STRATEGIC PLAN 2009 -2016: TOWARDS OUR CENTENARYwvw.ufh.ac.za/files/Strategic Plan 2009_Final_Nov...

STRATEGIC PLAN 2009-2016:

TOWARDS OUR CENTENARY

UFH Strategic Plan 2009 - 2016 Page 2

1 Contents

2 List of Figures ....................................................................................................................... 4

3 List of Tables ........................................................................................................................ 5

4 List of Acronyms .................................................................................................................. 6

5 Foreword from Chairperson of Council ............................................................................... 8

6 Message from Vice Chancellor ............................................................................................ 9

7 Executive Summary ........................................................................................................... 10

8 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 15

9 History of the University .................................................................................................... 16

10 Conditions under which Higher Education operates ......................................................... 17

10.1 International Context ................................................................................................. 17

10.2 National Context ........................................................................................................ 18

10.3 Local Context.............................................................................................................. 20

10.4 Higher Education Policy Framework .......................................................................... 21

11 Recent Achievements ........................................................................................................ 23

12 The University’s Strategic Response .................................................................................. 29

12.1 Vision and Mission ..................................................................................................... 29

12.2 Strategic Objective and Enablers ............................................................................... 30

13 Overall Goal: Teaching and Learning, Research and Engagement Excellence .................. 31

13.1 An integrated approach: Towards Scholarly Excellence ............................................ 31

13.2 Teaching and Learning ............................................................................................... 32

13.3 Research ..................................................................................................................... 34

13.4 Community Engagement ........................................................................................... 35

13.5 Sub-Objectives for Teaching and Learning, Research and Community Engagement 36

14 Enabler 2: Improve the Student Experience ...................................................................... 39

14.1 Sub-objectives for Enabler 2 ...................................................................................... 40

15 Enabler 3: Develop a Service Culture ................................................................................ 41

15.1 Sub-objectives for Enabler 3: ..................................................................................... 42

16 Enabler 4: Optimise the Multi-Campus Model .................................................................. 44

16.1 A Model for Alignment .............................................................................................. 44

16.2 Strategic Opportunities Offered by Each Campus ..................................................... 45


17 Enabler 5: Harness Technology Effectively ........................................................................ 50

17.1 Recent Developments Affecting Application of Technology ..................................... 50

17.2 Transparent Technology ............................................................................................ 51



18 Enabler 6: Human Resource Development ....................................................................... 53

18.2 The Challenges ........................................................................................................... 54

18.3 UFH Human Resource Development Aspirations ...................................................... 54


19 Enabler 7: Financial Viability and Sustainability ................................................................ 57

19.1 Institutional Growth and the Enrolment Plan ........................................................... 57

19.2 The Current Financial Situation ................................................................................. 59

19.3 Ensuring Lasting Sustainability ................................................................................... 60

19.4 Infrastructure Recapitalisation .................................................................................. 60


20 Action Plan 2009-2012 ...................................................................................................... 65

21 Annexure 1: Risk Review Summary and Responsibility ..................................................... 72

22 Bibliography ....................................................................................................................... 74

23 Appendix 1: HEQC Audit Recommendations: Quality Improvement Plan ........................ 77


2 List of Figures

FIGURE 1: CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK ......................................................................................................... 11 FIGURE 2: STRATEGY MAP - SUMMARY ........................................................................................................ 12 FIGURE 3: STRATEGY MAP – DETAIL .............................................................................................................. 13 FIGURE 4: NO OF GRADUATES 2004 - 2007 ................................................................................................... 26 FIGURE 5: TOTAL HEADCOUNTS 2004 - 2008 ................................................................................................ 26 FIGURE 6: PUBLICATION OUTPUT 2004 - 2007 ............................................................................................. 27 FIGURE 7: STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE AND ENABLERS......................................................................................... 29 FIGURE 8: THE LINK BETWEEN PEOPLE AND THE UNIVERSITY’S STRATEGIC PLAN ....................................... 55 FIGURE 9: UFH TOTAL HEADCOUNTS 1991 - 2008 ........................................................................................ 57


3 List of Tables

TABLE 1: HEQC AUDIT COMMENDATIONS 23 TABLE 2: AVERAGE PASS RATES 2008 25 TABLE 3: SUMMARY OF STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE AND ENABLERS 30 TABLE 4: STRATEGIC GOAL 1 SUB-OBJECTIVES 37 TABLE 5: IMPROVING STUDENT EXPERIENCE SUB-OBJECTIVES 40 TABLE 6: PROMOTE SERVICE CULTURE SUB-OBJECTIVES 42 TABLE 7: ALICE CAMPUS PROPOSED PQM 46 TABLE 8: BHISHO CAMPUS PROPOSED PQM 46 TABLE 9: EAST LONDON CAMPUS PROPOSED PQM 47 TABLE 10: OPTIMISED MULTI-CAMPUS MODEL SUB-OBJECTIVES 49 TABLE 11: HARNESS TECHNOLOGY EFFECTIVELY SUB-OBJECTIVES 52 TABLE 12: STAFF CATEGORIES 53 TABLE 13: HRD SUB-OBJECTIVES 56 TABLE 14: GROWTH STRATEGIES 58 TABLE 15 INCOME AND EXPENDITURE 2009 - 2016 59 TABLE 16: INFRASTRUCTURE AND EFFICIENCY GRANT FUNDING 60 TABLE 17:RECAPITALISATION AND INFRA-STRUCTURAL SPEND 61 TABLE 18: MODERATE GROWTH INCOME AND EXPENDITURE BUDGET AFTER IMPLEMENTATION OF

STRATEGIES 62 TABLE 19: FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY SUB-OBJECTIVES 63


4 List of Acronyms

AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

ASGISA Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative

BCM Buffalo City Municipality

CBO Community Based Organisation

CE Community Engagement

CEO Chief Executive Officer

CESM Classification of Educational Subject Material

CFO Chief Financial Officer

CHE Council for Higher Education

CIO Chief Information Officer

COBIT Control Objectives for Information and related Technology

DoHET Department of Higher Education and Training (formerly DoE)

DVC Deputy Vice Chancellor

EMT Executive Management Team

FHF Fort Hare Foundation

FT Full Time

FTE Full Time Equivalent

GIS Geographic Information Systems

HRD Human Resource Development

HE Higher Education

HEI Higher Education Institution

HEQC Higher Education Quality Committee

HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus

HOD Head of Department

HR Human Resources

HRM Human Resource Management

HRMIS Human Resource Management Information System

ICT Information and Communication Technology

IDP Integrated Development Plan

IEASA International Education Association of South Africa

IOP Institutional Operating Plan (for the period 2004 – 2009)

ISO International Standards Organisation

ISP Internet Service Provider

IT Information Technology

ITIL Information Technology Infrastructure Library

ITS Integrated Tertiary Software

JIPSA Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition

LM Local Municipality

MoU Memorandum of Understanding

NGO Non Governmental Organisation

NRF National Research Foundation

NSFAS National Student Financial Aid Scheme

OD Organisational Development

PFSA Public Financial Services Agency

PG Postgraduate

PGDP Provincial Growth and Development Plan

PPP Public Private Partnership

PQM Programme and Qualification Mix

PT Part Time

PVC Pro Vice Chancellor

RIMS Research Management Information System

SA South Africa

SER Self Evaluation Report

SETA Sector Education Training Authority


SP2000 Strategic Plan 2000 (for the period 2000 – 2005)

SP2009 Strategic Plan 2008 (for the period 2009 – 2016)

TENET Tertiary Education Network

TTMA Transversal Training Management Agency

UFH University of Fort Hare

UG Undergraduate

UniSA University of South Australia

VC Vice Chancellor

WSU Walter Sisulu University

Y2K Year 2000


5 Foreword from Chairperson of Council

Having had the honour of serving the University of Fort Hare as Chairperson of Council since

2004, and overseeing the implementation of the current Institutional Operating Plan (IOP) which

provided the guiding framework for the UFH’s development from 2004 until 2009, it is my

pleasure to present the UFH Strategic Plan 2009.

This new Strategic Plan, for the period 2009 – 2016, is the third prepared by the University of

Fort Hare, following on SP2000 and the IOP 2004. The development of the goals for this plan

results directly from a review of its previous plans and a reflection on its operations and

stakeholder responses to its operations since the pre-1999 crisis period. The UFH’s Strategic

Plan 2000 – 2005 (SP2000) laid the foundation for the turnaround strategy that saw public

confidence in the University’s operations and its ability to offer quality education restored; the

Institutional Operating Plan (IOP) guided the further development and growth of the institution

post-incorporation for the period 2004 – 2009.

This Strategic Plan has been developed to serve as a tool that can help the university to gain

a comprehensive understanding of the opportunities available to it when carrying out the goal-

oriented, long-term efforts to further develop the UFH as a dynamic knowledge centre

contributing and advancing the development of the nation and the continent of Africa. The

goals identified for the plan are twofold. Firstly, they are linked directly to the democratic

government’s objectives of the role of higher education in being an active and critical partner in

addressing national transformation and development imperatives. Secondly, they address the

universality of knowledge both in its creation and application.

The Strategic Plan will further assist Council members in addressing their statutory

responsibilities in responding to the needs and expectations of the University’s stakeholders in

relation to the provision of quality higher education.

The Strategic Plan provides a clear direction and reporting framework for Council and

Executive Management over the next 8 years. The Plan will be monitored and evaluated

regularly and a report of the extent of its implementation given each year.

We look forward to meeting the challenges that lie ahead.

Mr P Silinga

Chairperson of Council

April 2009


6 Message from Vice Chancellor

From time to time we need to step back from the whirlwind of daily activity, reflect together

on the challenges facing us, and unite around a strategy for meeting these challenges. This

document is the outcome of such a process, in which many people have participated along the

way. The University Council unanimously approved this Strategic Plan on 3rd

April 2009.

The Strategic Plan 2009- 2016 has been written from a position of confidence as well as a

realistic appraisal of our current situation. At the UFH we are secure in our foundation that is

based on the fundamental values of freedom, democracy and the pursuit of knowledge. We are

proud of our over 90-year long history, and we believe in our own strengths. But we also

recognise that society is rightfully placing greater demands on us, and that the university can

fulfil its role only by being an open, learning-oriented organisation, actively involved in meeting

society’s challenges and needs.

The University continues to face a number of challenges including responding to national

goals and policies on education and development, and coping with complex economic, political

social and technological transformation imperatives. In addition to these largely external

factors, the University community identified critical strategic issues including a renewed focus on

relevance and quality of our academic, research and community engagement programmes and

the experiences of our students; improving service levels; successfully managing a multi-campus

institution; developing our human resources and attracting and retaining quality staff;

developing and modernising our ageing and inadequate infrastructure; and increasing options

for income generation.

This strategic plan represents our collective thinking about the most effective and creative

ways to respond to these challenges. Given our historic under-funding, coupled with the

increasing demands for the University to grow while simultaneously improving quality, the

strategic plan with its accompanying implementation plan demonstrates how much is required

to accomplish our goals over the next eight years. The strategic plan describes how we intend to

accomplish our overarching strategic goal of teaching and learning, research and community

engagement excellence, together with the enablers we envision as necessary for achieving this.

In the preparation of this Plan, the University consulted widely with stakeholders including

Council, Senate, Faculty/Schools/Institutes and Departments, staff, students and other key

stakeholders towards identifying, analysing, prioritising and proposing solutions to current

challenges. In view of this broad consultation and quality participation, it is expected that all

stakeholders will claim ownership of the plan and support the process of implementation.

I would like to thank all those who participated in preparing this Strategic Plan. This is the

start of another dynamic and exciting phase of our University. I look forward to charting, and

sharing with you our progress, towards the realisation of the Plan.

Dr Mvuyo Tom

Vice Chancellor

April 2009


7 Executive Summary

The University of Fort Hare (UFH) here presents its long range Strategic Plan for the period

2009 – 2016 (SP 2009 – 2016). The plan provides a situational analysis and strategic framework

for the continued growth and sustainable development of the University.

The long range strategic plan is premised on the notion that the University, in common with

other organisations, is an open system, influenced by and impacting on its environment. Thus

an analysis of the environment which informs the strategic response of the University is

considered necessary. After a brief history of the University, Section One locates the institution

in the current external operating environment, by providing an analysis of the international,

national and local context in which the higher education sector in general, and the University of

Fort Hare specifically, operates, with reference to globalisation and associated phenomena;

national development priorities; the policy framework for higher education; and the

development challenges of the immediate locales in which the three campuses of the University

are situated.

Section Two details the University’s strategic response. Overall, the strategy takes as a

metaphor a traditional African homestead (Figure 1). The Vision and Mission provide the

impetus for the overall strategic objective, Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Research and

Community Engagement – the integrated nature of these elements denoted by the three

connected sides of the triangle. The 5 ‘pillars’: Improve the Student Experience; Develop a

Service Culture; Harness Technology Effectively; Optimise the Multi-Campus Model; Develop

Human Resource Development support the achievement of the overall objective, while Financial

Viability and Sustainability is the ‘foundation’ upon which everything rests. The ‘access’ arrow

symbolises the unique role that the University of Fort Hare fulfils by providing opportunities for

higher education to students from disadvantaged backgrounds; while the ‘output’ arrows

represent our specific qualitative contributions to society – competent graduates, relevant

research and meaningful engagement.

The core mandate of teaching and learning, research and community engagement, and each

supporting pillar has a set of operational objectives. Each objective in turn has a detailed Action

Plan, detailed in Section Three, which establishes leadership responsibilities, actions, timeframes

and success indicators for each objective.

UFH Strategic Plan 2009 - 2016

Figure 2 below shows the summary strategy map for the plan, a visual representation of the

cause and effect relationships among the components of the strategy.

detail the strategic objective and enablers, with sub

indicators (or measures) that will be tracked to monitor progress towards achievement of the

strategic objective and enablers.

