UCT hosts SA’s vice-chancellors

UCT is hosting a two-day workshop of vice-chancellors who make up the board of directors of Universities South Africa (USAf), from 20 to 21 June.

The gathering, which includes some 26 vice-chancellors – representing each of the country’s public universities – marks UCT Vice-Chancellor Dr Max Price’s final participation in a meeting of the USAf board.

The two-day affair consists of a workshop, where pressing issues affecting the higher education sector will be discussed, an annual general meeting (AGM) and a board meeting.

“This year’s workshop takes place four months after the appointment of a new minister to the Higher Education and Training portfolio. Following a meeting that was held with her by the executive committee [EXCO] of USAf, [the] EXCO will be feeding back to all directors on the agenda and outcomes of that meeting,” noted USAf manager of corporate communications ‘Mateboho Green.

Among the most burning issues in the higher education sector, the board will discuss student accommodation, funding to universities (including National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS)-related issues, as well as research and postgraduate training funding), private higher education, and post-school education and training in general.

Day two of the gathering will see three new board members recognised at the AGM, namely Professor Sibongile Muthwa (Nelson Mandela University), Professor Tshilidzi Marwala (University of Johannesburg) and Professor Duma Malaza (Mangosuthu University of Technology).

The board meeting will see the board interrogating the organisation’s strategic direction, assessing the progress of USAf’s four strategy groups (funding, teaching and learning, research and innovation, and transformation) and the USAf office itself.