Mapping the crooked path: a journey of discovery

11th Southern African Online Information Meeting (SAOIM)

Glynnis Lawrence & Cyrill Walters

Higher Education Landscape

South Africa’s policy emphasis had focused explicitly on undergraduate levels and first entrants into higher education.

Since 2006/7 that national policies have begun to view the PhD distinctively from other postgraduate degrees (Backhouse 2009).

Government MandatesGreen Paper of January 2012Align the post-school education and training with South Africa’s educational development program2011 university enrolment 899 1202030 mandated university enrolment 1 500 000

PhD GoalsPhD numbers are far too low should increase from 1 200 in 2005 to 6 000 by 2025

PhD frequency

BRICSPopulation per million persons: Brazil 192, Russia 143, India 1210, China 1344, South Africa 50

Estimate GDP in 2011: Brazil at $2.3 trillion; Russia at $1.5 trillion; India at $1.8 trillion; China at $6.5 trillion; South Africa at $379 billion

% GDP spent on R&D in 2006:Brazil (1.04), Russia (1.28), India (0.84), China (1.31%), South Africa (0.74)

South Africa vs. Egypt vs. Nigeria – SA still has the largest economy out of the 3, well developed markets, infrastructure and communication systems, more politically stable, international leadership by being the only African member of G20

University of Cape Town

Strategic goals

1.Internationalising UCT via an Afropolitan Niche 2.Transformation of UCT Towards Non-Racialism - Redress, Diversity, Inclusiveness and the Recognition of African Voices 3.Working Towards a Desired Size and Shape for UCT 4.A Vision for the Development of Research at UCT: Greater Impact, Greater Engagement 5.Enhancing the Quality and Profile of UCT's Graduates 6.Expanding and Enhancing UCT's Contribution to South Africa's Development Challenges

University of Cape TownSize & shape

From 2006 – 2011 PG overall increase of 14% vs 2% in UG

Development of research – some highlights related to other strategic indicatorsNo of PhDs down by 18 (2010)Increase of 13 PhDs from rest of Africa (2010)Decrease of 7 PhDs from rest of the world (2010)Increases in postdocs and research fellows492 academics received some form of support from ERP – 60 joined in

2011 but proportion of black researchers dropped from 42% to 25% - new areas and streams

Development of research – some highlights related to other strategic indicators

Interim eResearch site set up – aim for research portal by end 2012

Establishment of the Research Commons

Much progress in digitisation of resources Appointment of senior scholars augmented capacity and research

Our Response – UCT Libraries and UG Support Services

Library Social Teaching and Learning Space

First Year Experience

Extended Orientation programmes

Extended 4 year degrees

Our Response - PG

SciVal SpotlightTracking publication activity and impact – determining your university’s particular strengths.

UCT research competencies assessed

Largest

Assessing leadership

Collaborating institutions of the University of Cape Town (2006 - 2010)Institution Country Co-authored articlesUniversity of Stellenbosch South Africa 582University of the Witwatersrand South Africa 316South African Medical Research Council South Africa 281University of Oxford United Kingdom 196

University of KwaZulu-Natal South Africa 183London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

United Kingdom 183

University of the Western Cape South Africa 171Harvard University United States 157University of Pretoria South Africa 144Imperial College London United Kingdom 123

Columbia University United States 123University College London United Kingdom 118

South African Astronomical Observatory South Africa 105Johns Hopkins University United States 98Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (SA)

South Africa 91

University of Cambridge United Kingdom 90

University of Bergen Norway 89University of Toronto Canada 78University of Washington United States 77Medical Research Council United Kingdom 76

Rhodes University South Africa 74University of Copenhagen Denmark 71CNRS France 70University of Sydney Australia 68University of Edinburgh United Kingdom 68

UCT Stellenbosch Co-operation

PG Response

Adobe Connect

Online Q & A

Physical SpacesFlexible, collaborative work spaces. Flexibility in spaces is critical –

research & academic needs changing rapidly.Comfort/Flexibility

Re-structuring of staff

The Traditional Hierarchy

Conclusion• It’s a whole new world out there for us

• Our assertive engagement WILL assist in not only the production of substantive academic research but also assist in its quality

• Our commitment to our institutions goes beyond the ‘job’, research adds value to this country and therefore your commitment is beyond vocation

Reference List• Backhouse, J. 2009. Doctoral education in South Africa: Models, pedagogies and student

experiences. Johannesburg: Unpublished PhD thesis, School of Education, University of theWitwatersrand.

• Blom, R. 2011. The size and shape of private, post-school education and training provision in South Africa: a study for the Department of Higher Education and Training. Centre for Education Policy Development.

• BRIC invite: sign of China's Africa ambition. 2011. Africa Monitor: Southern Africa. 16 (3): 3. Available from EBSCOHost Business Source Premier [2012, April 18].

• BRICS Joint Statistical Publication 2012. http://www.bricsindia.in/publication.html

• Department of Higher Education and Training. 2012. Green Paper for post-school education and training. Department of Higher Education and Training. Republic of South Africa.

• Hall, P. 2011. BRIC to BRICS. Trade Finance. 14 (1): 170. Available from EBSCOHost Business Source Premier [2012, April 18].• Kaplan, D. 2004. South Africa’s national research and development strategy: a review. Science, Technology & Society. 9(2):

273- 294. DOI: 10.1177/097172180400900204.

• Maesaroh, I. and Genoni, P. 2009. Education and continuing professional development for Indonesian academic librarians: a survey. Library Management. 30 (8/9): 524-538. DOI: 10.1108/01435120911006494.

Reference List

• Nevin T. 2011. South Africa vaults into elite BRIC club. African Business. (372): 56-57. Available from EBSCOHost Business Source Premier [2012, April 18].

• Noury, V. 2011. What BRICS membership means to Africa. African Business. (376): 37-39. Available from EBSCOHost Business Source Premier [2012, April 18].

• Schiller, Ben. 2011. Beyond the BRICS. Financial Management. 27-30. Available from EBSCOHost Business Source Premier [2012, April 18].