To provide high quality education

of knowledge that is socially and ethically relevant and applying that knowledge to the scientific,

technological and socio

A vibrant, equitable and sustainable African university, committed to teaching and research

excellence at the service of its students, scholars and the wider community

Figure 1: Conceptual Framework

below shows the summary strategy map for the plan, a visual representation of the

cause and effect relationships among the components of the strategy. Figure 3 shows in more

detail the strategic objective and enablers, with sub-objectives; and the high level success


strategic objective and enablers.

Mission

To provide high quality education of international standards contributing to the advancement


technological and socio-economic development of our nation and the wider world

Vision

and sustainable African university, committed to teaching and research


Page 11

below shows the summary strategy map for the plan, a visual representation of the

shows in more

evel success


of international standards contributing to the advancement


economic development of our nation and the wider world

and sustainable African university, committed to teaching and research



Figure 2: Strategy Map - Summary


2. IMPROVE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

2.1 Improve

services and

support

2.2 Improve

infrastructure and

recreational

facilities

2.3 Improve

governance and

leadership

STUDENT SATISFACTIONINVESTMENT IN

INFRASTRUCTURE

3. PROMOTE SERVICE CULTURE

3.1 Unified,

Integrated

Culture

3.2 Develop

Service Capacity

and Commitment

3.3 Improve

Communications

and Marketing

3.4 Modernize

key systems and

processes

STUDENT SATISFACTION STAFF SATISFACTIONACHIEVEMENT OF SERVICE

LEVELS

4. OPTIMIZE MULTI-CAMPUS MODEL

4.2 Ensure

academic

equivalence

4.1 Optimise

academic

offerings

BREAK EVEN PER

CAMPUS

S’HOLDER SATISFACTION

LEVEL PER CAMPUS

THROUGHPUT /

RESEARCH OUTPUT PER

CAMPUS

4.3 Optimize

cross-campus

management

5. HARNESS TECHNOLOGY EFFECTIVELY

5.3 Appropriate

Information

Management

5.2 Access on

Demand

5.1 Unified

Virtual Campus

USER SATISFACTIONINCREASE IN USE OF

ICTS / ITS

% FRAMEWORK

ALIGNMENT

6. DEVELOP HUMAN RESOURCES

6.1 Improve HR

Function and

Capability

6.5 Promote Staff

Well-Being6.3 Optimise Size

and Composition of

Workforce

6.2 Improve

Recruitment and

Retention Practices

6.4 Enhance Staff

Development and

Performance

REDUCED TURNOVERIMPROVED

QUALIFICATIONS

STAFF:STUDENT RATIOS

ACADEMIC:ADMIN RATIOS

IMPROVED

PERFORMANCE

1. EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING, RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

1.1 Conceptual

devt and curricula

Renewal

1.3 Inter-

nationalisation

1.4 Stakeholder

Partnerships1.7 Academic

development

1.5 Technology-

Enhanced

Learning

1.6 Enabling

Environment

1.2 Culture of

scholarly

excellence

IMPROVED THROUGHPUTINCREASED RESEARCH

OUTPUTMORE RATED SCIENTISTS MORE NICHE RESEARCH INCREASED INNOVATION

EMPLOYABLE

GRADUATES

7. ACHIEVE FINANCIAL VIABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

7.5 Reduce Costs7.2 Increase Fee

Income

7.3 Diversify

Revenue Base

7.1 Increase

Subsidy Income

7.4 Improve

Financial Planning

and Management

BALANCED BUDGET BY

2011

INCREASE IN INCOME

(S, F, 3RD

ST)

BENCHMARKED COST

PER GRADUATEENROLMENT TARGETS

Figure 3: Strategy Map – Detail

Section 1 THE CONTEXT


8 Introduction

The University of Fort Hare here presents its Strategic Plan (SP2009) for the period 2009 – 2016

as the culmination of a broad consultative process designed to mobilize its constituents and partners

around a co-created vision for the future of this august institution. Building on the considerable and

highly successful work done over the past decade to revive the fortunes of the institution and

position it as a modern centre of intellectual life in the 21st Century, the University desires to

consolidate the gains made, refresh and revitalize stakeholder commitment, and build an objective

programme for its continued growth and sustainable development.

The University of Fort Hare is one of Africa and South Africa’s oldest universities, and the first

founded as an institution of higher learning for Africans (although it is also distinguished by its

original non-racial character). From humble beginnings in the early 20th

century, Fort Hare emerged

as one of Africa’s most distinguished and iconic Higher Education Institutions. Occupying a crucial

place in the emergence and preservation of the intellectual heritage of Africa, Fort Hare played an

important role in the post-war struggle for democracy in South Africa and the continent. Surviving

near closure in 1999, a situation rooted in the inequitable treatment the University was subjected to

during the apartheid era, and exacerbated by poor leadership and declining student numbers, Fort

Hare has “defied the odds of colonial and apartheid history to survive to this day” (Swartz, 2005, p.

1) and emerged in the 21st

Century as a vibrant intellectual centre, already a major contributor to

economic, political, social and civic development at local, provincial and national level.

The University aspires to continue to be a relevant skills and knowledge producer, as well as

thought leader for our broader society, as it ventures towards its centenary year, 2016. This

aspiration is influenced by and must take into account the rapidly changing and increasingly complex

post-colonial, post-apartheid and post-industrial society in which it operates. This requires that the

University continually builds its organizational capability to adapt to changing conditions in order to

remain responsive and relevant.

The plan builds on the strategic imperatives and goals of the institution as defined in the

Strategic Plan 2000 (SP 2000) (University of Fort Hare, 2000) and the Institutional Operating Plan

(IOP) (University of Fort Hare, 2004). It also takes into account the results of the critical self-

evaluation and subsequent recommendations emanating from the extensive HEQC quality audit

undertaken in May 2008 (see Appendix 1). Where it diverts from the aforementioned documents is

in the emphasis on achievement, through the development of carefully considered success

measures that will enable us to monitor progress towards our goals and take corrective action if, and

when, required.

Like any plan, the document articulates our aspirations and dreams (grounded in a realistic

appraisal of what is possible), and serves as a practical guide for action and decision making.

Providing a robust map that will guide us in the unsteady and uncharted currents of change, it

should nevertheless be seen as a living document that will evolve and modify over time as

circumstances require.


9 History of the University

One cannot possibly understand the history of South Africa

without understanding the history of Fort Hare.

Selby Baqwa 2001

The numerous luminary leaders and revolutionaries for which Fort Hare was an educational

home and formative experience are well documented. Among the most well-known are Govan

Mbeki, Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo and Chris Hani. Former Pan-Africanist Congress founder and

President Robert Sobukwe also studied at Fort Hare, yet, as Daniel Massey (Massey, 2001) points

out, the importance of Fort Hare goes beyond the development of political consciousness of

individual liberation heroes. The University has an intricate history that not only parallels, but also

reflects, the contradictions of the modern history of South Africa. The fact that Fort Hare is the third

smallest University in South Africa1, but also one of its oldest, testifies to the inequitable treatment

that the University has been subjected to over the years, enduring both racial and economic

marginalisation.

It was the apartheid government’s separate university legislation in particular, when in 1960 Fort

Hare was transferred to the Department of Bantu Education, that plunged the University into a

‘state of turmoil’ from which, in many senses, it has yet to emerge (Massey, 2001). Unlike the other

proposed Bantustan universities which were to be newly established to serve the ethnically based

‘homeland’ administrations, Fort Hare had been in existence since 1916 and was a thriving home for

black intellectual activity and the training of professionals.

The post-apartheid era was a difficult time for the University as it battled falling enrolments, and

when expectations of redress, in the form of additional government funding, did not materialise.

The parlous state of our finances and mediocre academic performance, combined with poor

leadership and mismanagement, in the late 1990s led to the near closure of the institution. A

turnaround strategy led by former Vice-Chancellor Professor Derrick Swartz, the acquisition of an

urban campus in East London, and some recapitalisation funding has seen a revival of the fortunes of

the University in recent years, but it is still some way from being the financially stable and

academically excellent institution its stakeholders envision. This is largely due to the need for major

recapitalisation of the University to bring it onto an equal footing with peer institutions, after

decades of severe underfunding and neglect of key infrastructure development needs.

The University of Fort Hare’s vision is to remain an equitable sustainable African university.

African is used here in the broad, post-colonial, continental sense (i.e. pan-African as opposed to

narrowly African, incorporating ideas of diversity, democracy and modernity). To be equitable

implies that it will serve the rural poor with all the concomitant financial limitations associated with

this sector of society. At the same time it is committed to teaching and learning and research

excellence and hence cannot entertain any compromise of standards in order to improve

throughput. This strategic plan is therefore intended to focus on key strategic objectives and

enablers that will move the University closer towards the achievement of its vision.

1 Should the UFH close, national enrolments would drop by only 1.2%


10 Conditions under which Higher Education operates

10.1 International Context

The University, in common with other Higher Education Institutions, operates in a rapidly and

continuously changing environment. This environment is characterised by explosions in the

generation, transmission and application of knowledge, revolutionary changes in processes of

production, distribution, and exchange, and the increasing interdependence and complexity of

economic and other social systems. All of the factors mentioned are both stimulated and sustained

by unprecedented developments in technology. In short, current global conditions impel Higher

Education Institutions (HEIs) worldwide to face up to the necessity for change and adaptation if they

are to survive and prosper.

The current global economic crisis that originates in the United States of America but has

affected economies all over the world illustrates how globalisation is re-shaping economic, political

and social relations and interactions. The environment for HEIs is changing in accordance with the

rise of a world economic and political order that is redefining what are deemed appropriate

organisational ends and means for operating in the global environment (Vaira, 2004) (Vaira, 2004).

In sum, higher education is involved in a process of deep institutional change, which is challenging

and recreating its established values and policy frameworks (Vaira, 2004).

The resultant increasingly important role of HEIs for socio-economic mobility and global

competitiveness has thrust them into the spotlight (King & Douglass, 2007). Universities must

attend to and balance the often competing and contradictory pressures from a growing range of

constituencies: labour market demands for qualifications and skills that will equip the ‘knowledge

worker’ to successfully navigate this complex and ever changing terrain; governments as they pursue

national economic development and competitiveness, or demand increased accountability for

quality and outcomes; corporations wanting to exploit intellectual capital of universities for

innovation and the application of knowledge; more and different types of students seeking ‘lifelong

learning’ to continuously update their skills and knowledge; and social movements or interest groups

representing minorities or causes.

In a developing country context, HEIs are contending with these pressures in addition to the

heightened expectations of governments and citizens who see universities as central to the

economic and social advancement necessary to lift developing nations out of poverty. The

development initiatives of these countries require an expanding and highly skilled workforce. HEIs

are expanding as a result, but are faced with the challenges of limited funding, resources,

equipment, skilled and experienced academics etc. The increasing dependence on sophisticated

technologies and connection to information networks serves to further exacerbate the ‘digital

divide’ between those who have access, and those who do not (King & Douglass, 2007).

African academics face the challenge of pursuing research that is relevant to the African context,

while at the same time conforming to the norms of world Science. There is an enormous need for

Africa-based research, to understand and identify Africa’s needs, to gain insights into the social

economic, political and cultural challenges faced by the African nations, and to build a knowledge-

base about all aspects of African societies.


10.2 National Context

High quality higher education is crucial for social equity,

economic and social development and a vibrant democracy and

civil society. If higher education does not produce knowledgeable,

competent and skilled graduates, generating research and

knowledge, and undertaking responsive community service, then

equity, development and democracy will all be constrained. The

challenges of reconstruction, social transformation and

development are tremendous. Higher education must not fail to

establish the new priorities and satisfy the new needs of a

democratic South Africa.

(Council on Higher Education, 2004)

The attainment of democracy in 1994 brought with it the possibility for South Africa to restore

the dignity of its citizens, and to address poverty and inequality. Government embarked on an

ambitious and systematic effort to dismantle racially-based patterns of social and economic relations

and build a prosperous, inclusive and democratic society. This effort included a strong focus on

stimulating economic growth and job creation, expanding and improving key public services such as

education, health and welfare services, and increased ‘social cohesion2’.

The challenge of dealing with the legacy of apartheid was complicated by the additional need to

integrate the hitherto isolated country into the global community and the international political and

economic system which was itself undergoing rapid changes as outlined above. The South African

government was therefore embarking on this transformation and reconstruction effort in a context

where, at an international level, the nation-state was retreating. This, for a number of reasons,

made a direct interventionist approach unfeasible. The government also had to act to head off a

debt crisis inherited from the apartheid regime.

The Presidency’s Fifteen Year Review (The Presidency, Republic of South Africa, 2008) concludes

that although government has made significant progress towards meeting both long term

transformation objectives as well as the more specific 10-year objectives, they have not been

achieved in full, and new challenges have arisen.

Moving forward from this broad assessment, the key elements of government strategy have

been identified as:

• speeding up growth and transforming the economy;

• fighting poverty;

• building social cohesion and state legitimacy;

• pursuing the values of international cooperation; and

• building a developmental state

2 Social cohesion is the capacity of different groups in society to cooperate in ways that enable positive change


The key strategic thrusts of the Government since 2004 can be summarised as follows:

• growing the economy; and

• promoting social and economic inclusion.

All other social and economic programmes are positioned within the ambit of this broad

framework.

At a provincial level, the Eastern Cape Provincial Growth and Development Plan (PGDP) has the

following key strategic objectives:

• systematic poverty eradication through a holistic, integrated and multi-dimensional

approach to pro-poor programming;

• transformation of agrarian economy and strengthening of household food security; and

• consolidation, development and diversification of manufacturing base and tourism

potential.

As well as three foundation objectives, namely:

• infrastructure development;

• human resource development; and

• public sector and institutional transformation.

Government also intends to focus on a few ‘catalytic initiatives’ in tackling the challenges listed,

drawing from the lessons of other developing countries in similar circumstances. These include

better macroeconomic management, coherent and integrated industrial and trade and competitions

policies, human resource and skills development (this includes expanding further and higher

education to address existing and future skills shortages), improving access to social services, social

security, education and healthcare for the poor; expanding agricultural production; strengthening

state legitimacy and improving state efficiency and performance and the coordination, monitoring

and oversight capacity of the state. The Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative (ASGISA) and the Joint

Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA) are key government initiatives that relate to these

strategic thrusts.

