1 February 2011
Partnership between PGWC &
CHEC
Objectives are to:
 draw on the research and teaching
resources of the universities to support
the development goals of the Province
 promote the W. Cape as a ”Learning
Region”
 facilitate information sharing on plans
of HEIs and PGWC
 develop and implement mutually agreed
strategic initiatives
Higher education as a
partner in regional development

Vibrant and strong higher education
institutions critical to supporting
development and social reconstruction

High skills, research and innovation
capacity necessary for economic growth

Contributes to place making
Building on higher education
strengths and synergies

World class research strengths

Nationally recognised niche areas

Niche programme offerings

Better than national average cohort success rates

Established units for providing continuing education
opportunities for adults

International partnerships, exchanges, conferences and
students
Key information on higher
education in the Western Cape
(2009)

Undergraduate students: 73 049

Master’s students: 10 230

PhD students: 2 558

Academic staff: 3 037

International students: 9 858
Research indicators for Western
Cape HEIs
Institution
CPUT
National
Research
Foundation
(NRF)-rated
researchers
NRF South
African
Research
Chairs
% of
permanent
academic
staff with
PhD
19
0
11%
SU
270
12
61%
UCT
322
27
58%
UWC
75
3
43%
Western
682
42
43%
Estimated % of national total
31%
53%
31%
Contribution to high
skills:graduates
Graduates in 2009
Business and Management: 6 315 (19%)
SET: 9 308 (23%)
Education: 2 276 (6%)
Humanities: 5 811 (17%)
Provincial Strategic Plan
STRATEGIC
OBJECTIVES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Increasing opportunities for growth and jobs
Improving education outcomes
Increasing access to safe and efficient transport
Increasing wellness
Increasing safety
Developing integrated and sustainable human
settlements
7. Mainstreaming sustainability and optimizing
resource-use efficiency
8. Increasing social cohesion
9. Reducing and alleviating poverty
10.Integrating service delivery for maximum impact
11.Creating opportunities for growth and
development in rural areas
12.Building the best-run provincial government in the
world
Increasing opportunities for
growth and jobs
Achievements: promoting biotechnology, East
City Design Initiative, bursary initiative, study on
role of universities in innovation, graduate
attributes initiative, contribution to the
development of the RISS
Examples of HE strengths:
InnovUS (SU’s Technology Transfer
Company)
ICT in e-Business, e-Government (CPUT)
Development Policy Research Unit (UCT)
Free software innovation unit (UWC)
Improving educational outcomes
Achievements: Teacher Supply & Demand
Study, articulation arrangements between
FET & HE, seminar series
Examples of HE strengths:
 School support initiatives at all
universities
 Research niche areas include language,
mathematics, foundation phase,
science, teacher development, further
education
Developing integrated and
sustainable human settlements
Achievements: Framework for Cape Town Central
City Provincial Govt Regeneration initiative,
Disaster Risk Management partnership, policy
engagements
Examples of HE strengths:
 African Centre for Cities (UCT)
 Sustainability Institute (US)
 Development Studies (UWC)
 SA Built Environment Research
Centre (CPUT)
Mainstreaming sustainability and
resource use efficiency
Achievements: Partnership focus for the
future to complement individual university
initiatives
Examples of HE strengths:
 Energy Institute (CPUT)
 SANERI Chair (US)
 African Climate Development Initiative
(UCT)
 UNESCO Chair in Hydrogeology (UWC)
Promoting social cohesion
Achievements: supply & demand study,
new programmes to produce professional
for combatting substance abuse, seminars
Examples of HE strengths
 Crime and violence initiative (UCT)
 Community Law Centre (UWC)
 HOPE Project (US)
 Multigrade initiative in rural
communities (CPUT)
Assessment






Partnership has strengthened over the past
year
Sometimes difficult to sustain the interest of
both academics and government officials
Champions have been identified in a number of
areas
Implementation of some projects has been
slow
In early days resources too widely spread and
lack of focus identified as a key constraint
Joint Task Team continues to play an important
role in leading and managing
Assessment (cont)
Absence
of representation from all
Provincial Departments limits
possibilities
Collaboration between Provincial
Departments and individual universities
and academics continues and brings
own strengths
Explore synergies with CHEC
partnership with the City of Cape Town
Programme of Action
Innovation
 Establish the Regional Innovation Forum
 Input into the development of the Regional
Innovation System Strategy (RISS),
drawing on findings of the CHEC research
study
 Consolidate Biotechnology partnership
 Identify workplace opportunities
(internships, research units etc) for
students
Programme of Action (cont)
Education and Skills
 Analyse research reports on skills needs to identify
gaps in programme provisioning (formal programmes
and CPD)
 Sharing best practice in the implementation of
bursary programmes
 Graduate attributes study
 Identification of key sectors / strategic priority areas
in the Western Cape for skills development
partnerships
 Engage with Provincial Training Academy
 Establish engagements with FET Colleges and
SETAs.
Programme of Action (cont)
Planning, policy and public engagements
 Seminars, think-labs, publications etc
Strategic initiatives
 Substance abuse
 Public schooling: Individual HEIs and
CHEC
 Disaster risk management
 Support to Cape Town CBD property
project
Programme of Action (cont)
Areas to explore:
 Green economy
 Port of Cape Town
 ICT (in partnership with City of Cape
Town)