South African Higher Education Research Articles

Retraction notice: Talent development practices and processes in learning organisations: evidence from South African higher education institutions

Retraction notice: Talent development practices and processes in learning organisations: evidence from South African higher education institutions

Governance and Leadership in Advancing Entrepreneurial Universities: Exploring Awareness and Change Dynamics in South Africa

This research explores the role of awareness, as framed by the ADKAR (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement) change management model, in driving the transformation of South African higher education institutions (HEIs) into Entrepreneurial Universities (EnU). The study focuses on the critical question of whether raising awareness of entrepreneurship among academics can catalyse transformative changes within universities, fostering an entrepreneurial mindset and practices across the institution. In the context of South Africa’s socio-economic challenges, such as high unemployment and inequality, entrepreneurial universities are seen as key drivers of innovation and economic development. The research findings underscore that awareness, the foundational step of the ADKAR model, is essential for initiating the entrepreneurial shift within HEIs. Academics who are aware of the importance of entrepreneurship are more likely to engage in activities that promote innovation, student entrepreneurship, and industry collaboration. However, the study also highlights that awareness alone is insufficient for a full institutional transformation. Leadership commitment and active involvement are critical in moving beyond awareness to implement sustainable entrepreneurial initiatives. Without strong leadership that aligns institutional governance structures and policies with entrepreneurial objectives, the entrepreneurial agenda may struggle to gain traction. The research concludes that while raising awareness among academics is a necessary first step, leadership at universities must also be equipped with the skills and understanding to champion entrepreneurship at an institutional level. Comprehensive leadership training, continuous evaluation of entrepreneurial initiatives, and fostering cross-departmental and external collaborations are essential for sustaining momentum towards the full realisation of Entrepreneurial Universities in South Africa. This study contributes to the broader discourse on entrepreneurship in higher education by providing insights into the specific challenges and opportunities facing South African universities as they navigate the path towards becoming entrepreneurial institutions.

Critical crisis management competencies: Perspectives from universities of technology leadership

AbstractThe South African Higher Education sector has faced challenging times recently, notably the #FeesMustFall student protest crisis, which inflicted damages exceeding R1 billion, and the COVID‐19 pandemic, claiming over 102,000 lives in the nation. Against this backdrop, a critical investigation has been initiated to discern the indispensable crisis management competencies required by executive management members of Universities of Technology (UoT) in South Africa. This exploratory study emphasises the higher education landscape, recognising its pivotal role in national development. Employing qualitative face‐to‐face interviews, the research aims to delve into the experiences of executive management members, providing insights into the nuanced demands of crisis management within the higher education context. In response to the challenges posed by the COVID‐19 pandemic, the study adapted by utilising online face‐to‐face meetings, ensuring a thorough exploration of crisis management competencies. Beyond mere identification, the research attempts to elucidate the profound significance of these competencies within the unique context of higher education institutions during crises. The findings contribute not only to the broader understanding of crisis management but also underscore the particular relevance and implications for the resilience and adaptability of South African UoT in the face of multifaceted challenges.

Translanguaging and Decolonisation in South African Higher Education: Embracing Multilingual Pedagogies

Translanguaging, a practice that recognises and utilizes multilingual students’ linguistic repertoires has emerged as a crucial approach in challenging traditional language policies, particularly in the South African educational landscape.Despite its embrace, a colonial stance still persists in teaching practices. Through a critical analysis of teaching materials used in an academic literacy course, this paper explores how translanguaging is currently being used in teaching and learning. Findings reveal a tension in the sense that even though students’ language practices are acknowledged, the materials still maintain a dominant position for English. This highlights the need to move beyond a simplistic view of multilingualism towards a more holistic embrace of translanguaging.Set against this background, this research argues that translanguaging can bridge the abyssal divide created by colonialism. It emphasizes the unifying potential of translanguaging, fostering an educational landscape that celebrates South Africa's rich linguistic diversity and cultural heritage. Ultimately, the study calls upon educators to move beyond the limitations of standardized languages and fully embrace translanguaging as a transformative force for decolonization.At the end, the paper calls for further research.