In 2007 government launched a Ten Year Innovation Plan to help drive South Africa’s

transformation towards a knowledge-based economy, and to highlight the role of science and

technology in driving growth and development. The Innovation Plan envisions the production and

dissemination of knowledge leading to economic benefits and enriches all fields of human

endeavour. Sectors intended to benefit are biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, space science and

technology, energy security and climate change. Higher education is seen as a key strategic partner

in achieving these policy objectives. President Motlanthe, in a speech given at the University in

November 2008, had this to say about the relationship between the higher education sector and the

state:

The globalised world is a very unforgiving arena. States that do not possess

the material wherewithal, requisite technological, vocational, and educational

competencies, political stability and social cohesion – find themselves on a

trajectory to the margins – as a less than desirable destination for investment and

business...To ensure that South Africa does not go that way, to ensure that we

have a political and economic framework that could realize the vast potential of

this great democratic and non-racial republic – we need a robust and dynamic

partnership between Higher Education and the State, that will speak to the

mutually-negotiated parameters of autonomy and accountability.

This relationship is steered by the national framework for higher education briefly outlined in

Section 10.4 below.


10.3 Local Context

The University of Fort Hare is located in the Eastern Cape Province, one of the poorest and most

under-developed provinces in South Africa. Its biggest campus, based in Alice, in the Nkonkobe

Local Municipality (LM), is one of the most underdeveloped in the province. Many of the students

attending UFH come from poor socio-economic backgrounds; the payment of fees has always been a

struggle for many families.

The Nkonkobe Local Municipality Integrated Development Plan (IDP) states that the municipality

is “faced with massive problem of underdevelopment, which has resulted from historic

consequences of the country’s politics” (Nkonkobe Local Municipality, 2007, p. 6). Unemployment

and poverty levels within Nkonkobe LM are high – out of an estimated population of 133,434

(source: Census 2001) approximately 74% of people living within the municipal area are classed as

indigent (i.e. they have no income at all). 93% of the people of Nkonkobe LM earn less than R800

per month. Many households are sustained by remittances, income from a single wage earner and

various small-scale activities. The majority of those employed are in public service. Most of the

population resides in villages, farms and scattered settlements, with the rural: urban ratio standing

at approximately 4:1.

Unfortunately this severe under development is accompanied by low capacity of the local

authority to act as a catalyst for development in the area and address service and infrastructure

backlogs. Although there is potential in the agriculture and tourism sectors, efforts at economic

development in these sectors have been haphazard and have had little impact. Initiatives by the

University to engage the municipality in development partnerships have not taken off, due in part to

political infighting and resultant inconsistent leadership of the municipality.

Concerning local relationships, Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) have now been signed

between UFH and both Walter Sisulu University (WSU) and the Buffalo City Municipality (BCM). UFH

and WSU have pledged to work cooperatively and not competitively in terms of courses offered and

student markets targeted, for the greater good of the city and region; and to work in partnership on

key projects, such as the proposed Techno-Park in East London. The BCM is committed to the

success and growth of the two universities as part of its City Development Strategy, recognising that

this growth will have a concomitant beneficial impact on the City.

Besides these, there are a number of ongoing and developing strategic partnerships with the

Eastern Cape Provincial Government (ECPG) as well as with local private enterprises.

With over 5500 students now registered to the Alice campus, and many of these living in the

town, the University is beginning to have a positive impact on the economy of the town. There is an

opportunity to harness this so that the town begins to support the University as well. Of serious

concern, however, is the ongoing inability to form a partnership with Nkonkobe Local Municipality

(LM), despite the fact that the University is one of the town’s biggest employers and industries.


10.4 Higher Education Policy Framework

The higher education system must be transformed to redress

past inequalities, to serve a new social order, to meet pressing

national needs and to respond to new realities and opportunities

(Ministry of Education, 1997)

The South African government’s policy framework for Higher Education was, “a product of both

the struggle to transform higher education, ridding it of the legacies of apartheid, and an effort to

prepare South Africa to compete effectively in a highly competitive globalised economic and political

environment” (Hayward, Ncayiyana, & Johnson, 2003, p. 22)

The White Paper on Higher Education (Ministry of Education, 1997) defines the role of higher

education as meeting the learning needs and aspirations of individuals; addressing the development

needs of society; contributing to the creation, sharing and evaluation of knowledge; and contributing

towards the development of enlightened, responsible and constructively critical citizens.

Government policy, therefore, explicitly acknowledges the role of higher education in development,

through human resource development (the training and development of skilled ‘knowledge workers’

who are also critical and responsible citizens) and knowledge creation (through research) while

simultaneously underlining the obligation of publicly supported institutions to be accountable.

The White Paper also described a comprehensive and ambitious transformation agenda for the

sector, focusing on the creation of a number of integrated steering mechanisms in an integrated,

coordinated national system; these steering mechanisms included planning (e.g. enrolment

planning, programme and qualification mix planning) financial incentives (a funding formula

designed to reward institutional alignment with national policy goals) and reporting requirements

that would measure the extent of achievement of the policy goals.

Enrolments in higher education grew rapidly from 300,000 in 1986 to 750,000 in 2005. The

proportion of African students in HE has substantially increased, but Africans remain under-

represented, with a participation rate of 13% of the 20-24 year-old age cohort in 2005. Real

expenditure on higher education increased from R6,055 billion in 1998/9 to R7,448 billion in 2007/8.

However, when compared against the growth in enrolments this represents a decline in subsidy

allocation per student.

The White Paper on Science and Technology (Ministry of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology

1996) spells out the vision and goals for research and innovation in the South African context,

proceeding from the premise that the continuous production of new knowledge, both applied and

basic research, in the natural sciences and the social sciences, is crucial to innovation and hence to

both social and economic development. Applied research, particularly in the natural sciences, adds

value in the production and delivery of goods and services that enhance the quality of life and

livelihoods of individuals and societies.

In order to provide for the promotion of research, both basic and applied, and the extension and

transfer of knowledge in the various fields of science and technology and indigenous knowledge

systems, the National Research Foundation (NRF) was established. The objective of the NRF is to


support and promote research through funding, human resource development and the provision of

the necessary research facilities in order to facilitate the creation of knowledge, innovation and

development in all fields of science and technology, including indigenous knowledge, and thereby to

contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of all the people of the Republic.


11 Recent Achievements

Despite the conditions that have had both positive and negative consequences for the institution

outlined above, the University has demonstrated its responsiveness, commitment to excellence and

ongoing quality improvement in a number of areas in recent years, as the commendations in the

HEQC Quality Audit confirm (see Table 1 below). As we prepared for the HEQC audit and reflected,

we looked back with pride and confidence at what has been achieved.

The 'turnaround period' (1998 - 2003) culminated in a new vision and strategy for the Institution.

That five-year blueprint, called Strategic Plan 2000 (SP2000), was developed for the period ending

2005. SP2000 was finalized before the restructuring of higher education, and in the case of UFH

before the incorporation of the Rhodes University East London Campus. The Institutional Operating

Plan (IOP) 2004 - 2009 incorporated these new developments into the future projections.

Table 1: HEQC Audit Commendations

Commendations

1. For progress made since the crisis of the late 1990s

2. For initiatives and success in providing higher education access to socio-economically deprived sectors of

society

3. For the Thuthuka accounting programme and the way it addresses a national skills shortage

4. For the effective use of Library services in promoting quality of teaching and learning, and research

5. For the initiatives aimed at developing a research culture

6. To the Faculty of Science and Agriculture for the integration of teaching and learning, research and

community engagement

In preparation for the HEQC audit, the performance of the University since 2004 was assessed

against the objectives of the Strategic Plan (SP2000) and can be found in the Self-Assessment report

(University of Fort Hare, 2007). The achievements against plans for the Institutional Operating Plan

(IOP) were reviewed in September 2008 (see Appendix 2). Both of these internal reviews concluded

that although much had been achieved, “insufficiently robust planning and review mechanisms, the

rapidly changing national context which drew scarce resources away from the task at hand, and

continually changing time frames, flawed the process.” (University of Fort Hare, 2007, p. 33)

In addition, the Higher Education Merger Study Group (HEMSG) tracked the incorporation process at

the UFH and produced several reports. The final report of the HEMSG states:

On most fronts the incorporation has been completed and is a success: systems

have been merged, salaries and benefits equalised, faculties have been revitalised,

enrolments and research have increased. Although there are still concerns about

the quality of support services in particular, the HEQC audit is likely to have

helped UFH to identify further ways to improve. (Higher Education Merger Study

Group , 2008, p. 10)

More specifically, the UFH can celebrate the following key achievements over the past several

years:

• The University has responded to the need for the training of skilled professionals and for

research in the fields of agriculture and agri-business, rural development, teacher training,

public sector transformation, business science and commerce including accounting

• There has been a steady increase in post-graduate throughput (Honours, Master’s and

PhD’s) since 2004 (see Fig 4 below)


• The University has been generating cutting-edge curriculum innovation and knowledge

production in a number of faculties. Examples of such exemplary work include, amongst

others:

o The Faculty of Science and Agriculture in such projects as the Nguni cattle R&D project,

its Agri-Park and, more recently and significantly, the Fort Hare Dairy Farm;

o The Faculty of Education in digital education and new book publications;

o The Faculty of Management and Commerce in public sector skills development and

education.

o The Fort Hare Institute of Technology (FHIT) in renewable energy, low-cost housing and

bio-fuels; and

o The Nelson Mandela Institute of Education and Rural Development (NMIERD) in

research and innovative development programmes addressing issues of education and

rural development;

• The Faculty of Education achieved full accreditation of its MEd and ACE programmes by the

HEQC Quality Review

• There is a significant and steady growth in research output since 2004, with the research

budget having increased eleven-fold between 2006 and 2007 (see Fig 6 for publication

output since 2004)

• The average pass rate for 2008 is 78% (see Table 2 below for details)

• The Life, Knowledge and Action (Grounding)3 programme (LKA/GP) will be piloted in 2009,

and represents an innovative approach to cultivating responsible citizenship, leadership and

critical thinking among undergraduates at Fort Hare

• Our enrolment planning capability has significantly improved in recent years – with strategic

enrolment strategies carefully and scientifically developed in consultation with faculties, and

with a targeted and carefully managed enrolment plan. The plan forms the basis for all

academic and administrative planning, and has steered our marketing strategies, and

selection and registration processes, moving the size and shape of the institution to a more

optimal configuration.

• The UFH has enjoyed phenomenal growth after the threat of closure when the first 'size and

shape' report was prepared. Enrolment targets have been met and revised upwards from

the IOP target of 9,500 in 2010 (See Fig 5 below for total headcount enrolments since 2004)

• The University has enjoyed stability in governance during its transformation. The University

Council has had continuity and has worked very well with the institution's management.

They have steered the UFH along an unprecedented growth path after the turbulence of the

turnaround period.

• The University Executive also successfully directed the institution during these years, utilising

efficient and effective management practices despite the meagre resources at its disposal.

The Executive Management Team (EMT) has been considerably strengthened recently, with

the appointment of an Executive Dean of Research, a Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) for

Academic Affairs, Research and Engagement and a Chief Information Officer (CIO) appointed

in 2008. A second DVC for Management and Administration is still to be appointed, finances

allowing.

• The ratio of 1.78 permanent academic staff to administrative staff compared well to the

2006 national average of 1.80

• Since the beginning of 2006, a total of R142m has been invested in infrastructure (R57m on

the Alice campus and R85m on the East London campus) including, in Alice, the main

3 The LKA/GP is a trans-disciplinary teaching and learning experience, and will be a compulsory, 13-week credit bearing course for all

undergraduate students entering the university. The LKA/GP has its genesis in the 2006 where, as part of the 90th Anniversary of the

University, the momentum for a broader curricular renewal project was born. There are four key “themes” in the programme: Collected

Futures, Shared Responsibilities; Democracy, Diversity and Identity; Science, Technology, Environment and Society; and Poverty and

Development.


entrance and perimeter wall and restoration of the Wesley Building; conversion of the Great

Hall into a 400-workstation computer lab; restoration of the Iona 1 residence and adjacent

rondawels; development of the East Campus roads network; upgrading of the Sports Centre;

extension to and upgrading of the Agriculture Building; in East London the purchase and

upgrading of the Gasson Centre and the Nkuhlu Building.

• Projects worth R12,3m, R2,8m and R60m are being undertaken at present in Alice, Bhisho

and East London respectively.

• The Fort Hare Foundation (FHF) under the direction of the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

is being reconfigured and strategically positioned to cultivate new and harness existing

sponsors and partners for the continuing advancement of the institution. This gives real

hope for a significant boost to our third-stream income.

• In 2005, the Supreme Order of Baobab (Gold Class) was conferred upon the University by the

then State President, Thabo Mbeki, in recognition of its role in academic training of legions

of men and women in South Africa and Southern Africa, as well as its leadership

development contribution.

