Higher Education In South Africa Research Articles

Examining the level of Entrepreneurship education and development within the South African higher education: Towards entrepreneurial university

In response to unemployment and socio-economic challenges in the South Africa's higher education institutions introduces entrepreneurship education (EE) with the aim to create sustainable job opportunities. However, higher education (HE) struggles to integrate EE within the university programmes and make it as practical as possible. Furthermore, fostering entrepreneurial mindset and intentions among students is not an easy task. The primary objective of this conceptual paper is to examine the level of entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intentions among the students within the South African higher education. We used qualitative case study methodology, to purposive select 30 articles using a google scholar search engine. The paper was driven by three research questions, namely, what is the level of entrepreneurship education among students in South African higher education? What are the entrepreneurial intentions of these students? Does the design of the EE curriculum foster students' entrepreneurial mindset and intentions? The findings identified a need to curriculum transformation that integrate EE across various disciples; not just a stand-alone module that fails to foster a broad-based entrepreneurial mindset. Furthermore, the findings shows that policy support and infrastructural development should be geared towards the growth and sustainability of EE programs and launching of innovation hubs and other support structures within universities to provide practical EE experiences.

Examining the challenges of tertiary teaching and learning in the accounting discipline within KwaZulu-Natal South Africa

Financial accounting poses significant challenges for students at tertiary institutions, often resulting in failure, extended graduation timelines, or dropouts, particularly in their first year of study. This study aimed to identify the obstacles encountered in teaching and learning accounting education within South African universities. The research, which employed a qualitative approach, focused on understanding the challenges faced by students in mastering financial accounting at the university level and the underlying causes. Twenty accounting learners from four public tertiary institutions in KwaZulu-Natal were interviewed using open-ended, structured questions via MS Teams. Results highlighted several key themes, including the transition from high school to university, learning strategies and the influence of high school accounting. Challenges identified encompassed the difficult nature of the subject, a shortage of qualified accounting educators, insufficient support staff, poor infrastructure conditions, inadequate classroom facilities and the absence of practical training environments. This study contributes to financial accounting higher education in South Africa by introducing a novel methodological approach, utilising a textual collage to represent data. By merging visual and language-based approaches, the collage offers a fresh perspective on educational research in accounting. Moreover, it contributes to the academic literature within the discipline, aiming to mitigate student dropout rates and prolonged graduation timelines in accounting programmes. Overall, this research endeavours to enhance pedagogical practices and support mechanisms within accounting education, fostering a conducive learning environment for students.

Evaluating the dynamics of fee-free higher education in South Africa: a causal loop diagram approach

Background This research investigated the dynamics of fee-free higher education in South Africa, aiming to elucidate the complexities surrounding its implementation and impact. By employing a causal loop diagram approach, the study examined the interplay of socioeconomic, political, and institutional factors influencing the provision of fee-free higher education. Method A participatory approach to developing the CLD was used. Through an extensive literature review, the research contextualised fee-free higher education enabling a preliminary CLD to be developed. Discussions were held to improve the preliminary model based on stakeholder and expert opinion. The model was then validated by stakeholders and experts. Results The CLD has explicitly mapped out the causal relationships which play a fundamental role in fee-free higher education in South Africa. Key findings revealed that fee-free higher education initiatives, such as managing funding constraints and administrative complexities, hold promise for fostering inclusivity and socioeconomic development but are hindered by bureaucratic policy establishments and inefficiencies. These challenges underscore the gap between policy formulation and implementation, highlighting the need for comprehensive reforms to streamline administrative processes and enhance financial sustainability within the higher education sector. Conclusion This research thoroughly examined the dynamics of fee-free higher education in South Africa, highlighting both the challenges and opportunities in its implementation. The study emphasized the need for systemic reforms to improve accessibility and effectiveness, while also underscoring the potential of such initiatives to promote social mobility and economic empowerment, aligning with global goals like the SDGs and the African Agenda 2063.

