustn't confuse a national vision with centralised
planning
and prescrip-
tion: There are opportunities
for institu-
Council for Higher Education
(CHE),
which could delay any decision for another three or four years. In any case,
tions to carve out their own niches, since
the CHE is only an advisory body, and in
many roles are possible.
the end the Minister will have to grasp
Let each institu-
tion think about its context, its resource base, and what it can do that will give it a unique edge.
• A wise government
will say that we
are going to be a globally competitive
• To create a new generation lectuals
the nettle.
of intel-
and ensure that a significant
number remain in the academic we need a shared national gies to transform
including
domain
vision. Strate-
institutional
nation, and tough choices flow from that,
culture,
choices about the allocation
funds in our education
• Are there effective strategies bring talented
of
system to
black people into the acaThe debate
and identify and retain people of promise
demic environment?
are critically
on a sense of
resources,
this poses a huge financial
about redress
are about. Are they
challenge
in providing student support,
should be
attracting
and retaining
dependent
what our universities to be development
universities,
as in
Africa in the 1960s and 70s, or agents of
Education
a technological
noble profession,
revolution,
which under-pinned polytechnics
the vision
the expansion
of
in Britain?
• Excellence Is it possible
and equity cost money.
to talk sensibly
or both while assuming can continue
about either
that South Africa
to sustain 21 universities
and 15 technikons'?
The size and shape of
the higher education reappraised.
system must be
Do we want what we've got?
With our limited
academic
is no longer regarded
look the same,
private sectors. Given the shortage of top-
but to create a
level skills, and the fierce competition
diversity of
black academics business
and government,
• Cooperative nerships
governance
and government
cooperative
There isn't the political
governance
are (or
Properly
governance
for the higher education individual
that all 21 universities
beyond the traditional could
be an efficient and effective mechanism
diversity, is fraught with controversy.
assumption
business
point towards forms of
managed,
correct
and part-
between universities,
that it should remain.
about these topics. The politically
effectively
tiation may be the only solution.
of higher education.
space to talk
institutions.
system as well as But cooperative
can only work if issues of
management
capacity
in government
are addressed
and in individual
tions. However, in this respect South
and that the existing institutional
Africa is currently
scape is unalterable,
is a crippling
straint on the development
con-
of healthy
policy discourse. rationalisation,
going through a
process of over-correction the authoritarianism
as a reaction to
of the past.
• Until the 1990s business
• The higher education
system needs
but the NCHE avoided
making any recommendation ber of universities.
on the num-
The Minister will have
Africa had less incentive
various ways including
the question - or pass it on to the new
barriers - and sanctions.
HOUND
TABLE
NUMBEIl
'1'\\/0
training
It was protected
exposure to international
to work up a lot of courage to deal with
CUE
in South
to become
actively involved in education, and development
with-
institu-
should be) of the same kind and equal, land-
institutions
salary differen-
insularity
system, and the need for
for
among universities,
collaboration
of the university
make everyone
salaries
can't compete with those in the public or
imposed on us by the past doesn't mean of the size and shape
focused - not to
as a
and academic
The mere fact that a system has been
• Any discussion
staff.
1998
from
competition
in
cartels, high tariff The world is
fulfilling needs.
different
FUTURE
OF
SA
UNIVERSITIES
now very different.
Any organisation
seize opportunities,
that
wants to survive as a serious participant
in
business
its sector has to invest in people. • Universities
produce results,
which are prepared
priorities
will find partners
community
innovation
to
establish
and
in the
willing to support
and change.
Facts, figures and trends There are critical
Dr Rolf Stumpf noted that South Africa's
weaknesses and
management
latter confirm that the expected
hordes of While the
Official figures are available
only up to
number of 'pass only' students
who could
1994. Trends and projections
therefore
potentially
to tech-
education
information
have not materialised. press for admission
nikons has increased,
supplemented
that the projected
by guesswork.
The number of schoolleavers for university
entrance
icantly. Alarmist
effectively.
sys-
have to be derived from patchy information and administer higher education
figures at the
students
information needed to plan
but enrolment
tem (SA PSE) has virtually collapsed.
post-secondary
gaps in the
institutions,
qualifying
has declined
discussions
signif-
bers in higher education
school system'?