Table 2: Average pass rates 2008

EDU LAW M&C S&A SSH TOTAL

African

registered 6342 7671 19350 16881 24228 74472

African passed 5366 5470 14720 12503 19937 57996

African pass rate 84.6% 71.3% 76.1% 74.1% 82.3% 77.9%

Coloured

registered 239 315 317 79 435 1385

Coloured passed 197 207 205 75 333 1017

Coloured pass

rate 82.4% 65.7% 64.7% 94.9% 76.6% 73.4%

Indian registered 23 91 187 7 60 368

Indian passed 7 55 123 5 46 236

Indian pass rate 30.4% 60.4% 65.8% 71.4% 76.7% 64.1%

White registered 677 406 1030 59 782 2954

White passed 647 333 838 35 628 2481

White pass rate 95.6% 82.0% 81.4% 59.3% 80.3% 84.0%

Total registered 7281 8483 20884 17026 25505 79179

Total passed 6217 6065 15886 12618 20944 61730

Total pass rate 85.4% 71.5% 76.1% 74.1% 82.1% 78.0%


Figure 4: No of graduates 2004 - 2007

Figure 5: Total headcounts 2004 - 2008

Page 26


Figure 6: Publication output 2004 - 2007

2004 2005 2006 2007

OUTPUT 44.6 55.2 64.3 88.2

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Un

its

Publication output units: 2004 - 2007

Section 2 THE STRATEGY




12 The University’s Strategic Response

In response to the environmental operating conditions and the challenging context outlined

above, the University has defined the following vision and mission as well as an overarching strategic

objective and six enablers for its long

12.1 Vision and Mission

Vision

A vibrant, equitable and sustainable African university, committed to teaching and learning and

research excellence, at the service of its students, scholars and the wider community

Mission

To provide high quality education of international standards, contributing to the advancement of

knowledge that is socially and ethically relevant and applying that knowledge to the scientific,

technological and socio-economic development of our na

Strategic Response



for its long-range strategy (2009 – 2016):


research excellence, at the service of its students, scholars and the wider community



economic development of our nation and the wider world

Figure 7: Strategic Objective and Enablers

Page 29







12.2 Strategic Objective and Enablers

Table 3: Summary of Strategic Objective and Enablers

Overall

Objective 1

Excellence in teaching

and learning, research

and community

engagement

This strategic objective focuses on the broad social vision which is

required to sustain the University as an international centre for

excellence that is both rooted in its environment and sensitive to

the challenges of human progress; the imperative to revive a

culture of teaching and learning and research excellence in the

University as a basic minimum requirement for living up to the

claim of being a site of knowledge generation and in order to be

able to compare with similar institutions elsewhere in the world;

and the fundamental mission of the contemporary African

university and the inter-connection between that mission and

broad-ranging expectations of the social responsibilities of the

University to the communities it serves. It also focuses on

accessing of new technologies that could facilitate teaching and

learning, and research.

Enabler 2 Improve the Student

Experience

This enabler has to do with managing the experience of student life

at the University, so that critical, engaged citizens and

appropriately skilled graduates leave Fort Hare. It focuses on the

administrative, residential, sporting, cultural and social support

systems for students.

Enabler 3 Build a Service Culture This enabler is designed to ensure that the ethical principles of

service and ethos of service excellence permeate the University

culture, for students, staff and stakeholders; as well as improved

efficiencies in administrative and management systems that

support the primary processes.

Enabler 4 Optimise the Multi-

Campus model

This enabler introduces the ‘planets in alignment’ model as the

optimal model for our multi-campus university; and describes how

we intend to leverage the relative strengths and strategic niches of

each of our three campuses, while ensuring equivalence of status

and coordination across the geographic space.

Enabler 5 Harness Technology

Effectively

This enabler focuses on the challenges presented by new

information technologies in terms of the investments that need to

be made, information management systems and processes, and

opportunities for innovation.

Enabler 6 Develop Human

Resources

This enabler is about refreshing – or possibly re-negotiating – the

psychological and developmental contract with our staff. We will

also have to revisit our models of management and leadership, and

significantly improve our management capacity and capability.

Managers will need to take responsibility for managing and

supporting staff to make the transition to a new balance of

activities, considering new models of teaching and learning, and

planning staffing needs to deliver that model. We also need to

inculcate a firm, but compassionate culture of individual and

collective accountability; and reinforce staff expectations about

being managed in line with this agenda.

Enabler 7 Achieve financial

viability and

sustainability

This enabler is concerned with the development of a sustainable

funding base for the University; and with ensuring that the size and

shape of the University is both viable and supports its strategic

goals.

In summary, the University will focus on transformation in higher education, good governance

and accountability, and its social responsibility function in the coming period. It will also emphasise

technological development and the establishment of a sustainable funding base.


13 Overall Goal: Teaching and Learning, Research and Engagement Excellence

13.1 An integrated approach: Towards Scholarly Excellence

There is, in the new UFH, no choice to be made between setting

the highest of standards and pursuing a progressive intellectual

agenda.

(Swartz, 2005, p. 1)

The UFH’s Vision states that it aspires to become a vibrant equitable and sustainable African

University committed to excellence in teaching and learning, research and community engagement.

This Vision is underpinned by a Mission that promotes:

• meaningful and critical participation in the social, economic and political development of

society;

• high quality education of international standards;

• enhancement of knowledge that is socially and ethically relevant; and

• application of knowledge that contributes to the scientific technological and socio-economic

development of the nation and the wider world

The University is committed to positioning Fort Hare as a first choice university and as a learning

community for staff and students, through the development of a culture of scholarly excellence that

integrates teaching and learning, research and community engagement. Such integration will

provide the basis for critical reflection on the social, political and technological realities of our time,

and the capacity to develop action strategies that would be instrumental in shifting the boundaries

of knowledge. Furthermore, the University is endeavouring to make its tripartite core mandates

more relevant to the broader community – in other words, to make the full breadth of the

University’s expertise available and accessible to external communities. Through actively recognising

the unique contributions and value to be gained through community engagement as an integral part

of an engaged curricula, the aim is to facilitate scholarly outcomes that will bring forth a new

generation of academic staff and students who add value to society.

A culture of scholarly excellence may be described as one that:

• fosters critical engagement in teaching and learning, research and community engagement

through the production of knowledge;

• demonstrates scholarly and conceptual depth through rigorous inquiry;

• is relevant, responsible and provides leadership to society;

• is innovative and solution oriented by providing insights into the best paths of development;

and

• is inspiring and enriching, informative and transformative

Such scholarly excellence should be measurable in terms of national and international practices,

benchmarks and quality assurance procedures. This requires:

• collaboration and engagement that produce mutual benefits for all parties;


• an enabling scholarly environment including a supportive infrastructure and scholarly

leadership guidance;

• sustainability through administrative, financial and capacity development support and

facilitation;

• the rewarding of excellence;

• academic freedom; and

• critical scholarly development as a priority human resource development need in South

Africa and Africa.

The University is committed therefore to an integrated approach towards teaching and learning,

research and community engagement underpinned by a humanising pedagogy. Humanising

pedagogy allows for the engaging of critical dialogue with students and other partners as equals;

recognizing and respecting the values, ideas, needs and histories of our diverse communities; the co-

evolution of teaching and learning, research and community engagement in areas which

complement our identity as an African university; while at the same time ensuring an internationally

recognized culture of scholarly excellence.

The University’s strategic objectives for teaching and learning, research and community

engagement will interlink at a number of levels, focusing on the fundamental aspects of scholarly

practice to develop a culture of scholarly excellence.

An integrated strategy is in the first instance underpinned by the creation, fostering and growth

of a scholarly culture that promotes rigorous inquiry through research. This is supported by curricula

that are innovative, responsive, formative and transformative, anchored in an African context. In

the second instance, an integrated strategy requires teaching and learning to be effective so that the

relationship between knowledge and how students learn is understood and integrated into course

and programme design and delivery. Furthermore, effective teaching and learning needs to be

supported by research methodologies and by theoretical, conceptual and practical qualities

benchmarked against best practices, nationally and internationally, that manifest in the facilitation

of the learning, research and community engagement space. In this context, given the historical and

contemporary position of the University, active community engagement plays an important role in

the scholarly endeavour.

13.2 Teaching and Learning

Teaching and learning excellence is fundamental to the vision and mission of the University. As

an African university we are committed to excellence in teaching and learning through providing

high quality education that strives towards the achievement of international standards in

programmes that have a strong social and ethical relevance. The University’s commitment to

teaching and learning excellence requires effective teaching to be student-centred, research-led and

community focused, whilst underpinned by sound disciplinary and humanizing pedagogical

principles in line with the UFH Charter of Ethical Principles. In essence the principles commit us to

quality higher education that:

• values and facilitates learning in a wide range of disciplines at all levels;

• provides a wide range of programmes that both enhance career opportunities and provide

learning pathways to other programmes;

• provides quality programmes for students from diverse social and cultural backgrounds;

• supports continuous improvement of its programmes and services in order to serve its

students and its communities more effectively;


• provides a learning environment that promotes high quality teaching and learning with

active participation by both students and academic staff in the learning process, and in

which the students are placed at the centre;

• promotes the commitment of staff and students to their own learning and to that of others;

• provides courses that are designed to encourage students to be self-motivated and

independent learners, who are self-aware, able to reflect on their learning, and to manage

their personal development and career planning;

• develops essential qualities so that students can benefit fully from their studies;

• supports groups of students who may face barriers to their learning;

• promotes teaching and learning strategies that are responsive to local and wider contexts;

• provides flexibility of delivery to include technology-enabled learning where appropriate and

feasible;

• promotes teaching and learning approaches that encourage intellectual freedom, as one of

the underlying ethical tenets of the University;

• supports strategic collaborative partnerships for the delivery of courses, to reach a wider

group of students, provided that the University’s requirements for the quality of the courses

are maintained;

• expands the role of its libraries and of its technological provision to engage with the changes

in accessibility of information affecting teaching and learning;

• supports students’ learning through the activities of the units / centres that directly

interact with students or indirectly provide the context within which the delivery of a high

quality student experience is seen as a primary responsibility;

• supports the professional development of academic staff as an integral part of improving the

quality of teaching and learning;

• supports academic enquiry into teaching and learning and the sharing of results of this

enquiry with others in their communities of practice

Teaching and learning excellence should be pursued deliberately by all academic staff who, as

professional educators, take control of their teaching practice whilst considering the distinctiveness,

diversity and fluidity of academic learning, and seek to reflect on, research, and improve it. In this

pursuit of excellence, technology should be used, where appropriate, to further the goals of

education (rather than have technology dictate the goals) and to provide opportunities for

transformation and innovation in teaching and learning.

The University is committed to developing a culture of scholarly excellence that stimulates and

supports academic staff and students to further improve all aspects of teaching and learning through

setting out strategic goals and activities that contribute towards the University’s aspirations for

quality and excellence in teaching and learning. Through strategic alignment of planning, faculties

will be able to monitor, evaluate and report on the quality and excellence of teaching and learning in

their respective programmes.

The University is also committed to achieving a vibrant and well-resourced learning environment

that is innovative, challenging and responsive to the diverse needs of learners and where

appropriate physical infrastructure, technology, information resources, and administrative and

technical support promote a high quality, flexible and inclusive student learning experience.


13.3 Research

The Research mission of the University is to facilitate and develop a research culture of

excellence in the African context at individual, group, faculty and research centre / institute levels

defined and enhanced by:

• Conceptual and operational support that ensures the integration of teaching, learning and

community engagement, in order to deliver on research that facilitates the development of

a new generation of researchers, educators and innovators

• The rewarding of excellence and,

• Research practices that are nationally and internationally benchmarked for quality assurance

in order to promote:

o critical engagement in the production of knowledge

o research that is relevant and responsive and that provides leadership to society

o research that is innovative and problem solving by providing insights into the best paths

for development

o research that is inspiring and enriching through role-modelling

o research that is formative

o research that is transformative

The following provides an interpretive context:

Promote critical engagement in the production of knowledge

Scholarly depth, context and breadth are enhanced through rigorous dialogue and engagement.

This cuts across knowledge fields and underscores the point that the University should be

experienced as a learning community.

Research that is relevant and responsive and that provides leadership to society

The developmental context of the University dictates the need to prioritize research foci. The

need for solutions to address the challenges of poverty, unemployment, food security, water,

energy, gender matters, ethics, diversity and cultural complexities, to mention a few, must be

prioritized. Leadership in these matters would be essential in the partnering with stakeholders.

Research that is innovative and problem solving by providing insights into the best paths for

development

Not only should research be responsive to developmental and other matters, but it should also

address the urgent needs for problem solving. Solutions to problems should be sustainable and

interventions should lead to best practices.

Research that is inspiring and enriching through role-modelling

Research as a process does not simply produce in a mechanical way answers to research

problems. The process is a journey where mentoring, role-modelling and community engagement

act as an inspiring foundation for growth, development and sustainability.

Research that is formative

Knowledge production is, inter alia, the end result of conceptual and applied output which is

formative in nature. At the core of these processes is a deep understanding of and an engagement

with the subject matter. This is enhanced through grounding in research methodologies and an

ability to analyse and to construct a synthesis or a profile of syntheses.


Research that is transformative

The complexities of transformation at the local, regional, national, international and African

levels place an enormous responsibility on the quality of the research endeavour. It requires

research to contribute towards the development of human resource development in a

transformative manner. This requires addressing in unique ways the challenges of a post-colonial,

post-apartheid South Africa.

Having stated the above, the following Values underpin the research mission:

• Ethically conducted research

• Transparency in what we are doing

• Fairness to all involved in the research process

• Equity in line with national human resource development priorities

• Facilitation of quality

• Academic freedom

• Commitment to facilitating research

• Accountability for our work

The University’s research strategy operates at a number of interlinking levels and promotes in

an integrated way the development of a culture of scholarly excellence through research processes

and activities that focus on the fundamental aspects of scholarly practices.

The research strategy embeds itself at the ’bottom end’ of the scholarly process. It is achieved

through processes that facilitate research methodology curricula renewal, applied research practices

and through integrated community engagement initiatives as basic and advanced teaching, learning,

research and community engagement experiences. It continues to support the well-established

areas of excellence and to facilitate the growth of these research nodes as areas of inter- and trans-

disciplinary opportunities. It aims to identify new research foci of excellence and facilitate the

development and support of those areas in alignment with the University’s strategic research

objectives.

The research strategy is facilitated by an enabling and rewarding research context supported by

human capacity development, internationally benchmarked quality assurance practices and

networks as well as by professionally formulated and executed administrative support systems,

processes and policies.

13.4 Community Engagement

Throughout the globe institutions of higher learning are challenged by the relationship between

teaching and learning and research, and the requirements of the societies in which they serve. The

University of Fort Hare regards the community engagement relationship as a two-way relationship

to the benefit and acknowledgement of all involved. It goes beyond the geographical concept and is

inclusive of a community of practice bringing together people who share an interest, expertise and

pool of wisdom.