Employee Engagement and Spiritual Leadership in Private Higher Education in South Africa

Employee Engagement and Spiritual Leadership in Private Higher Education in South Africa

Exploring the Potential for Tuition-Free Higher Education in South Africa: A Scoping Review

The debate on tuition-free higher education has raged in South Africa since the #FeesMustFall protests at South African universities in 2015 and 2016. The government responded with a tuition-free education policy targeting students from households earning less than R350 000. However, the question remains can South Africa sustain a tuition-free education policy given its developing nation status and the levels of its GDP? This article sought to assess the feasibility of tuition-free higher education for all in South Africa. A scoping review was used, and fifteen articles about tuition-free higher education feasibility in South Africa were reviewed. The choice of the scoping review was due to the need for an understanding of the current state of play in research on the feasibility of tuition-free higher education in South Africa. The results suggest that tuition-free higher education for all is not feasible in South Africa. There seems to be a consensus that South Africa lacks the resources to finance tuition-free higher education for all. Tuition-free higher education is also viewed as a regressive tax on the poor given that the majority of students in higher education institutions come from middle and upper-income households. However, it is important to note that a distinction is drawn between tuition-free higher education for all and tuition-free higher education for the poor and academically deserving. The latter seems to receive support with some viewing it as a moral imperative in an unequal society such as South Africa’s. It is recommended that future studies approach the issue from an empirical standpoint whereby the GDP levels are assessed against higher education funding.

Exploring Curriculum Transformation in Higher Education Institutions: A Critical Analysis of Equity and Social Justice Perspectives

This paper addresses the imperative of curriculum transformation within higher education in South Africa to confront and mitigate structural inequalities and promote equitable access and outcomes. Drawing upon Fraser's multi-dimensional framework for social justice, the study critically examines the efficacy of curriculum interventions, particularly Education Development initiatives in South Africa. Fraser's framework enables assessing how these interventions address justice dimensions: redistribution, misrecognition, and representation. The analysis reveals that existing interventions predominantly adopt an affirmative rather than transformative approach, primarily focusing on redistributive justice while neglecting misrecognition and representation issues. The study underscores the necessity of embracing a transformative paradigm in curriculum development within South African higher education institutions. A transformative approach necessitates a fundamental reframing of the curriculum, involving reassessing the scale of existing challenges, interrogating underlying assumptions shaping curriculum norms, and re-evaluating the delineation between 'mainstream' and 'other' students. Moreover, it advocates for revisiting the appropriateness of the curriculum for a diverse and pluralistic society. In conclusion, the paper advocates for a comprehensive reframing of the South African higher education curriculum, emphasising the imperative of transformative practices. It proposes recommendations for reformulating the curriculum to address better social justice issues, including embracing inclusivity, challenging prevailing norms, and fostering a curriculum that reflects the diversity and complexities of contemporary society.

Reforming higher education in South Africa by addressing gender inequalities

Introduction: South Africa has a unique history of racial inequality, which in turn contributed to gender inequalities in the country – also within higher education. Gender equality is one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Higher education can contribute to this SDG by setting an example in the community for creating healthy and socially just conditions for their female staff and students. Methods: Female employees from all staff components (academic, support services, and operational staff) of a South African University of Technology participated in focus group discussions to determine their gender equality experiences. Facilitating questions were used to guide the conversations. Thematic analyses of the transcribed focus group discussions were conducted, and emerging themes were explored. Results: Some male colleagues prefer to work solely with other male colleagues, resulting in women being sidelined and feeling voiceless. Female employees reported being harassed by students and having difficulty managing professional and family life. They were also concerned about their future based on their gender. Services staff had positive experiences engaging with male students, staff, and supervisors. Conclusion and implications: It is imperative for higher education institutions’ growth and development and fulfilling their role in contributing to the SDGs that gender equality be prioritised. The unique traditional and cultural burdens of South African women in higher education should be taken into consideration when re-imagining gender equality. By aligning their efforts with the SDGs, universities can contribute to a more equitable and sustainable future, paving the way for transformative change within society.

Decolonization in South African universities: storytelling as subversion and reclamation