2005 project an annual
have
not been borne out. At the historically
cent in total secondary
black institutions,
suggest
bers. This reinforces
from
growth in university
that enrolments
some analyses actual Iy decreased
1995 through to 1997. To some extent this
considerably
may reflect a shift to the historically
of 6,1 percent
white
will materialise
Learner forecast figu res for 1997 to
was about to
arrive at the doors of our universities
increase
of 4,8 per-
school pupi I numthe view that any
enrolments
will be
lower than the annual growth that universities
experienced
Chart 1: Students at universities according to population group, 1996
Students
num-
by 2005. Who could have foreseen the collapse of our secondary
at the NCHE
that a huge bulge of students
it seems unlikely
growth of student
UNISA
'OOOs
'OOOs
35
140
DBlack
30
25
•
Indian
D
Coloured White
20 15 10
.:~DD [J,D:B:U
5
~
~~"'>/~~
.:;; ... \.<$" 810ck Indian Coloured White
4044 911 2 124 8 328
5330 4639 167 300
5575 3 8 18
/~~/ "<.';s .•/
2754 525 36 98
.. :s,.
~$3..
. ~
/~// ~<;"'~//~ "'>~~ ~~~ ./ ~ ../ ~ ~~ ~~
~
5274 16865 4580 14 370 22 5 133 13
5 864 8 2 2
~//
2 130 42 440 6771
~",.
<$>.. 1 206 168 685 3189
..:i//~
~<;:"s:,~.~":l
<>..":l~ <;
2 373 92 224 7770
4 788 393 243 19425
<>..~
9 837 615 705 10070
1 685 508 421 140 156 1688 2 550 12 673
7 038
\
7 299 30 237 59 568 82
I' \1 H E I:
T \\" ()
5064 2259 339 9395
7 361 630 5391 186
1
lJ
')
n
6913 67162 52 11 864 12 5153 77 50900
Source:
HSRC
ROUND
TABLE
Chart 2: Full time equivalent enrolments for universities in 1994
â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘ 49
MALE
86 680
46,5
33821
58
120 501
FEMALE
99719
53,5
24 522
42
124241
51
244 742
100
TOTAL
58 343
100
186 399
HUMAN
100
NATURAL
%
TOTAL
%
%
SCIENCES
SCIENCES WHITE
73 890
40
COLOURED
10 219
5
3 166
5
13385
6
INDIAN
11 931
6
5984
10
17915
7
AFRICAN
90 359
49
15843
28
106 202
43
100
58 343
100
244 742
100
TOTAL
186399
107 240
57
33350
Data available for only 18 out of 21 universities
from 1987 Lhrough Lo 1993, and far less than the annual growth raLe of 17,2 percent experienced
by technikons
during the
same period. African sLudenLs now comprise
at least
Source: HSRC
years, and may have worsened The 'natural
sciences',
includes
not only the obvious fields but
also medicine,
dentistry,
tecture,
African enrolments
exception
of Stellenbosch
(Chart 1). A L
it must be noted,
a very broad category which
historically
with the
marginally.
constitute
25 percenL of the intake aL all so-called white universiLies,
agriculture,
archi-
and olhers. In the human sciences, exceed those of whiles.
Less than :30 percent of African FTE enrol-
some of Lhese insLitut ions - of which Natal
ments are in the natural sciences.
University
nikons might be expected
is a good example - black stu-
(Tech-
to present a dif-
dents now oULnumber whiLes. By contrast,
ferent picture from the universities,
some hisLorically black instiLuLions do not
fact are not appreciably
but in
beLLeI'.)Within the
have a single while sludenL; and oLhers
natural sciences
the very low proportion
have very few. Are two different
female students
is furl her cause for con-
universiLies emerging: of multiracial
sets of
one group consisting
institutions,
and anoLher of
cern. While this concentration and social sciences
single race instiLuLions'? Should this be
developing
countries
happening'?
open up, we must ensure thai this doesn't
ties develop policies
in Lhis regard or sim-
ply say that is the way things are, and
carryon
By contrast enrolments
student
systems genera-
tions.
leave it at tha!'? FTE (full time equivalent)
is typical of
as university
into successive
of
on the
humanities
Will higher educaLion authori-
sludent
with the racial profile of the
population,
a very high proportion
for 1994 in 18 out of the 21 universities
of the staff at universities
are shown in Chart 2. Statistics
are white; even the historically
black insLito be staffed
for
and technikons
Transkei,
Venda and North West are not
tutions, by and large, continue
available.
The human sciences
by whites.
for about 75 percent compared
accounted
of all enrolments,
to 25 percent
ences. The figures have presumably changed
meaningfully
Are universities
for the natural scinot
in the past three
C I) E
H () I
\
II
T \ Il I. E
44
using resources
ciently? Are student/staff higher education
[.I \1 1\ E H
T \\
0
ratios in our
system cost-effective?
What are academically
i\
effi-
I ') (/ H
acceptable
raLios'?
Are universities effectively rationalising
the
number of programmes
and
courses that they offer?