It is important to note that community engagement is not exclusively a rural issue, but the Fort

Hare context compels it to take special interest in its immediate and historic surrounds.

The word ‘engagement’ is defined and understood in a variety of ways – from ‘responsiveness’

to society’s needs, to ‘confrontation’ with social injustices. In an unequal society, those with more

socio-economic power have a stronger societal voice. When universities focus on social

‘responsiveness’ uncritically, they implicitly respond to voices that are most organised and most


amplified in society. Over the past several decades, for example, universities have become

increasingly effective at ‘responding’ to formal private sector requirements. They have been far less

successful at explicitly serving the agenda of the rural poor.

South Africa is a highly fragmented and unequal society. The gap between the wealthy and the

poor is one of the most pronounced in the world. Beyond material poverty, the great majority of

South Africans have traditionally had little access to, or influence over, university life, nor have

universities been fundamentally oriented towards their requirements.

By way of addressing these challenges, the University strives to achieve the following aims in

order to strengthen its Community Engagement initiatives:

• Establish the University as an engaged university, deepening and promoting the scholarship

of engagement

• Ensure that ‘Community Engagement’ at the University of Fort Hare will move beyond

‘service projects’ toward a more encompassing scholarship endeavour and vision for the

University

• Establish the University as a recognized cornerstone of the community, and also as a

community of practice striving for sustainable social, cultural and economic development of

our community, province and nation

• Make the University’s core activities more relevant, responsive and accessible to the public

and private sector, as well as the broader community we seek to serve. This includes the

study of the pedagogy of engagement through finding open and balanced engagements

where people can mutually grow and learn.

• Engage internally, and with national partners, to better establish the systems to guide and

support the growth of this scholarly emphasis

13.5 Sub-Objectives for Teaching and Learning, Research and Community Engagement

The above discussion provides a framework of integrated strategic objectives for teaching and

learning, research and community engagement and should be applied across campuses according to

the relevant strategic position and context of that campus. Seven sub-objectives have been

identified, namely:

1. Conceptual development and curricula renewal

2. Develop a culture of scholarly excellence in teaching and learning, research and

community engagement

3. Internationalisation

4. Stakeholder partnerships

5. Promote technology-enhanced learning

6. Enabling environment

7. Academic development


Table 4: Strategic Goal 1 Sub-Objectives

No Objective Description Sub-objectives

1. Conceptual

development and

curricula renewal

To ensure the design and

development of new and existing

programmes that are responsive,

conceptually rigorous, mission-

driven, research-led and

contextualized; that promote

academic freedom and scholarly

enquiry; that enhance the

relevance and effectiveness of our

primary processes by ensuring

rigorous intellectual standards and

better integration between

teaching and learning, research and

community engagement to the

mutual benefit and enhancement

of each

Processes that ensure internationally

benchmarked quality assurance

practices and facilitate applied

practices that integrate teaching and

learning, research and community

engagement experiences; and promote

academic freedom through public

dialogues and the active and public

engagement of scholars with their

subjective matter

2. Develop a culture

of scholarly

excellence in

teaching and

learning, research

and community

engagement

To enhance the relevance and

effectiveness of our core mandate

by ensuring integration between


community engagement to the

mutual benefit and enhancement

of all. To develop an institutional

culture of scholarship of teaching

and learning, research and

community engagement among

academic staff.

To ensure that the design and

development of new curricula and

review of programmes that are

responsive, mission-driven, research-

led and contextualized; and to ensure

student satisfaction surveys inform

quality assurance continuously.

This is complemented by the Life,

Knowledge and Action Course

(Grounding Programme), foundational

provision, review of existing curricula

across the institution and the

development of niche and innovative

programmes.

3. Internationalisation

To position the UFH to engage in an

increasingly globalised and

interconnected world by focusing

on strategically and intensively

integrating international and

intercultural dimensions into the


community engagement functions

of the University.

Strengthening of the international

function and raising of our international

profile through publications and

conferences. Attracting more

international scholars and students to

the UFH; promoting

internationalisation in the UFH and

benchmarking scholarly activities

through international assessors of

programmes, dissertations and theses.

4. Stakeholder

Partnerships

To develop and maintaining strong

stakeholder partnerships locally,

nationally and internationally, to

strengthen teaching and learning,

research and community

engagement and to ensure that the

University is fully engaged in the

broader community and the new

knowledge economy

Maintain, enhance and develop

mutually beneficial partnerships

(MOUs) with our key stakeholders e.g.

government at all levels, business,

other institutions, NGOs and CBOs;

facilitate applied research for problem

solving; engage in community Indabas

(e.g. Tyume Valley) to promote critical

partnership dialogues and mutually

beneficial development opportunities.


No Objective Description Sub-objectives

5. Promote

technology-

enhanced learning

To develop a critical scholarly

culture encouraging research-based

and context-driven transformative

and innovative teaching and

learning practices that involve the

integration of technology.

Amend relevant UFH policies and

promote and provide development for

academic staff in transformative and

innovative teaching and learning and

research practices; and provide

computer and information literacy

training for 1st

year students.

6. Enabling

Environment

To provide a challenging and

stimulating enabling learning

environment that fosters teaching

and learning, research, community

and academic achievement for

undergraduate and postgraduate

students in order to improve

retention and throughput rates

Human capacity and leadership

development programmes, as well as

professionally facilitated and

administered support infrastructure

such as dedicated teaching and learning

and research resource centres,

systems, processes and policies; build

on excellence in the system such as

Niche Areas.

7. Academic

Development

To develop competencies,

capacities and attitudes of students

and academic staff to achieve the

objectives of the teaching and

learning, research and community

engagement strategies.

Identify critical human resource

development areas specifically, but not

exclusively, in the Sciences; make

effective use of available academic

development initiatives; promote

academic development and support

services within faculties; train peer

facilitators / tutors; engage with

communities to assess human resource

development needs; provide training

for research proposal development and

writing, supervision training and the

development of academic outputs; set

targets for NRF rated researchers.


14 Enabler 2: Improve the Student Experience

Students are key stakeholders in the University. There is a global trend towards viewing the

student as a “customer”. Although the University views its exchange relationship with students as

more complex than merely transactional, a central principle is that all the elements of the

relationship between staff and students must be governed by the principles of equity, dignity and

professionalism. The security, health, recreational and comfort needs of our students are of

paramount importance, not only because they contribute to individual and academic development,

but also because they are important factors in students’ experience of university life beyond the

lecture hall.

We seek to produce a student who is an empowered, informed and responsible learner.

By empowered, we mean the student:

• demonstrates intellectual agility and the ability to manage change;

• transforms information into knowledge and knowledge into judgment and action for the

good of humanity;

• understands and works within complex systems and with diverse groups;

• interprets and evaluates information from a variety of sources;

• understands and can employ qualitative and quantitative analysis to solve problems; and

• communicates well orally and in writing.

By informed, we mean the students

• have a deep understanding of the world they will inherit as human beings and

contributing citizens.

• have a keen understanding of the inter relations within, and among, global and cross-

cultural communities and the values that underlie democracy.

Our students as responsible learners will

• understand that the integrity of a democratic society depends on citizens’ sense of social

and ethical judgment.

• recognise and develop an understanding of the self and respect for the complex identities

of others and their cultures.

To develop these qualities, education at the University of Fort Hare must foster intellectual

honesty, responsibility for moral health and social justice, and the discernment of the ethical

consequences of decision and actions.

For many students, bursary support, academic counselling and career advice add considerably to

their chances of academic success. The University must ensure that these processes are in place and

are operational to ensure the best possible support to students. Essentially, all student affairs

should be regulated by clear policies and procedures that must be rigorously and routinely enforced.

Another factor governing the staff-student relationship is that the University must bear in mind

that students have a choice. They have, in fact, chosen to come to Fort Hare, and the University

must ensure that they are happy with their choice. In the long term, student satisfaction with the

University may well be the factor to ensure our survival. For this reason, service excellence (along

the lines of the Batho Pele principles in the Public Service) is of over-riding importance to any

processes for re-imaging student life at Fort Hare.


Many of the sub-objectives under the main Strategic Objective relate to improving the academic

experiences of students at the University. The objectives under this enabler therefore focus on non-

academic and support services to students; however improving the experience of our students

requires paying attention to high quality delivery in both the academic and the social /cultural

arenas.

14.1 Sub-objectives for Enabler 2

The following are the objectives for the Enabler “Improve the Student Experience” at the

University of Fort Hare:

Table 5: Improving Student Experience: Sub-objectives

No Objective Description Implementable actions

1. Improve student

services and support

Staff and students are informed about the

student support services that are available at

UFH and make use of such services to

improve their well being.

Improve health care, security

(esp. the safety of women

students), wellness and

orientation services across

all campuses and integrate

health care needs and

provision for staff

2. Improve student

accommodation and

housing, sport,

recreation and cultural

facilities and activities

across campuses

To enhance the physical campus

environment, particularly in relation to

provision of high quality infrastructure for

flexible learning

Modernise and improve

access to residences; student

union and recreational space

and facilities

3. Improve student

governance and

leadership development

To cultivate leadership skills, student

efficacy, personal responsibility and

commitment of students; and to develop the

civic or political (in the broadest sense)

awareness of students and student leaders,

including an emphasis on democracy and

citizenship, and on racism, xenophobia and

prejudice (values, beliefs and cultures) that

exist around them in and out of the

University.

Grounding programme,


programmes, community

engagement programmes


15 Enabler 3: Develop a Service Culture

The institution’s sustained growth over the last decade, boosted in 2004 with the incorporation

of the former Rhodes University East London campus, had led to a strong diversification of its

community. The resulting need to develop and strengthen the institution’s brand promise means

reorienting the organisational culture to become more service and customer-oriented. Consultative

engagement with the University’s key stakeholders has revealed that if the institution is to achieve

its objective of being a preferred institution, it needs to upgrade its service standards.

Cultivating a service culture within Fort Hare has also taken centre stage because of the new

market conditions that higher education institutions (HEIs) find themselves in. These include the

need to diversify revenue streams in order to remain financially viable; increased competition

among public sector HEIs for students; the emergence of a dynamic private higher education sector;

and higher levels of income in our traditional target market, allowing greater choice for students in

selecting an institution.

The attraction of academically performing and financially secure students in part depends on the

University of Fort Hare being well positioned and well marketed. However, continued attraction to

the Fort Hare brand and further engagement (through e.g. student retention, further studies within

the institution, giving to the institution and recommending the institution to prospective students) is

contingent upon the experiences of customers when interacting with the brand.

Although the institution is spread across three geographic sites (Alice, Bhisho and East London),

the University’s overall academic operation and the support services which underpin it cut across

campus boundaries. However, for historical reasons, different cultures and systems exist on each

campus. The non-aligned nature of these cultures and systems can impact on the service offered to

both internal customers (students, council, management, academics and general staff) and external

stakeholders (employers, families, alumni, community).

The five faculties are represented to various degrees on the different campuses. Executive Deans

are responsible for leading and managing the affairs of their faculties across the three campuses.

Likewise, executive managers of support units, such as the Registrar, the Director of Human

Resources (HR), the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), the CIO, and the Dean of Students, are responsible

for leading and managing the affairs of their units across the University. There is, however, a need

for coordination of the support services they offer on each of the campuses.

Simply put, the purpose of this enabler is to cultivate a culture within the University of Fort Hare

that would restore, optimise and promote service excellence. This means strengthening ongoing

efforts to improve academic integration, alignment of systems and policies across the institution,

and encouraging a unified, coherent institutional identity across geographic divides, a culture that

both instils a sense of belonging and purpose for individuals and supports the attainment of

organisational strategic objectives. Thus, the overall goal of the Service Culture enabler is to align

the organisational culture with institutional goals and individual aspirations.

The point of departure for a unifying institutional culture is our ‘reason for being’, clarity of

purpose and shared assumptions related to our vision and mission. In building a strong unified

university culture, staff and students need to be able to exhibit and articulate a strong sense of

identification with the UFH vision and mission, the brand name, and the practices and behaviours

that support this. Towards this end, the vision and mission, as well as the University’s Charter of

Ethical Principles and Values should be popularised. These values need to be demonstrated and

enacted in the daily working lives of staff and students.


A healthy organisational culture thus needs to move beyond superficial notions of service

excellence. The University needs to set in motion a process for radically transforming the

institutional culture in a number of ways. Such a process would have to face some of the current

realities which have caused concern in the university community and work on eradicating behaviour

that runs counter to the principles of the national constitution and the ethical code of the University.

The process needs to relate to:

• Improving human relationships between management, academic and administrative staff

and the unions

• Facing the extent of paranoia, mistrust and sometimes hostility among some members of

the community

• Making decisions as to what are appropriate actions to take in protests against management

and what are not, e.g. laying boundaries that prevent racism and xenophobia, and protect

students and staff from damage and abuse

• Improving the safety and security of female students and encouraging gender equity on the

campus

• Increasing the voice of academics on campus so that they play a much more active role in

union activities and university debates, and feel encouraged to do so

A failure to confront these difficult issues will be detrimental to the harmonious future of the

University.

15.1 Sub-objectives for Enabler 3:

To realise this, the following objectives have been indentified under the Enabler “Develop a

Service Culture”.

Table 6: Promote Service Culture: Sub-Objectives


1. Foster a unified,

integrated

institutional culture

Outcomes for individuals in a healthy

organisational culture include role

clarity, motivation, satisfaction and

intention to stay; outcomes for groups

include the extent to which integration

and coordination is effectively achieved

and the functionality of relationships in

management, leadership, administration

and teaching and learning, both within

and between institutional units. The

institutional outcomes are service

quality and ability to adapt to a changing

environment.

Assessment of the diversity, climate

and culture that exists in the

institution and its various campuses,

and use of this data to utilize the

various strengths of units, campuses,

and people to build the profile and

image of the institution; focus on a

‘humanising pedagogy’ as the key

principle underlying institutional

interactions.