Democratising the Music Curriculum: Integrating Ubuntugogy for the Africanisation of South African Higher Education

In recent years, there has been an ongoing debate about the need for redress in South African higher education which is largely informed by Western perspectives, and the music curriculum is no exception. Even though there is growing progress, music education continues to be dominated by the Western classical canon. Therefore, the purpose of this article was to provide a comprehensive investigation of how ubuntugogy can be successfully and effectively merged into the South African higher education music curriculum. The researcher used ubuntugogy as a theoretical framework to advocate for the integration of ubuntugogy—a teaching philosophy rooted in African values and communal learning—to democratise and Africanise the music curriculum in South African higher education. This article used a qualitative content analysis grounded in examining existing literature on a similar subject under the guidance of the research questions developed earlier. The findings of this study show that ubuntugogy provides an approach that can Africanise the curriculum and pedagogy by incorporating indigenous musical practices, oral traditions, and cultural values into the teaching and learning process. The results of this article revealed that applying ubuntugogy as a method of teaching and learning can help in preparing music education students to engage with the world from a culturally informed and empowered perspective. This article concludes by affirming that ubuntugogy as a method of teaching and learning provides a transformative framework for Africanising music education in South African higher education.

Digital Pedagogical Approaches for Preparing South African Matric Teachers for Higher Education

South African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are undergoing a digital revolution, facing challenges from social, historical, and cultural diversity and low schooling backgrounds. Incorporating digital technology into teaching and learning has become essential, yet a notable digital divide persists. Students with Information Communication Technology (ICT) skills perform better in higher education compared to those from resource-restrained or marginalized communities, such as Pinetown, Durban, South Africa. This research aims to equip learners and teachers in South Africa to adapt to the rapid pace of technological change while examining the pedagogical approaches of matric teachers in digitally preparing matric learners for HEIs. A quantitative research approach was utilized to collect primary data from a sample of 363 teachers across 25 high schools in Pinetown, selected based on Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) methodology, ensuring an appropriate representation for the population of 1,300. A high response rate was achieved, facilitated by a pilot phase that clarified the research subject for participants. In addition to primary data, relevant secondary literature was also utilized. The findings revealed that a majority of teachers prefer problem-based and project-based pedagogical approaches and acknowledge the benefits of an online learning environment. These results indicate that most teachers are capable of digitally preparing matric students for higher education. Therefore, problem-based and project-based teaching and learning approaches should be emphasized in the field of digital technology. It is also recommended that teachers and lecturers in HEIs utilize online platforms to enhance the curriculum. Keywords: Digital pedagogy, Higher Education, Digital divide, ICT skills, South African education, Problem-based learning, Project-based learning

On Pipelines and Precarity: Competing Narratives on the Roles and Functions of Postdocs in South African Higher Education

It is broadly understood that postdoctoral research fellows (hereafter postdocs) play a significant role in higher education’s research outputs, teaching and learning, and the rating and ranking of an institution. Largely shaped by the neoliberal turn(s) in higher education from the late 1970s and 1980s, postdocs have become an indispensable yet precarious labour force that higher education institutions have come to rely on. In the South African context, research on postdoc fellowships is relatively new, with limited scholarship focusing on the narratives and voices of these marginalised scholars. In this article, I purposively recruited and interviewed 23 former and current postdocs in three research-intensive universities in South Africa as well as a university vice dean of research, and a former senior official of the Department of Higher Education and Training. I also consulted and analysed various South African higher education policy documents and ministerial articulations regarding postdocs in the country. Through the use of in-depth semi-structured interviews, two competing narratives emerged from the data—that is, the deeply rooted and entrenched idea of the postdoc system as a pipeline for novice researchers to transition into established scholars, and the idea of the postdocs as precarious scholars whose academic labour is insecure, unstable, and exploited in the university. I conclude the article with some broad systemic implications on the role and function of postdocs in South African higher education, and the need for more research to understand these marginalised scholars.

Decolonisation is not even a footnote: On the dominant ideologies and smokescreens in South African higher education

The turn to democracy in South Africa brought hope for a higher education sector that would play a key role in tackling racial inequalities and injustices. However, transformation promises ended up being largely smokescreens for maintaining entrenched racist and capitalist logics rooted in colonialism and apartheid. Instead of focusing on epistemic decolonisation, universities became commodified and commercialised neoliberal enterprises focused on the maintenance of Eurocentric epistemic hegemony. In this conceptual article framed within the decolonial theoretical framework, we critically interrogate how two dominant ideologies – the Rainbow Nation and neoliberalism – have sidelined fundamental transformation and epistemic decolonisation in South Africa. Focusing on the Department of Higher Education and Training’s Strategic Plan 2020–2025, we illustrate that decolonisation is not government’s priority and that neoliberal visions continue to dominate strategic planning for higher education. We argue that the lack of political will and policy alignment from the government will contribute to the further entrenchment of coloniality, Eurocentricity and neoliberal logics at universities. We conclude with the call for critical engagement with the history of universities and their role in propagating and supporting colonialism and apartheid and argue that progressive scholars and students must continue to organise within South Africa and beyond and work on the radical dismantling of the Eurocentric and neoliberal universities.Contribution: While other scholars have engaged separately with neoliberalism and the Rainbow Nation and their impact on higher education in South Africa, in this article, we bring these two ideologies together to show how they have combined to prevent decolonisation of higher education.

