PROFESSOR Robin Cohen, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at UCT, and Professor Izak van der Merwe, Dean of the Faculty of Arts at Stellenbosch University, have issued a joint statement regarding the National Working Group on Higher Education's recent report that they enhance collaboration in the performing and creative arts.

"The two institutions have distinguished departments of music, fine art and drama (and in the case of UCT, dance). These departments are oversubscribed in students. They offer necessarily similar introductory core courses, but complementary and distinctive advanced undergraduate and graduate courses. Together our departments serve the region's burgeoning cultural economy and work closely with theatres, opera schools, companies and venues in the public and private sectors. There is a long history of contact and joint activity between the creative and performing arts departments in both institutions. None the less the report provides a helpful incentive to systemise, deepen and develop these links.

"At a meeting convened by the responsible Deans and attended by all seven heads of departments, the Faculties resolved to audit, document and publicise existing activities and to examine further possibilities for joint activities in all areas (including performance, teaching, exhibitions and research). The portability and equivalence of qualifications and courses, and the elimination of any unnecessary duplication of teaching will be part of an ongoing process of collaboration between the two institutions. We are also mindful of the suggestion make by the National Working Group that other institutions in the Western Cape that do not offer qualifications in the performing and creative arts need to be drawn into our discussions.

"We look forward to a warm, continuous and productive relationship between our faculties and relevant departments."

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