Abstract Underscoring recurrent calls for the decolonization of university curricula in South Africa are underexplored presumptions that by only disrupting theoretical content, universities might release themselves from a colonialist grasp, that continues to dominate and distort higher education discourse. While it might be the case that certain theories hold enormous authoritative, ‘truthful’ sway, as propagated through Western interpretations and norms, there are inherent problems in exclusively approaching the decolonization project as a content-based hurdle, removed from the subjectivities of students’ social, lived, and learning realities. The argument advanced in this article is that until the epistemic harm of colonialism and apartheid are afforded careful recognition and attention—as in focusing on the lived experiences, realities, and stories of individuals—the hard work of delegitimizing coloniality, and its implicit structures of hegemonies and binaries cannot unfold. In addressing these harms, I commence by describing some of the contexts of epistemic harm, promulgated through colonialism and apartheid. This is followed by a consideration of decolonization, both as theory and practice-within-context. Here, I also foreground the #Rhodesmustfall campaign, as a particular moment of painful clarity about why decolonization, as well as transformation, has faltered in higher education in South Africa. In the second half, I focus on the necessity of prioritizing storytelling as a deep manifestation of decolonization. Stories, I maintain, provide access into unknown lives, and can subvert the invisible, normative framings, which dictate how we live in this world. As a manifestation of decolonization, students’ stories hold profound implications for the recognition and affirmation of pluralist identities, histories, knowledge, values, and world-views.

Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Advancing Sustainable Development Goals in South Africa's Higher Education System: A Qualitative Study

Artificial intelligence (AI) presents opportunities in transforming higher education system and contribute significantly to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study seeks to leverage AI technologies to advance SDGs within South Africa’s higher education system. It examines AI technology adoption in South African higher education institutions and challenges, strategies, and potential future directions. This qualitative research employed the constructivist principle to unravel the dynamics of AI in advancing SDGs in South Africa. Lecturers from the Department of Information Sciences were the participants of the study. The participants were purposefully selected based on their experience and knowledge of AI technologies. In-depth interview and focused group discussion was employed to generate and estimate responses using thematic content analysis. The result revealed that participants used AI technology to increase students' learning and engagement so students would not doze in class. It was discovered that AI technology has increased the chances for collective learning. The study further proved that AI technology can improve personalized learning experiences of students with diverse learning styles and abilities. This has led to a more inclusive and interactive classroom environment where students feel more motivated and supported in their learning journey. Integrating AI technology into education has shown promising results in improving student outcomes and fostering a more collaborative learning atmosphere. Based on the results, it implies that harnessing AI would advance SDGs in South Africa’s higher education institutions. As such, we recommended that the South African government should formulate comprehensive national AI education policy guidelines for higher education to regulate and harmonize the usage of AI in the higher education system.

Affordability of Higher Education in South Africa

This article investigates why South African universities increased their tuition fees above inflation during the period 2010 to 2019 (intentionally excluding the potential distortion caused by COVID-19). The affordability of higher education is the subject of increased debate among stakeholders in South Africa. From a financial point of view, universities, as typical service organisations, should have benefited from an increase in enrolments. The main reason is that their expenses are typically period costs and are hence less affected by an increase in enrolments. However, the key findings of the study on which this article is based were that revenue increased above inflation, with tuition fees the main culprit. In turn, the reason for increased tuition fees is a significant increase in expenses. This suggests that universities did not benefit from economies-of-scale or efficiency in managing their expenses. The research makes a unique contribution to the body of knowledge by assessing why university tuition fees increased using a financial model to project budgeted revenue, expenses and tuition fees (taking inflation and growth in student enrolments into account) for 2019 using actual financial data from 2010.

Navigating the Marketing Landscape: Strategies for Promoting Private Higher Education Institutions in South Africa

Private institutions in South Africa's higher education sector need effective marketing strategies to attract and retain students amidst competition. This article provides marketing strategies for Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs) in South Africa to navigate a competitive landscape. The objective of the research is to determine the effective media and marketing activities for PHEIs to target a larger market share. The study involved 23 semi-structured interviews with students enrolled at three PHEIs in South Africa. The researcher conducted a thematic analysis to identify patterns from transcribed interviews. Codes were created for each theme, and similar topics were clustered. Microsoft Word and Excel were used for data interpretation and visualisation. ATLAS.ti 22, a CAQDAS software, was employed for further analysis and interpretation. The study suggests that PHEIs in South Africa should prioritise their online presence, websites, and participation in high schools and career fairs to target a larger market share. Marketers should create and adapt their marketing strategies to include various communication channels and methods. Positive word-of-mouth interactions also play a significant role in the marketing efforts of PHEIs, so marketers should focus on developing strategies that generate such interactions.