2. Develop staff and

student capacity

and encourage

commitment to

service

A culture of customer orientation

including excellent frontline service,

following up for purposes of

accountability, continuous

improvement, reporting, information

systems, and communication

Develop and implement a policy

framework that ensures quality of

service and value to customers, sets

specific service standards, and

protects customer rights.

Ongoing education, training and

development of staff, especially with

respect to managing change, and

developing in-house expertise in key

performance areas

Monitoring performance, providing

the necessary training and

development, and putting in place

appropriate rewards and

acknowledgement of improvements

and work well done

3. Improve

institutional

communications

and marketing

Communication is a key element in

achieving a unifying institutional culture.

It should be noted that everything the

University and its staff do can be seen as

a form of communication. A motto that

could guide communication awareness

is to constantly focus on the question:

‘Who else needs to know?’ and to

practise notifying all the appropriate

people as developments take place.

Ensuring there is awareness about

what good communication is, what

purpose it serves and why it is

important, and the existence and use

of diverse appropriate mechanisms for

effective communication.

Leadership that has a clear

management philosophy, that is

involved and able to demonstrate

leading from the front, and that has

paid attention to communication

strategies that can assist in the

strategic integration of the

University’s various support systems.

Appropriate platforms and

communication channels must be

developed (and where they exist be

strengthened) to ensure participatory

interaction and customer feedback,

thus ensuring awareness of and

commitment to customer needs and

wants.

Explore how to make media work for

us, and engage in regular assessment

of how we are ‘known’ by both

internal and external stakeholders.

4. Improve and

modernise core

systems and

processes

Being prepared to modify ways of doing

things to develop efficiencies and skills

in areas such as teaching and learning,

people management, finance, and

strategic thinking.

Aligning and ‘getting right’ systems

that are key to management across

multiple campuses, for example, HR

issues and activities, work ethics and

work schedules, management of the

physical environment.

Modernise and improve

administrative processes and systems

throughout the institution.


16 Enabler 4: Optimise the Multi-Campus Model

The University was commended in the 2008 HEQC audit for its initiatives in providing access to

higher education for socially and economically deprived students. Its geographic location in the

Eastern Cape Province is a contributing factor to the accessibility of the institution to less privileged

students. The IOP states that: “The University of Fort Hare is well placed to respond to the

development challenges of the Province as an integrated rural and urban university linked to the

regional, national and African society and economy.” The continuation of this statement is that:

“Each campus has core areas of strength and advantage that can form the base for future growth of

the university as a whole.” (University of Fort Hare, 2004)

In addition, the 2008 institutional quality audit urged the University to “revisit the future roles

and strategic developments of the campuses … to ensure that educational quality is nowhere

compromised”; and that the University should “find ways in which it can conceptually and

operationally reconcile its rural and urban orientations without undermining the sustainability and

development of the Alice campus”. This recommendation acknowledges the “many new

administrative, logistical and, most importantly, financial pressures and demands” that the

incorporation of the East London campus brought to bear on the University (HEQC, 2008). However,

it should be read in the light of the opportunity for sustainability which is offered through

development of a strong city presence (see comments by the Higher Education Merger Study Group

below).

16.1 A Model for Alignment

Sterk and Winchester (2006) identify four models of multi-campus management which are

evident in the Australian higher education system: the ‘Lost in space’ model, the ‘Planets in

alignment’ model, the ‘Satellite’ model and the ‘Birth of a new star’ model.

The ‘Lost in space’ model characterizes multi-campus systems in which there is a lack of

coordination and collaboration between the campuses. Each is managed separately and they are

held together loosely under the umbrella of a common name. In the ‘Satellite’ model there is one

strong, main campus and one or more smaller campuses attached to it, in such a way that these

smaller campuses are exploited by the main campus and do not enjoy the same benefits,

proportionately, as does the main campus.

The ‘Planets in alignment’ model epitomizes international best-practice as is evident in the

writings of Sterk and Winchester commenting on Australian universities and giving several examples

of highly successful multi-campus management systems.

The University of South Australia (UniSA) evinces an outstanding exemplar of the ‘Planets in

alignment’ model:

Being aware of the context in which the multi-campus university operates, the

University has developed systems that drive central processes in a consistent way

across the whole … At UniSA campuses are largely faculty/division specific, each

with a Pro Vice Chancellor (PVC) who … has nominated responsibility for the

campus. All are members of the Senior Management Group which meets weekly.

Central administrative support services … have a local presence on all campuses.

(Sterk & Winchester, 2006, p. 4)


Of the four models outlined above, clearly the ‘Lost in space’ and ‘Satellite’ models are

undesirable. The one which the University of Fort Hare should be striving to realize is that of ‘Planets

in alignment’ and within this framework, provision should also be made for the ‘Birth of a new star’

as regards the plans for developing the East London campus into a fully-fledged city campus,

complementary to and not in competition with, the Alice and Bhisho campuses. As cautioned in the

HEQC audit report, however, such development should not take place in a manner which

compromises the quality of provision in Alice. Furthermore, the pace of this development and the

growth of the East London campus must be subject to the financial constraints with which the

University is faced.

It is acknowledged that “there may be one main (often the original) campus”, but it is essential

that “all campuses work well together with appropriate structures that allow for local variation or

flexibility” (Sterk & Winchester, 2006, p. 3)and this is the approach our university should apply, being

mindful at all times of the paramount need for financial stringency and efficient utilisation of human

and other resources.

In this context it should be noted that the Higher Education Merger Study Group led by Emeritus

Professor Stuart Saunders, having conducted a thorough study of the incorporation of the East

London campus from Rhodes University into the University of Fort Hare, had this to say in its report

submitted to the Minister in October 2008:

The intention behind the incorporation of the East London campus was based

on the fact that, as an exclusively rural campus, the University of Fort Hare was at

serious risk and the opportunity to develop an urban campus in East London was

seen as a mechanism which would secure the university’s future. This was because

(amongst other factors) it would be easier to attract both staff and students who

would not favour a rural environment and because professional programmes like

law, nursing, education and commerce were more likely to flourish in East London

because of the opportunities derived from an urban environment and proximity to

professional practitioners. This was the basis of the cabinet decision to

incorporate the East London campus…

The concept of a revitalized East London campus has been welcomed by city,

local and provincial governments and by business and commerce. It is important

for increasing access to higher education as well as for facilitating the economic

development of this area… (author’s emphasis)

(Higher Education Merger Study Group , 2008, pp. 10-11)

16.2 Strategic Opportunities Offered by Each Campus

If we look at the characteristics and strategic advantages outlined in the IOP in 2004, and which

are equally valid today, we can conclude:

1. The Alice campus has strategic advantages in agriculture and related sciences, and in rural

development and heritage studies. The opportunity to build postgraduate programmes and

research specialisms in these and related areas should be exploited. In addition there should be

a focus on improving undergraduate teaching and learning. The Alice campus also provides

access to higher education in a safe environment for students from rural and under-served

communities, offering programmes in the fields of science and agriculture, social sciences and

humanities, management and commerce, and education. In addition, the campus is well

positioned for cooperation with FET colleges and wider communities.


2. The Bhisho campus is strategically located close to the seat of provincial government. It has

established a clear niche for itself in public management teaching and learning, training and

research. It caters for people in full-time employment in the provincial government and general

management sectors who attend lectures in the evenings. It is also ideally positioned at the

midpoint between the Alice and East London campuses and thereby offers a convenient location

for university meetings, special events and inter-campus teaching and learning activities.

3. The East London campus gives the University a foothold in a vibrant and growing urban

environment, offering new student streams. The market for career-enhancing postgraduate

courses in a wide range of fields is significant. Programmes leading to professional qualifications

in, for example, law, the health sciences, education, accounting, social development and

psychology form a substantial part of the niche of the East London campus. This campus also

provides access to higher education to students from the surrounding peri-urban, under-served

communities. In addition it continues to cater for students who are in employment and wish to

further their education on a part-time basis.

Against the above background an appropriate academic distribution across campuses is

proposed below. Infrastructure, institutional culture and other issues requiring attention are also

recorded.

Table 7: Alice Campus proposed PQM

Period Academic Focus Infrastructure, Institutional Culture and other Issues

Short

Term

(2008-

2009)

Full range of offerings

• Science & Agriculture

• Social Sciences & Humanities

Limited/Partial range of offerings

• Management & Commerce (esp.

Accounting)

• Education (Initial Teacher

Education and Postgraduate)

• Law (only certain departments)

Remain as residential campus (with about 2/3

enrolment in residence)

Overall size to remain approx 6 000 students in the

medium term

Improve quality of existing residence infrastructure and

build new residences to achieve 2/3 target

Recapitalisation to improve quality of Alice

infrastructure (including bulk services)

Need for productive partnership with Nkonkobe

authorities to bring about upgrading of the town of

Alice

The majority of academics and support staff working at

the Alice campus should be resident in Alice

Should offer courses predominantly on a F/T basis

Place renewed emphasis on community services

Medium

Term

(2012)

As above with stronger growth in

Science & Agriculture and

slower/controlled growth in the other

faculties, and limited growth in Law

(service courses)

Long

Term

(2016-

2020)

As for Medium Term but with possible

additional growth in Education (new

programmes for the FET sector, and

possibly also in-service training)

Table 8: Bhisho campus proposed PQM


Short

Term

(2008-

2009)

PFSA

TTMA

Public Management

Remain small, up to maximum of 500 to 600

Optimize space utilization – present space is grossly

under-utilized



Medium

Term

(2012)

As above with other faculties also

offering strategic academic courses or

consultancies, e.g.:

Education – in-service short courses

Social Sciences & Humanities – courses

in Ethics, Commercial English, etc.

Law – service courses

Strengthen position as ‘Consultancy Centre’

Optimise income generation

Complementary to, not competing with, the other

campuses

Cater for life-long learners seeking post-initial

degrees/diplomas in fields aligned with academic focus

of campus

Need for equal services viz-à-viz the other campuses,

e.g., library, computer access, academic and technical

support

Put in place QM systems in all aspects of delivery and

administration

Courses offered on predominantly PT basis with some

FT activity, including utilization of e-learning

technologies

Build ‘parity of esteem’

Long

Term

(2016-

2020)

As for Medium Term with possible

additional growth in similar directions

Table 9: East London campus proposed PQM


Short

Term

(2008-

2009)

Full range of offerings

• Law

• Education

• Social Sciences & Humanities

Limited/Partial range of offerings

• Management & Commerce (focusing

on Business Enterprise and

Entrepreneurship)

• Science & Agriculture (Nursing

Science)

Present development to continue in order to meet

DoHET space norms and achieve parity with other

campuses

Residences required to accommodate international

and local/peri-urban constituencies, (target 1/3

enrolment in residence with preference given to

students on full bursaries)

In short term preferred model for residence provision

is PPP with co-responsibility for rental collection

Medium to longer term ownership of a limited number

of residences

Strategic growth in East London will be carefully

managed for optimisation over the longer term,

without compromising quality, access and

sustainability of the Institution

Need for parity of provision enabling a culture that can

produce students who have the requisite technological

and life skills, are critical thinkers, socially conscious,

service oriented, responsible, etc.

Courses offered on both FT and PT basis depending on

viability and/or strategic relevance

Medium

Term

(2012)

As above but growing slowly

• Science & Agriculture:

o School of Health Sciences

o Computer Science

o Geography (PG Studies)

• Social Sciences & Humanities:

o Music

o Drama, etc.

• Education:

o Increase numbers in

undergraduate

programmes

o Increase postgraduates

Also:

Trans-disciplinary postgraduate

programmes in high subsidy areas

Long

Term

(2016-

2020)

As for Medium Term with developing

involvement in Science & Technology –

possible collaboration with other

institutions, e.g. WSU



The following are the sub-objectives for developing an optimized multi-campus model under the

Enabler “Optimise the Multi-Campus Model”:

1. Optimise the academic offerings per campus

2. Ensure equivalence of academic standards across and between campuses

3. Optimise management of the academic and support services on each campus and cross-

campus relationships

4. Ensure equivalence of access to support services and achievement and maintenance of high

service quality for all campuses

As concerns the first sub-objective, it is critical for the sustainability of the University, and of

course for the degree of its strength as a higher education provider, that the full collection of

programmes it offers is optimal in terms of its mission (i.e. efficient without compromising quality

and relevance).

With respect to the second sub-objective, as a multi-campus higher education provider, the

University is tasked to ensure that standards and outcomes of academic courses offered at different

locations and in different modes are equivalent. Through offering academic programmes on multiple

campuses, the University should be able to:

• Optimise academic expertise

• Enhance and widen access to academic offerings

• Develop best practice in teaching and learning through collaboration

• Expand the student experience and

• Promote more efficient use of resources

In attaining the above, the following should be considered:

• Geographical and organizational arrangement of campuses

• Distribution academic services, resources and support facilities

• Specialisation of course offerings per campus

• Cost benefits of teaching and administrative support

• Revenue per student FTE

• Maintenance of equivalent quality standards taking into account financial implications

• Institutional history, culture and transformation challenges

Strategies:

• Flexible and equitable funding policy framework with individual campuses as cost and

revenue centres

• Varied delivery modes to optimise efficiencies on all campuses

• Effective leadership of academics and support services esp. at middle management level

• Restructuring of academic organization to streamline decision-making processes and for

maximum cost efficiency

Through successfully achieving equivalence of academic standards, the University will benefit

from increased throughput and graduation rates which will inevitably impact positively on its

financially sustainable future.


Regarding the third objective, the University’s overall academic operation and the support

services which underpin it cut across campus boundaries. As previously stated (in section 15), the

five faculties are represented to various degrees on the different campuses. Executive Deans are

responsible for leading and managing the affairs of their faculties across the three campuses.

Likewise, Executive Managers of support units, such as the Registrar, the Director of HR, the CFO, the

CIO, and the Dean of Students, are responsible for leading and managing the affairs of their units

across the University. There is, however, a need for coordination of the support services they offer

on each of the campuses.

