EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL
SCAN
Contextual challenges
and opportunities for
Higher Education in
South Africa
CRITICAL QUESTIONS
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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
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CPD courses (FET educators, educator upgrading, NSC
subject areas, 2010)
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Participation in virtual/public academies (transport, judiciary,
accountancy, public sector)
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Support from provincial government linked to the
implementation of the MoU (scarce skills, retention, growth
and development sectors, longer term enrolment planning)
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Improving throughputs (ASGISA, targeted government
bursaries and other support)
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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
1.
OPPORTUNITIES (2)
2.
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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)
4.
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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)
1.
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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)
2.
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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)
3.
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STAFF RECRUITMENT
Competition for meeting employment equity
targets
Better packages/scholarships for junior staff
from other institutions
Cost of housing in CT
Threats (4)
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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