Devastating effects of gender inequality on female students in South African higher education

Gender inequality is a concept of much relevance and is continuously gaining momentum. The diversification of different genders is pivotal to be able to address the effects of gender inequality. Globally, gender inequality has attracted a lot of interest and has huge effects on the social, academic and psychological. Although there is a nurturing environment for gender inequality, it is important to neutralize the playing fields for all genders to avoid negative effects on the victims of this phenomenon. The aim of this paper is to investigate the effects of gender inequality on South Africa’s higher education Students. It further seeks to challenge the perception contributing to gender inequality. Gender inequality is a universal problem affecting students throughout institutions of higher learning. The study used the qualitative research approach with exploratory research design adopted for the paper. The paper explored the effects of gender inequality on students from higher education institutions in South Africa. A sample of 15 students from institutions of higher learning who have been exposed to gender inequality was chosen for data collection process. A semi-structured face to face interviews was used during the data collection process with purposive sampling used to select participants to the study. The study used thematic content analysis to analyze data. The study applied feminist theoretical framework to understand the effects of gender inequality.

Talent management and employee retention in the South African Higher education landscape

This study explored talent management and employee retention in South Africa's higher education sector, focusing on Institution X. Post-apartheid, South African higher education has faced numerous challenges, including attracting, managing, and retaining new academics essential for societal transformation. The study aimed to assess the relationship between talent management practices (recruitment, career management, rewards, management style, and talent development) and employee retention in this sector.The study's objectives were to examine the strategic orientation of talent management at Institution X, determine its contribution to employee retention, investigate challenges faced in talent management, and propose strategies to enhance retention. A quantitative research design was used, employing a self-administered structured questionnaire. The sample included 65 academic staff members, such as professors, lecturers, and junior lecturers, with data analyzed using SPSS. Findings indicated that talent management is neither a strategic element nor fully implemented within the higher education sector. This highlights a significant challenge in managing and retaining qualified academics, an issue prevalent since the end of apartheid. The study underscores the importance of understanding and improving talent management strategies to ensure the sustainability and quality of higher education institutions. Recommendations were made for reviewing and enhancing talent management practices for academic staff in the sector.

Meshwork choreography: a pragmatic approach to collaborative embodied learning in South African higher education

ABSTRACT The diversity of the South African higher educational student population requires innovative pedagogical strategies that facilitate transformative and collaborative embodied learning. This article demonstrates how the choreographic process emerges from the context of multiculturalism through a pragmatic learning approach called meshwork choreography. Meshwork suggests an interwoven relation that emphasises the ever-evolving nature of relationships within an environment. Choreography as meshwork is where the choreographer does not impose preconceived ideas on the dancers but rather facilitates a collaborative and exploratory process. The research employed a conceptual framework of phenomenography, embodied and collaborative learning to frame the discussion towards a model of how choreography functions as meshwork. Composition and design processes in and of themselves embrace transformative learning through collaborative, embodied, and relational practices and are bolstered when they converge within the creation of choreographic work. This article reflects on students’ experiences in the Performing Arts Dance Stream at Tshwane University of Technology in conceptualising choreography as meshwork. Phenomenography was adopted as the research methodology, where data was analysed within phenomenographic categories. The article offers a South African perspective, informed by Ubuntu, of a meshwork model for the benefits of applying transformative learning through choreography within a higher education dance context.

The practicality of long-term blended teaching and learning at a South African institution

Background: The rapid revolutionisation of technology and other factors such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic, prompted higher education institutions to consider the possibility, necessity and implications of officially adopting a blended teaching and learning approach on a long-term basis.Aim: This research aimed to explore the practicality of a long-term blended teaching and learning model at a South African higher education institution.Setting: This research was conducted at a selected South African higher education institution.Methods: The article adopted a qualitative case study approach, and one-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted. The data collected was then analysed using thematic analysis.Results: Although the institution was generally ready for blended teaching and learning during the pandemic, best practices such as further training and development for both lecturers and students on the pertinent systems and technology are imperative if a long-term blended teaching and learning is to be successful. There were also concerns regarding external, technological, and socio-economic issues that could hinder a successful long-term blended model.Conclusion: While the research revealed the institution’s overall ability to swiftly transition from face-to-face, to distance online and blended teaching and learning approaches during the COVID-19 pandemic, it also revealed that work still had to be done to fully prepare the institution for formalised blended teaching and learning in the future.Contribution: This research builds on limited research on blended teaching and learning at South African contact higher education institutions and adds new theory regarding some best practices for successful blended teaching and learning.