The fourth objective caters for another essential ingredient of the ‘Planets in alignment’ model,

that is, equity in terms of support service provision. The ease of availability of such service, its form,

its quantity and its quality should not differ from one campus to the next.

The table below summarises the four objectives for the “Optimised Multi-Campus Model”

enabler.

Table 10: Optimised multi-campus model sub-objectives

No Objective Description Implementable Actions

1. Optimise the

academic offerings

per campus

Suites of academic offerings per

campus which exploit the

opportunities offered by each

campus and in totality optimise

the academic range and depth

of the University as a whole

Review IOP and PQM for each campus (see 16.2

above)

Restructure academic organization and build HOD

capacity

2. Ensure equivalence

of academic

standards across

and between

campuses

To ensure that standards and

outcomes of academic courses

offered at different locations

and in different modes are

equivalent in terms of

outcomes and quality

Standardise quality assurance and requirements

across campuses to ensure equivalence

3. Optimise

management of

the academic and

support services on

each campus and

cross-campus

relationships

An optimised multi-campus

model that harnesses the

‘together in excellence’ slogan,

and is better managed and

coordinated

See above; also

Review organisational structure and ensure quality

and presence of management on each campus

Improve inter-campus communication

Create virtual spaces and use virtual resources that

are (relatively) easier and less expensive to acquire,

adapt, maintain and expand, e.g. video-

conferencing facilities, the desktop Microsoft Office

Communicator for connectivity with small groups,

and Adobe Connect which can provide chat rooms

and interactive group sites

4. Ensure equivalence

of access to

support services

and achievement

and maintenance

of high service

quality for all

campuses

To ensure that there is

equivalent access on all

campuses to staff and students

for the support services

rendered by, inter alia, the

Registrar’s Division, the Finance

Division, the Human Resources

Division and the CIO’s Division

Where possible, distribute support staff amongst

campuses in such a way that the desired

equivalence of service can be realised. Where it is

necessary for all staff in a particular unit to be

based on one campus, make arrangements for

individuals to spend time on other campuses on a

pro rata basis according to size of campus, offering

the same services as those offered on the campus

where the unit is based.


17 Enabler 5: Harness Technology Effectively

The most profound technologies are those that disappear. They

weave themselves into the fabric of everyday life until they are

indistinguishable from it.

(Weiser, 1991, p. 94)

17.1 Recent Developments Affecting Application of Technology

The mergers of tertiary institutions that have characterized the tertiary sector since the turn of

the century have created the platform for a revolution in the development and application of

information and communication technologies. Technology is changing everything, from the nature of

society to social practices, identities, lifestyles, interactions and leisure, to the ways that people

learn and teach. Technology is undoubtedly shaping society.

Since the Y2K (Year 2000) issue took the world by storm there has been increased interest in the

use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) both in business and the tertiary sector.

One of the reasons for the increased interest is the perception that ICTs can contribute significantly

to the relevance of universities in the knowledge society. The advent of mobile computing and the

unprecedented advancement in manufacturing technologies have resulted in mobile microelectronic

devices being able to deliver more than physically larger systems were able to less than two decades

ago. Connectivity using cellular technology systems has provided new means for the delivery of

teaching and learning.

The ICT function at the University of Fort Hare is being redesigned to operate in international

benchmark frameworks such as ITIL (http://www.itil.org) (ISO 20000 is the standard for IT

Management Practices), CoBiT (http://www.isaca.org/cobit/) (IT Governance Framework) and ISO

17799 (http://www.iso.org) (security standard). These standards have many certified practitioners

and the first steps have already been taken to certify ICT staff members in these frameworks. This

will provide the University with an ICT division that is managed to international standards, and

governed appropriately within a secured information environment. This does however come at a

cost as these frameworks are commercially operated. TENET (Tertiary Education Network, the

Internet Service Provider (ISP) operating as a section 21 company on behalf of tertiary education and

research institutions in South Africa) has a funded program which aims to certify ICT practitioners in

the above frameworks. The first five staff members are ITIL foundation certified.

The incorporation of the former Rhodes East London campus into the University of Fort Hare

created a triangle of technological challenges for the institution. As a result of financial constraints,

intercampus connectivity between the three campuses is not yet at the required levels, in terms of

both quantity and of quality. Bandwidth between campuses is only one of the requirements. Other

requirements include computing capacity, which will support the primary processes of teaching and

learning and research. Research will also require high capacity connectivity to international research

databases and journals.

The South African Government’s decision to liberalize the telecommunications industry has

brought welcome relief, not only to the telecommunications sector but also to the tertiary sector


and has provided opportunity to exploit the capacity of the new undersea cables that connect Africa

to the rest of the world. The international bandwidth currently available to the University is set to

increase from around 7MB/s to 250MB/s as a result of the efforts that TENET has put into securing

international broadband services on behalf of tertiary education. This will provide significant

bandwidth for research at no additional cost and will also provide the level of connectivity that is

required between campuses. Intercampus connection speed is currently 10 Megabits per second;

once the new fibre connection is installed this will increase 1000 fold to 10 Gigabits per second (this

is a higher speed than is currently available on the local area network which currently operates at 1

Gigabit per second). This will provide a network across the University that will appear to be a single

local network.

Other worldwide ICT issues are set to affect the University into the next decade. The top ten

issues affecting CIOs in research published by groups such as Gartner, Forrester Research and others

include the following (not listed in priority sequence):

• business continuity planning;

• virtual desktops and mobile device computing;

• budget;

• network and system optimization;

• cloud computing;

• compliance;

• data management;

• skills and resource management; and

• rate of new technology implementation.

All the above issues are set to affect the University in the next decade and strategies have been

devised to ensure that appropriate interventions are planned and implemented.

17.2 Transparent Technology

The over-arching vision for the UFH as a technology-enabled institution is based on the idea of

“transparent technology”. This would see the creation of seamlessly integrated systems that allow

users to move from one context to another without having to exit and enter: from teaching and

learning, to support, to administration.

This vision is informed by a variety of factors including international and local trends, as well as

the results of the HEQC Institutional Audit. The emphasis on technology usage has moved to

interoperability, allowing integration of previously isolated systems. In higher education the use of

ICTs has expanded from administration to the support and facilitation of learning with the

development and implementation of e-learning technologies and methodologies.

The vision for a technology-enabled institution has a host of implications for all the other

strategic thrusts. The challenges in achieving the changes envisioned are significant, not so much

because of the technology itself, but rather because they require people to change the way they

operate.

These cross cutting issues have been incorporated into the main strategic objective and relevant

enablers, with the emphasis on using technology to achieve the objectives of the particular objective

or enabler, e.g. improving effectiveness of teaching and learning, reducing costs, etc.



Table 11: Harness Technology Effectively sub-objectives


1. Unified virtual

campus

To achieve seamless integration

between systems (administrative,

academic, support) and ensure a similar

user experience across all campuses by

2016.

To overcome the distance separating

the campuses everyone should have a

similar virtual experience of UFH,

eliminating some of the discrepancies

between the rural and urban campuses.

Maximise use of existing ICTs

Equitable standards and access to IT

facilities for all students and staff across

campuses

Wireless access to be available from a

variety of settings, including cafeterias,

libraries and residences

“One student, one laptop” to eliminate

problems of access in computer labs,

where queues are not uncommon4

Develop and maintain ICT infrastructure

and facilities – new funding sources e.g.

SETA

2. Access on demand

To facilitate anytime, anywhere access

to necessary resources and services for

all staff and students

Portal access; mobile access.

Information management strategy

Improve the overall quality of the

support provided to students

Monitoring and evaluation of usage

Reduce downtime in computer

laboratories through use of lab

management software allowing

technicians to devote their time to

individual customer requests

3. Appropriate

information

management

To attain fully automated information

management and develop an

information culture

Development of an ICT policy addressing

use of IT facilities and disaster recovery

Use of ITS as a management information

system

An electronic document management

system would facilitate the flow of

accurate information to appropriate

recipients and eliminate versioning

issues

4 The introduction of one (mini-) laptop per student has multiple benefits. Firstly, it eliminates the need for more computer labs,

which require a vast capital outlay for space and equipment, as well as significant running costs especially in terms of maintenance.

Secondly, as owner the student becomes responsible for the technology and has a vested interest in maintaining it and keeping it secure

(unlike in computer labs). The cost of the laptop could be worked into the student’s fees over a period of three years, so that they can

take ownership.


18 Enabler 6: Human Resource Development

The University of Fort Hare spends just over R200m per annum on its workforce and recognises

that its success depends on harnessing the potential and talent of all staff to optimise the benefits

from this significant investment. Our reputation, growth and success rely on our ability to initiate,

implement and sustain effective people management strategies across all areas, and at all levels of

the institution. The development of an excellent reputation for teaching and learning, research and

community engagement and the success of the institution depend on the contribution of its entire

staff.

UFH employs 823 staff (2008) in 5 major functional groups as follows:

Table 12: Staff categories

Category Description

1. Academic Academic staff are those who spend more than 50% of their time on

academic activities, e.g. teaching or research

2. Professional Non-academic staff spending less than 50% of their time on academic

work, but providing professional or strategic support to primary

processes, e.g. finances, human resources, quality management,

academic support, counselling, etc.

3. Administration Non-academic staff providing administrative support to academic and

professional staff

4. Technical Non-academic staff providing technical support to primary processes,

e.g. laboratory technicians, plumbers, etc.

5. Labourer Semi or unskilled staff providing operational services, e.g. farm

labourers, gardeners, etc.

This strategy is intended to address the needs and conditions of all staff, across all functional

groups and locations.

Implementing SP2008-16 will require a robust and critical assessment of the alignment between

the strategic objectives of the institution and its Human Resource Development strategy. The

envisioned organisational design of the institution will be based on this assessment with clear links

and synergies between design, strategic objectives and the Human Resource Development strategy.

We will be required to strategically consider and plan the structure of the institution and the size

and shape of the workforce, now and in the future; developing or acquiring the skills needed to

respond appropriately to the needs of our students, employers and other stakeholders, particularly

at the management level; growing and managing the talent we have more effectively through career

management and succession planning; considering new roles, new ways of working and flexible

contractual arrangements in addition to embedding sound, efficient and effective people

management practices at all levels. It will also involve ensuring that our approach to

internationalisation is embedded across all of our people management polices and practice.

The staffing complement under each manager of a function provides the means by which s/he

can deliver the challenging objectives ahead for UFH, as contained in this Strategic Plan. How

managers manage, design, utilise and structure their workforce and plan for the future is

foundational to the attainment of the organisational strategy.


18.2 The Challenges

The Higher Education job market is changing. The market for academic talent is increasingly

competitive and global, as high quality individuals continue to switch universities and, where

necessary countries, to further their careers. The social contract between the society and

universities is also changing with higher levels of accountability being implemented in the quest for

socially relevant research and knowledge generation. Society’s expectations of universities have

also changed with a strong emphasis on contribution to a knowledge-based society. These factors

make the challenges of managing, developing, recruiting, engaging and retaining the highest quality

professionals even more difficult. To be successful the strategies that are developed to address

these issues must be both proactive and creative. Furthermore, the socio-economic context of the

Eastern Cape Province, staff housing shortages in Alice, as well its lack of schools, retail outlets and

social entertainment establishments, further compound the challenge of recruiting and retaining

talent, in particular, for the Alice campus.

The operating environment is also changing. More demands are placed on universities, without

a concomitant increase in financial resources. Universities are also subject to increasingly

sophisticated labour legislation requirements, including skills development, equity and labour

relations legislation. This requires universities to become more professional and efficient in

managing their human resources if they are to remain viable and competitive. The ‘amateur’

management style that was adequate in the past is no longer so – university administrators and

managers need to develop more rational and progressive people management and change

management skills and capabilities, without losing sight of their core values. HR must become a

‘strategic partner’ to the institution, facilitating staff aspirations and performance expectations.

18.3 UFH Human Resource Development Aspirations

The UFH aims to achieve a fundamental transformation of our people management

infrastructure including the review of all Human Resource Development policies, improved

performance management, reviewing pay and reward, and robust planning that effectively supports

the attraction, engagement, and retention of staff, and that enables success to be acknowledged

and cultivated.

Attempts have been made to run staff satisfaction surveys, however, the response has been

poor and the outcomes not deemed significant. In preparation for this strategic plan, staff and

student inputs made at the institution-wide Indabas raised the following expectations:

1. a more effective and efficient Human Resource division;

2. improved conditions of service including the working environment and recreational facilities

for staff;

3. improved attraction and retention practices;

4. coordinated training and development that is linked to the job, and to a career path;

5. an institutional culture that promotes regular communication and feedback, addresses issues

of sexism, racism and xenophobia, is forward looking, builds on social capital and lends itself

to service and productivity; and

6. better focus on employee wellness.

UFH has a significant change management journey ahead, in addition to addressing a historical

‘backlog’ of people management issues. Over the next 2-3 years, there is a need for extensive

organisational development and organisational structural change.


Figure 8: The link between people and the University’s strategic plan

This Human Resource Development strategy is a major challenge for us. It is not simply a

matter of rewarding desired activities; it is about refreshing

psychological and developmental contract with our staff. We will a

management and leadership, and significantly improve our management capacity and capability.

Managers will need to take responsibility for managing the agenda, supporting staff to make the

transition to a new balance of activities, considering new models of teaching and learning, and

planning the staffing needed to deliver that model. A comprehensive consultative process will be

required to develop a broad sense of ownership of the Human Resource Development strategy. Th

consultative process will strike a balance between the developmental and compliance aspects of our

Human Resource Development strategy and ensure a firm, but compassionate culture of individual

and collective accountability. We also need to reinforce s

line with this agenda, and make sure our management structures are workable.

In addition, a succession plan for executive and senior management is urgently required, with

the majority of senior executives’ contract

three in 2012).

Finally, we need to articulate all of these aspects together to form an integrated approach to

people management. To do this, we need to rally staff around a single, clear stra

create the appropriate structures, systems and processes; and build and sustain strong leadership

with highly effective middle and senior management levels.