Internationalisation and the lived experiences of Non-South African postgraduate students in accessing higher education in South Africa

The internationalisation of higher education has resulted in an increase in student mobility from countries of their origin to experience a different kind of education elsewhere. South Africa absorbs most international students within Africa. According to Chasi and Quinlan (2021, 209) the Council for Higher Education reported that 6.5 per cent of the total number of enrolments in universities in South Africa are international students, which is a significant proportion of the student body. The success of these students contributes to raising the profile of South African universities as far as rankings are concerned as well as generating revenue for the institutions. This article explores the lived experiences of postgraduate international students at a university in South Africa. The aim of the article is to identify the opportunities and constraints that students experience, coming from outside South Africa to pursue postgraduate studies. Using Sen’s capability approach, the article endeavoured to unveil conversion factors that international students encounter while studying for their postgraduate programmes. A qualitative approach was employed to generate data through interviews with students who had completed their postgraduate studies. The findings revealed the capability to study as a “doing” that mattered to the students with the intention of ultimately attaining their postgraduate qualifications. Experiences along the way included both enabling and constraining factors such as immigration, cultural adjustments, supervision and institutional factors. There is a compelling need to revisit the processes of admission and immigration regarding international students aimed at benefiting both students and institutions.

Cloud leakage in higher education in South Africa: A case of University of Technology

Background: Users with knowledge of an organisation can pose risks to Cloud Computing, including current and past employees and external stakeholders with access to the organisation’s cloud. These insiders may engage in intentional or unintentional disruptive behaviors, causing significant harm to the organisation. A study focused on insider threats in South African higher education examined the tactics used by cybersecurity leaders to enforce cybersecurity policies.Objectives: The goal of this study was to develop a comprehensive insider mitigation framework for cloud leakage in a South African University.Method: The study employed qualitative methodologies and a case study approach. Open-ended interviews were conducted to collect data from the participants. The collected data was coded and analysed using ATLAS.ti 22.Results: The study’s findings revealed that some of the major sources of cloud leakage are a lack of effective training, ineffective information security (IS) policy regulation, and the implementation of information security awareness workshops that provided advice on how information security should be managed in the university.Conclusion: Insider threats pose a serious risk to organisations. To mitigate this threat, it is crucial for organisations to establish strong security policies and closely monitor employee activities. By conducting a thorough assessment of insider threats, organisations can enhance their understanding of this dynamic threat and strengthen their defenses.Contribution: Although every employee is ultimately responsible for an organisation’s security, the most effective IS programmes demonstrate strong top-level leadership by setting a ‘tone at the top’ and promoting the benefits of IS through careful policy and guidance.

Understanding the motivation to enrol in a massive open online course – A case study from South Africa

ABSTRACT Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have the potential to positively disrupt higher education in South Africa, but at present, only a few institutions in South Africa offer MOOCs. The aim of the study is to investigate why South African citizens would enrol in MOOCs to further their education. The purpose of the study is to understand the various factors that motivate citizens to make use of MOOCs for educational purposes. Data collection made use of an online questionnaire based on the Technology-User-Environment framework and recorded 3147 responses that were analysed with descriptive statistics. The responses from South African citizens indicated that lifelong learning, being in control of their learning journey and the flexibility of MOOCs were the biggest reasons why they would enrol in such as course. The recommendation then is that higher education institutions incorporate MOOCs in their educational offerings to remain competitive and attract potential students.

Achieving socio-cultural student engagement through curriculum responsiveness

With democracy came political pressure to promote both academic access and success in higher education in South Africa. However, increased formal access has not necessarily provided meaningful access to previously disadvantaged learners, and this has resulted in high attrition and dropout rates. In response to this, I propose that life-world knowledge can enable meaningful engagement through the pedagogical incorporation of real-world experiences. Therefore, my aim in this study was to determine how curriculum responsiveness could be addressed in pedagogic practices to achieve epistemological access. I used the concept of autonomy to show empirically whether content can be related to a student's socio-cultural context to bring about curriculum responsiveness resulting in better student engagement. Thus, the epistemological stance of this research is qualitative in my drawing on data collected from curriculum documentation for a selected business subject at a University of Technology as the case study, to serve as a guiding principle for considering the appropriate pathways for enabling epistemological access.

