What does the country and business
need from universities?
Sizwe Nxasana
Inyatelo Leadership Retreat
November 2013
Current Landscape
Growing Business-University partnerships in SA (e.g.: SAICA/Thuthuka, THRIP,
Tip Top, Bottom Up, the Gauteng innovation hub)
South African universities
Traditional partnerships (accounting, business school and engineering
faculty links) with business/industry.
Room to be more `entrepreneurial’ in their relations with business.
South African businesses
Not enough thought about the kind of universities it (and the country)
needs.
Could play an active role in influencing education to meet the challenges
of globalisation.
A New Partnership Between
Universities, Private Sector, Government and
Unions
• National Development Plan calls for active citizenship and
partnerships to accelerate progress, deepen democracy and
build a more inclusive society
• There is currently no structured partnership between
universities, private sector and government
The blockages to be addressed
by the Partnership
1.
2.
Entering education and training
– Inadequate basic education (especially mathematics and science)
– Absence of career guidance (across the board)
– In some cases limited number of spaces where learners can study an
occupation (teachers, medical doctors, engineers)
Sustaining learners through post-school education (a challenge evidenced
by poor throughput and completion)
– Limited preparation for tertiary education (linked to poor basic education
and learning skills)
– Inconsistent quality with respect to: relevance of curriculum (teachers),
appropriateness of qualifications (teachers and engineers), adequate
infrastructure and lecturing staff
– Inadequate funding (and support) of students
The blockages to be addressed
by the Partnership (contd)
3.
Insufficient access to practical training opportunities and placement:
– Not a clear programme to enable young graduates to enter workplace or to
gain relevant experience – nor is there support for graduates through this
process )
– Inadequate funding of this process for many professions
– In some professions, graduates are not always placed/absorbed in the
workplace (social worker) or do not want to work in the public sector
(nursing) or in SA (better pay elsewhere) or in the profession (better pay in
other streams)
Professions with shortages to
meet NDP targets
•
•
•
•
•
•
Education (Teachers)
Engineering (Professional Engineers)
Health (Doctors, Pharmacists, Nurses)
Financial (Chartered Accountants and Actuaries)
Agriculture (Veterinary Doctors)
Social (Social Workers)
See importance of these professions illustrated by the comparative
analysis shown in the following slides
A snap look at the comparative
data: teachers
6
Primary & Secondary
Teachers
A snap look at the comparative
data: engineers
A snap look at the comparative
data: doctors
A snap look at the comparative
data: nurses
A snap look at the comparative
data: pharmacists
A snap look at the comparative
data: chartered accountants
SA Needs
Business needs universities that are not just preparing
students for specific work or professions, but prepare wellrounded, active and intelligent members of the workforce
and members of society
We need:
Effective communicators
Problem-solving skills
Transferable skills
Ability to work in groups
Innovators
Entrepreneurs
Example of Education Collaboration
in Basic Education
Four Patrons
National Education Council
NECT
40-50 representatives of stakeholders
Up to 12 Trustees
NECT Office
15
NECT Patrons, Council Co-Chairs and Trustees
• Patrons:
• Council Co-Chairs:
• Trustees:
Objectives of the NECT
Improve the quality of
schooling and systems
for monitoring and
supporting schools.
Set guiding principles for
programmes.
Oversee
implementation of
national education
collaboration
programmes.
Improve coordination of
private sector-funded
school improvement
activities and encourage
alignment with the
national school reform
agenda.
Provide a governance
platform for joint civil
society, business, teacher
associations and
Government initiatives to
improve education.
Consolidate knowledge
generated by private and
public sector organisations
about school improvement
in order to benefit the
national reform agenda.
NECT Rollout Plan
2014 -4,000 Schools - 2 million learners
2015-9,000- 6 million learners
Districts in Cohort 1
2014 activation
Districts in Cohorts 2 and 3
Vhembe, Limpopo
Waterberg, Limpopo
Libode, Eastern Cape
Mt Frere, Eastern Cape
Bohlabela, Mpumalanga
Bojanala, Northwest
Uthungulu, KwaZulu-Natal
Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal
John Toalo Gaetsewe, Northern Cape
Mopani, Limpopo
Maluti, Eastern Cape
Gert Sibande, Mpumalanga
Mt Frere, Eastern Cape
Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape
Cofimvaba, Eastern Cape
Graaf Reinet, Eastern Cape
Dr Ruth Mompati, North West
Uitenhage, Eastern Cape
Sekhukhune, Limpopo
Global Outlook
Rise of a global knowledge economy, requires strategic partnerships that go
beyond traditional funding of discrete research projects.
World-class research university of the 21st century is a vital centre of
competence to help tackle social challenges, drive economic growth and
foster innovation.
Partnerships can:
– impact teaching and learning;
– develop new funding streams;
– rethink the role of the research university;
– facilitate technology transfer and
– commercialise research results.
Opportunities
• University-business partnerships can shape professional degree
programmes to create more work-ready graduates
• Partnerships can also help identify opportunities for further business
development, generation of research-based knowledge and technologies
that can develop new businesses
• University knowledge and skills and private sector finance can provide
support and development opportunities to poor communities for
sustainable economic development.
• Customized academic programmes
• Creation of long-term dialogue and cooperation models to better satisfy
the requirements of the job market
• Grow small businesses by leveraging university research , development
and innovation capabilities
THANK YOU