The future of South African universities: What role for business?

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

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and

in the are

topics

.

FUTURE

OF

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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

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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

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in

the human and social sciences. Africans

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T A H I. E

Views expressed by the participants are not necessarily those of CDE. NlJl\'IIlEB

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FUTURE

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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

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with the accompanying

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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

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different forums.

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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,:

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of high-

which was seen as crealing opportunities

T W

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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

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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?