The role of the public intellectual in higher education in South Africa: the socially engaged research scholarship of Lungisile Ntsebeza

This article is based on the author’s reflections on the close research working relationship she was privileged to have with Lungisile Ntsebeza at the Centre for African Studies at the University of Cape Town between 2013 and 2022. Ntsebeza’s work shows what socially engaged research could look like at universities in Africa and what this could mean for helping organic revolutionary intellectuals to forge knowledge partnerships with the oppressed and exploited on pertinent issues of justice in post-colonial contexts. How could such methodologically engaged work help us to build more equal and democratic societies through unwavering scholarly rigour, which also involves doing the risky intellectual work in often messy, seemingly contradictory, and difficult everyday contexts? How could we bring marginalised historiographical knowledges to the centre, and why do they matter? Most admirable is Ntsebeza’s profound respect for the knowledge and insights offered by oppressed, unemployed, landless and exploited people of all backgrounds in difficult, conflictual but unavoidable dialogues. Ntsebeza sees all people, in the Gramscian sense, as ‘intellectuals’ who hold important and relevant ideas born out of everyday struggle. These ideas are sacrosanct, ‘organic to everyday life’, and ‘a collective and democratising force’ (Boggs 1979, 15).

Exploring an alternative access route to higher education in South Africa: A human development and social justice analysis

Exploring an alternative access route to higher education in South Africa: A human development and social justice analysis

Leading higher education transformation: The role of student affairs

Student affairs practitioners and researchers are well positioned to contribute holistically tostudent success and as such could play a strategic role in the transformation of higher education.The aim of this article is to illustrate that a key strategic objective of student affairs is to contributesignificantly towards student success. This article reports on a study (January, 2021) entitled ‘Towardsa qualitative framework for blending equity and excellence in transforming South African highereducation transformation to achieve development’ in which the promotion of student success isviewed as central to institutional transformation. The purpose of the study was to contribute to amore comprehensive qualitative framework for higher education transformation in South Africa byreconciling notions of ‘equity and excellence’. Interviews were conducted with sixteen leaders in thefield of higher education in South Africa. Thereafter, interview data were triangulated with strategicdocuments of various entities concerned with higher education transformation. The theoreticalframework encapsulated the human capital and human capability theories and argues further fora reconciliation of these theories to promote social justice and human well-being. The study usedgrounded theory methods to analyse and present the comprehensive qualitative framework. Thestudy found that student success was the most critical factor driving institutional transformation. Inaddition, four other interrelated elements were presented as the core elements of a comprehensiveframework. Based on these findings, this article explores the implications for student affairs further,using unpublished input gathered by the author through reflective conversations with stakeholdersat the University of Cape Town. In this regard the notion of a set of student learning imperatives(graduate attributes) becomes relevant to the discussion when student affairs practitioners andresearchers collaborate with faculties and departments on strategic projects.

Impact of Closure of South African Universities on Wellbeing of International Students During Covid-19 Pandemic

The surging coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has impacted all spheres of the economy not sparing higher education in South Africa. The impact was felt by both staff and students not only on teaching and learning but also on their socio-economic, health and physical well-being. This paper sought to explore the experiences international students during the closure of the universities in the country due to Covid-19 pandemic. This paper adopted the data from self-designed questionnaire administered to 68 international students from a public university in South Africa The quantitative data were analysed using the descriptive statistics. The results show that international students were more vulnerable and exposed to socio-economic and mental challenges including sense of low esteem, financial distress and emotional distress during the pandemic which impacted negatively on their academic outputs and social wellbeing, amongst other things. The findings also revealed that the university authorities did not take the necessary steps to address the life circumstances of the international students. The paper, therefore, highlights the holistic understanding of how to mitigate and alleviate the socio-economic impacts of such pandemic in future through opening dialogue, changing institutional policy to respond to emergency as at when it occurs, and the universities or higher institutions should put in place intervention strategies to assist foreign students during the outbreak of a disease.

Apartheid and mentoring: from silencing to re-centering previously marginalised voices in the chronicles of higher education mentoring

ABSTRACT The authors of this paper adopted a transformative framework in this article to examine how the legacy of apartheid continues to manifest within higher education in South Africa. In particular, the authors analyzed (a) how mainstream mentoring knowledge of ‘black’ and ‘marginalized’ people have influenced mentoring in post-apartheid South Africa; (b) varied ways in which mentoring initiatives and programs have been silenced and ignored previously marginalized voices through the application of apartheid mentoring knowledge, and (c) shared how the mentors/lecturers and students show and tell their stories about the demands of mentoring and the emphasis of contextual and responsive mentoring for the previously marginalized people in higher education in South Africa. The shortage of mentoring has been cited as a crucial reason for women’s lack of advancement in leadership. Implications for advancing transformation through mentoring in higher education in South Africa are also discussed.