Council on Higher Education: Three-year Business Plan and MTEF Budget Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training 29 March 2011

Functions 1)Advise Minister on any aspect of higher education. 2)Quality Assurance – auditing of institutional QA mechanisms; programme accreditation; promoting QA. 3)Qualifications framework – development and management of HEQF; standards setting, including naming conventions for qualifications; maintenance of learner database. 4)Publish information/reports on developments in, and the state of, higher education: monitoring function.

Monitoring and Evaluation Advice: Community Service Scheme for Graduates. Establishment of Central Applications Service. Strengthening Teaching and Learning: Review of degree structure Monitoring: HE Performance Indicators. Meta-analysis of teaching and learning, research and community engagement based on institutional audits.

Potential Research Projects: FET-HE interface. Changing nature of the academic profession/next generation of academics. Governance – SRCs. Benchmark tests and the NSC. Challenges: Lack of systemic monitoring, in particular, policy impact studies. Monitoring and analytical capacity

Qualifications Framework Review of HEQF to address inconsistencies and gaps re: vocational/career-focused and professional qualifications. Policy implications re: differentiation and academic integrity of qualifications. Time-frame:  Consultations: April-May  Recommendations to Minister: July Standards setting: Finalising framework for consultation. Implementation: 3-4 years.

Programme Accreditation Accreditation of new programmes – no assessed increasing exponentially – anticipate approximately 400 will be assessed. 70 private provider programmes to be evaluated for re- accreditation. Alignment of existing programmes (estimated )with HEQF – implementation plan: :  Programmes that need no or only a minor adjustment to align with the HEQF: 60%-70%  Programmes that require some curriculum development (amounting to a less than 50% change) to align with the HEQF: 25%-30%.  Programmes that cannot be aligned with the HEQF and which will need to be phased out or replaced: 5%. Self-accreditation framework linked to alignment process

Re-accreditation of programmes in particular disciplines; high impact on quality improvement and contributes to standards setting.  MBA.  Teacher Education. Re-establish Directorate – dormant since Develop framework and criteria for National Reviews. Identify programmes to be reviewed – potential programmes – social work and law. National Reviews

Quality Promotion and Capacity Development QPCD includes building capacity and facilitating stakeholder understanding of quality assurance. Directorate dissolved – no practical implications because posts vacant. Function will continue – dedicated manager to be appointed to co-ordinate the from the office of the Executive Director: QA. QA integrated into institutional systems and processes.

Institutional Audits First cycle – 2005/11: Focus on institutional QA policies, procedures and systems; 2 remaining: MUT and WSU. Second cycle – pilot in 2013: Focus on teaching and learning - conceptual assumptions and curriculum and classroom practice. Conceptual framework released for consultation. Challenge: QA not used as steering tool to complement planning and funding.

Organisational Challenges Priority to address the gaps and inconsistencies in the application and implementation of policies in HR and finance identified by the internal audit to ensure that policies and systems are geared to meet the expanding organisational mandate and changing operational requirements while promoting best practice.

MTEF Budget 2011/ / /2014 R'000 R'000 R'000 SUMMARY INCOME 40,671 43,928 45,810 DHET - Government grant 36,772 39,237 40,832 Realisation of Deferred transfers – New Mandate : Standards Setting 2,263 2,951 3,128 Private Accreditation - Cost Recovery 1,096 1,320 1,640 Interest Income EXPENDITURE 40,671 43,928 45,810 CAPEX GOODS & SERVICES PERSONNEL

Budget