Harmonisation outcomes after insourcing services in South African higher education institutions

Orientation: The study was conducted in two higher education institutions that underwent insourcing and harmonisation of conditions of employment for support services.Research purpose: This study aims to determine how harmonisation shapes outcomes among support service labour in selected higher education institutions and to develop a management framework to harmonise conditions of employment following insourcing.Motivation for the study: The study capitalises on organisational complexities in higher education institutions that experienced insourcing of support services employees to address concerns assumed to be premised on historical exclusionary and exploitative employment practices. The study documents the experience and perceptions of institutional stakeholders in creating new knowledge on harmonisation following insourcing.Research approach/design and method: Employing a qualitative approach, 16 interviews were conducted with selected multi-level management and personnel directly involved in a harmonisation.Main findings: The study found tangible and intangible aspects, processes and other psychological perspectives on implementing harmonisation across employment levels. Furthermore, it was found that an efficient and effective harmonisation framework is required. Effective harmonisation for inclusion was viewed as being compromised by factors such as government intervention, and a lack of policy, framework and legislation to guide the process.Practical/managerial implications: Practical recommendations are provided for implementing harmonisation strategies following insourcing across employment levels in South African higher education institutions.Contribution/value-add: The study contributes to novel theory on harmonisation after insourcing and provides a management framework for harmonisation of conditions of employment.

The Dynamics of Slido to Promote Learning in Rural University Classrooms

Slido is an interactive online platform facilitating active learning in rural university settings. Rural universities often need more resources, including access to technology and opportunities for diverse pedagogical approaches. Traditional lecture-based teaching predominates due to these constraints, which can hinder student engagement and learning outcomes. Slido offers a solution by leveraging technology to enhance interaction, collaboration, and participation within the classroom environment. This study, therefore, adopted the Slido application to promote active learning in one of the rural university classrooms within South African higher education. Active learning methodologies have gained widespread recognition for their effectiveness in engaging students, fostering more profound understanding, and promoting critical thinking skills. However, implementing such strategies, especially in rural university classrooms, can pose unique challenges. Through features such as live polls, quizzes, and audience Q&A sessions, Slido enables instructors to create dynamic learning experiences that encourage active participation from students. In rural contexts where class sizes may be smaller and student diversity limited, Slido provides an avenue for inclusive participation and allows even the most reserved students to contribute anonymously. Hence, the qualitative study adopted a transformative paradigm as a lens and approached it through active learning designed by Action Research. Furthermore, the study was a two-year project involving third-year business studies students and their transition to, and completion of, their fourth year of study. Seven students were selected as the participants, and data was generated through a Focus Group discussion and analyzed using Thematic Analysis. The study revealed that Slido promotes activeness among students in the module selected in the rural university. In conclusion, Slido offers a promising solution for promoting active learning in rural university classrooms. The study recommends that lecturers should be empowered in terms of resources and training to infuse technology into teaching.

African languages in teaching and learning: Implementing and promoting multilingualism and decolonisation in South African higher education

African languages in teaching and learning: Implementing and promoting multilingualism and decolonisation in South African higher education

Neo-Liberalism’s Shadows: Modern slavery in South African Higher Education

Neoliberal ideology globally prioritises competition and productivity over staff well-being in higher education, leading to exploitative practices and heightened stress among academic faculty, culminating in what can be termed modern academic slavery. This study investigates the contemporary impact of neoliberalism on South African universities, focussing on governance, funding and academic freedom, and how these factors contribute to deteriorating conditions for academic staff and toxic work environments. This research examines academic experiences in a South African urban higher education institution (HEI) utilizing a single-case study approach. It examines their context within institutional and societal trends. Using a single-case ideographic approach in a South African HEI, the study utilises detailed documentation, incident analysis and literature review to understand academic enslavement within the chosen HEI, contextualising the academic’s experiences within these broader institutional and societal trends. The findings reveal four key themes: moral disengagement, corporate malfeasance, exploitative labour practices, and labour coercion, illustrating the widespread exploitation of academic staff. The study advocates for urgent interventions to ensure respectful treatment, foster ethical work environments, and address disparities between administrators and faculty. It calls for autonomy, ethical leadership and a culture of inquiry in HEIs to combat modern academic slavery while acknowledging the need for further action and exploration.Contribution: This study underscores the current impact of neoliberalism on higher education in South Africa, exposing challenges for academic staff and advocating systemic reforms. It emphasises the necessity for future investigations into institutional accountability and strategies to enhance staff well-being in HEIs.

Neoliberalism in South African higher education language policy: A decolonial perspective

The global spread and hegemony of English as a medium of teaching, learning and research has come to be closely associated with neoliberalisation of higher education in the universities across the world, and has negatively impacted on epistemic issues, especially in Global South universities. No permanent solution has been found on challenges of English hegemony, particularly in African higher education. This article adds to the advancement of neoliberal discourse in higher education in South Africa by analysing neoliberal manifestations in its higher education language policy agenda. The article used desktop analysis to assess relevant literature on mainstream neoliberal ideologies and manifestations in the language policy reform post-apartheid. Drawing on relevant literature and through critical discourse analysis, it integrated evidence from the selected sources associated with mainstream neoliberal ideologies and then analysed the neoliberal manifestations in the language policy reforms pursued in South African post-apartheid context to bring out how the neoliberal actors in the higher education sector have reconfigured neoliberal principles. The decolonial perspective premised on concepts such as coloniality of being, power and knowledge was used to critique the neoliberal manifestations in South African higher education language policy directives. The paper presents the argument that universities in the country are deeply entrenched in linguistic hierarchisation which perpetuates epistemic injustices in teaching and learning. The African higher education should endeavour to underpin its language policies in indigenous knowledge systems to help harness the African content while existing in a global space where all knowledges should be regarded as equally relevant.Contribution: This article contributes to the emerging discourse of neoliberalism in higher education in the Global South and its impact on language policy formulation and implementation.

Towards Inclusive Classrooms: Shaping South African Higher Education for Employability

Towards Inclusive Classrooms: Shaping South African Higher Education for Employability

Memification of Students’ Experiences at South African Universities: A Critical Examination of Meme Value within UCT Just Kidding and Wits Just Kidding Memes

Memes are considered a communication tool that allows groups of individuals to form a community and express themselves through three semiotic resources: visuals, text and humour. They provide new references that contribute to the construction of identities. This is especially true within university student communities. In this study, we use two students’ meme pages in South Africa, UCT Just Kidding (@uctjustkidding) and Wits Just Kidding (@witsjustkidding), as case studies to investigate how students use memes to highlight their everyday experiences and the values attached to these memes. We also explore how memes portray significant issues affecting students’ development and progression within the broader South African higher education institutions. Using semi-structured interviews conducted with 7 meme creators and administrators, textual and visual analysis of 14 memes from both pages and Marx’s labour theory of value as a theoretical framework, we argue that students use memes to communicate and raise awareness on salient issues affecting them. We, therefore, underscore memes as a powerful tool for constructing social, political, economic and cultural realities among university students in particular and communities in general.

Lecturers’ perceptions of the influence of AI on a blended learning approach in a South African higher education institution

In this study, the researchers explore lecturers’ perspectives on the impact artificial intelligence (AI) has on blended learning within the context of South African higher education. AI is transforming traditional teaching and learning by enabling academic institutions to offer computerised, effective, and objective educational processes. The research was conducted to address the growing need to understand lecturers’ viewpoints on how AI can enhance educational practices and overcome existing challenges in blended learning environments. To investigate this phenomenon, the researchers applied the Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition (SAMR) model as theoretical framework for the study. Their qualitative research undertaking employed a singular case study design focusing on 15 lecturers from the College of Education at a selected academic institution, to arrive at an in-depth understanding of lecturers’ experiences and perceptions of how AI is integrated in blended learning. The researchers examined both the benefits and challenges associated with a blended teaching and learning mode, in the context of AI integration. The data collection process involved semi-structured focus group interviews that allowed for in-depth discussions to be conducted. This was complemented by detailed document analysis to analyse the course materials and teaching methods used by the lecturers. Homogeneous, purposeful sampling was applied to select participating lecturers who shared specific characteristics relevant to the study. Data analysis involved coding through the induction method, which helped to reveal relevant codes that were subsequently categorised. The study also included a comprehensive literature review of recent research findings, which were correlated with the collected data. The findings underscored the critical need for supportive measures, such as management backing, enhanced training opportunities, professional development initiatives, reliable technological infrastructure, improved internet connectivity, and additional time allocation, for the successful implementation of blended learning which integrates AI. This study contributes valuable insights into, and discussions on, the implications of adopting AI in a hybrid learning environment.