The timeframe for the implementation of the Human Resource Development Strategy is

2012, as its success has significant implications for the successful implementation of the overall UFH

2008-16 Strategic Plan.

: The link between people and the University’s strategic plan


matter of rewarding desired activities; it is about refreshing – or possibly re-negotiating

psychological and developmental contract with our staff. We will also have to revisit our models of



ctivities, considering new models of teaching and learning, and


required to develop a broad sense of ownership of the Human Resource Development strategy. Th



and collective accountability. We also need to reinforce staff expectations about being managed in

line with this agenda, and make sure our management structures are workable.


the majority of senior executives’ contracts expiring by 2012 (one in 2009, five in 2010, and a further


people management. To do this, we need to rally staff around a single, clear strategic roadmap;


with highly effective middle and senior management levels.

The timeframe for the implementation of the Human Resource Development Strategy is


Page 55


negotiating – the

lso have to revisit our models of



ctivities, considering new models of teaching and learning, and


required to develop a broad sense of ownership of the Human Resource Development strategy. This



taff expectations about being managed in


s expiring by 2012 (one in 2009, five in 2010, and a further


tegic roadmap;


The timeframe for the implementation of the Human Resource Development Strategy is 2009 –




The sub-objectives to implement the Human Resource Development enabler are:

Table 13: HRD sub-objectives


1. Improve Human

Resources function

and capability

The implementation of the Human

Resource strategy will be dependent on

improving the current HR division

structure, capabilities, skills and

resources. A significant improvement in

Human Resource Division capacity and

capability is required (see Appendix 3)

Organisational Development and

business process improvement to

enable UFH to become more fit for

purpose and for our interventions to

be evidence-based against their

impact on organisational performance

2. Improve recruitment

and retention

practices

Ensure the recruitment and

appointment of suitably skilled and

qualified staff with aligned values;

retain good performers and facilitate

career management for staff

Review and improve recruitment,

selection, orientation, probation,

assessment, succession and reward

strategies.

3. Optimize size and

composition of

workforce

Improve Human Resource Planning

capability across the University to

facilitate innovation in the development

of new roles and new ways of working

HR Management Information for

improved decision making and

workforce planning

4. Enhance

development and

performance of staff

Develop a culture of high performance

and continuous self-improvement

Promote a culture amongst staff of

continuing professional development,

including a commitment to scholarly

values; leadership; lifelong learning;

professional growth through reflection

and self-evaluation; and accountability

for their own professional

development.

Significant improvement in leadership

and management capability generally,

including people management skills

Develop performance management

and staff development practices that

contribute to staff effectiveness

through integrated and coordinated

processes that link organisational

strategy to staff performance

Ongoing professional development at

all levels including management and


Training in use of ICTs to derive

optimum benefit from systems and

resources. This is a shift in emphasis

from computer literacy (how to use

software) to digital literacy (how to

use technology to make a difference

in one’s life).

5. Promote staff well-

being

To develop and promote health, safety

and wellness programmes throughout

the institution; support staff groups

with specific needs

HIV/Aids, employee assistance, stress

management, counselling, wellness

etc.

Build social capital through networks

and creation of appropriate social

space


19 Enabler 7: Financial Viability and Sustainability

Whilst a remarkable turnaround in fortunes was engineered in the beginning of the decade

through inspired leadership and a commitment by all to a new Strategic Plan (SP 2000), one

fundamental challenge to ensure long term financial sustainability was not addressed. This

challenge was the need for significant recapitalization funding on the Alice campus. In addition,

2004 saw the advent of a re-engineered landscape in higher education, which, whilst establishing an

urban presence for the University, failed to sufficiently address infrastructural requirements

necessary to support rapidly growing student numbers on the East London campus.

It is unfortunately acknowledged that recapitalization needs are not the only financial challenge

faced by the institution. Recent years have seen a rapid growth in operating expenditure, not fully

justified by student numbers and research output. In particular compensation spend has escalated

to unsustainable levels. The institution needs to urgently implement a turnaround strategy to ensure

its financial sustainability.

19.1 Institutional Growth and the Enrolment Plan

Following the slump in numbers which bottomed out in 2000 the University recovered its

numbers and then grew rapidly, peaking in 2004 with the incorporation of the East London campus.

Since then numbers have remained fairly static, except for some growth in 2008. Management of

planned enrolments has been improving, with 2008 targets being largely met for the first time.

Figure 9: UFH total headcounts 1991 - 2008

In recent years subsidies have declined from some 60% of operating costs to around 40%, driving

institutions towards growth. The headcount target for the UFH agreed with the DoHET for 2010 was

9,500. Assuming an FTE to headcount ratio of 0.84:1, currently the FTE ratio is below this but the

headcount total is above the target.

In order to assist in enrolment and financial planning, a long-range planning tool that takes into

account subsidies generated by individual units was developed. The tool enables us to model

various scenarios and their impact (see Appendix 4). Three scenarios were modelled: those being no

growth (9,600 students), moderate growth (11,500 students) and accelerated growth (12,500

students) by 2016. An inflationary variable of 5% was assumed. Table 14 below sets out the results

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

UFH total headcounts: 1991-2008


obtained. As can be seen, Scenarios 1 and 3 yield a positive financial outcome only by 2016, whilst

Scenario 2 demonstrates a positive balance only by 2015.

Table 14: Growth Strategies

Although these modelling results are of limited use in terms of projecting a positive balance by

2011, they do show that overly rapid growth will mean that the University’s student mix will contain

too large a proportion of students in their first two years of study; whilst zero growth will mean that

the benefits of growth and shifting the student mix are not optimally realized. The very limited

range between the three scenarios further suggests that the 11,500 target is the one to aim for as

seen from current perspectives and as per the proposed mix of study areas and qualification levels.

However, the model also contains in-built assumptions, certain of which still need interrogation (see

Annex for more detail on the assumptions).

The driving mechanism of the funding formula operates mostly through the Teaching Input

grant, and it is this that also drives enrolment plans (the other aspects of the funding formula are

independent of the CESM mix). The principle followed has been one of growth in all faculties,

although in some this has been accelerated and in others near stasis; this in order to achieve stability

of units on the one hand yet growth in the most favourably subsidized areas.

As this subsidy is based on student numbers two years in arrears, the effect of any changes to

enrolment strategies will only materialize in 2011. The DOHET requires that greater emphasis be

placed on SET and Commerce. These CESM categories are generally more efficient from a cost

revenue perspective as can be seen from varying contributions made across faculties. In addition

the enrolment plan includes:

• increasing the number of students in higher degrees relative to the total number of

students; and

• increasing the number of students in SET and Commerce CESM categories.

The moderate growth target scenario (approved 2009 enrolment projections are given in

brackets) includes a virtual freeze on further headcount growth in Alice to around 5,700 students

(5,600), and growth of the Bhisho and East London campuses to 600 (300) and 5,200 (3,200)

students respectively. Of the total 11,500 students, 24% (20%) would be in SET, 28% (28%) in BEM,

Growth strategies

Year No growth Moderate growth Accelerated growth

R' 000 R' 000 R' 000

2009 -97 414 -97 414 -100 240

2010 -82 333 -84 033 -94 480

2011 -70 438 -75 213 -91 620

2012 -64 282 -63 902 -87 590

2013 -50 232 -46 552 -77 170

2014 -23 947 -19 467 -54 530

2015 5 955 17 965 -22 050

2016 38 135 62 015 15 350

Deficit end 2014 -388 646 -386 581 -527 680

Number of students 9 000 11 350 12 000


34% (38%) in Humanities and 14% (14%) in Education5. In terms of levels of study, 72% (77%) would

be undergraduate, 7% (6%) in postgraduate diploma or advanced certificate programmes, 8% (6%) in

Honours, 9% (8%) in Master’s programmes and 4% (3%) at Doctoral level.

Annual reviews of these goals will need to be undertaken in order to take into account progress

towards targets and changing circumstances, notably those that affect the in-built assumptions.

19.2 The Current Financial Situation

The University has budgeted for a cash deficit of R16m by December 2008. This deficit is

expected to increase to R56.8m by the end of March 2009. The outlook for the 2009 financial year is

no better. Current expectations are that by December 2009, the University will have a cash deficit of

R77.7m. (NB these estimates do not include the effects of non-cash items such as depreciation and

leave provision, amongst others).

Table 15 below summarises the existing budget for 2009 (highlighted in green) and the projected

numbers based on the moderate growth strategy. As can be seen, based on conservative projected

increases in income and expenditure, the University will not break even until 2015. Clearly the

situation cannot remain unchecked and meaningful measures will have to be put in place to reverse

the state of affairs.

Table 15 Income and Expenditure 2009 - 2016

SUMMARY INCOME STATEMENT

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

SUBSIDY 165,008,680 188,072,801 202,340,962 214,702,642 228,243,724 245,358,507 263,789,987 285,913,780

Teaching Input Subsidy 116,448,821 123,164,426 130,118,442 137,169,723 145,859,164 154,035,567 162,933,679

Teaching Output Subsidy 30,935,149 34,016,753 37,363,965 40,952,109 45,275,245 49,714,556 54,678,509

Research Output Subsidy 12,688,831 14,159,783 16,220,235 19,121,892 23,224,098 29,039,864 37,301,592

Institutional Factor Grant 28,000,000 31,000,000 31,000,000 31,000,000 31,000,000 31,000,000 31,000,000

19.3

19.4 19.5

OTHER INCOME 128,567,523 117,776,153 137,327,149 161,663,653 190,315,238 226,500,842 272,160,983 323,238,049

Tuition fees less rebates, bad debt 85,689,510 85,743,815 104,640,706 128,299,095 156,262,097 191,672,572 236,511,991 286,457,548

Residence Fees 29,210,523 21,738,638 21,813,271 21,887,665 21,964,089 22,051,138 22,140,414 22,275,521

Other income 13,667,490 10,293,700 10,873,172 11,476,893 12,089,052 12,777,132 13,508,578 14,504,980

19.6

19.7 19.8 19.9 19.10 19.11 19.12 19.13

EXPENSES 399,079,574 389,882,856 414,881,424 440,269,082 465,111,622 491,326,826 517,985,898 547,136,466

Net Contribution (Shortfall) 105,503,371 -84,033,902 -75,213,313 -63,902,787 -46,552,660 -19,467,477 17,965,072 62,015,363

19.14 19.15 19.16 19.17 19.18 19.19 19.20 19.21 19.22

Revenue Growth

Tuition 22% 23% 22% 23% 23% 21%

Residence Fees 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1%

Other Income 9% 8% 8% 8% 8% 10%

Total Subsidy 23% 14% 13% 14% 16% 17%

Research Subsidy 12% 15% 18% 21% 25% 28%

Teaching Input Subsidy 6% 6% 5% 6% 6% 6%

Teaching Output Subsidy 10% 10% 10% 11% 10% 10%

19.23 19.24 19.25 19.26 19.27 19.28 19.29 19.30 19.31

Expenditure Growth

Compensation 7% 7% 6% 6% 6% 6%

Running Costs 6% 6% 6% 6% 6% 6%

Maintenance and Fixed Costs 5% 5% 5% 5% 5% 5%

Capital Expenditure 4% 5% 5% 7% 5% 7%

19.32 19.33 19.34 19.35 19.36 19.37 19.38 19.39 19.40

Compensation as % of total subsidy income 151% 122% 121% 122% 122% 120% 118% 115%

Compensation as % of total income 85% 75% 72% 70% 66% 62% 58% 54%

5 Education faculties are now being asked to expand in response to the shortage of teachers in the country. This may require some

flexibility with respect to these targets for the Faculty of Education


The comparison to subsidy income is particularly relevant as the same subsidy rules apply to all

universities and is based on enrolment practices. It follows therefore that compensation spend

should be linked to this number.

19.3 Ensuring Lasting Sustainability

The overall objective is to achieve long-term financial sustainability. This implies that sufficient

cash will be generated to meet the day to day operating costs, as well as infrastructural acquisition

and maintenance requirements. More specifically, the following two goals are set:

• achieve break-even income and expenditure by 2011; and

• obtain additional recapitalization funding that will ensure that existing infrastructure is

reinstated to its original state of repair, and additional infra-structure necessary to

support a moderate growth strategy is acquired.

The key strategies to achieve a balanced budget by 2011 are to increase income6, and improve

efficiencies. Given the current financial position of the University, it is accepted that a period of at

least three years will be required to achieve the first objective. Both strategies require significantly

improved efficiencies in the system, for example only students who pass attract output subsidy. The

longer students remain in a programme, the less space there is for new, potentially successful

enrolments. Students who exceed the minimum time to acquire a degree generally register for

fewer credits thus reducing all levels of related income. Improving throughput rates is therefore a

crucial component of the efficiency strategy.

19.4 Infrastructure Recapitalisation

During August 2008, the Minister of Education advised the University that infrastructure and

efficiency funding will be made available to institutions in the 2010/11 and 2011/12 financial years.

The total amount of funding available to the sector will be R3.162bn and will be used to fund

projects in the following areas:

Table 16: Infrastructure and Efficiency Grant Funding

Funding Category Amount Available (Rm)

Architecture and Built environment 95

Engineering in Universities 316

Engineering in Universities of Technology and comprehensives 538

Health Sciences 474

Life and Physical Sciences 632

Student Housing 632

Teacher Training 474

Total 3 162

At least 35% of the overall contribution of R3.162bn will be allocated to historically

disadvantaged universities, including new institutions formed through the merger of disadvantaged

institutions with historically advantaged institutions.

Given this, the University has submitted a proposal totalling R409.8m to the Department of

Education for funding in November 2008 (see Table 17a below). During 2009 a process of

6 There are three sources of income, from ministerial allocations (first stream); student fees (second stream) and other sources (third

stream).


engagement with the University will determine and align university priorities with national priorities

and establish the capacity of the University to contribute to the cost (In terms of the notice,

institutions are expected to contribute at least 10% towards the cost of the project and it is expected

that the sector as a whole should contribute at least R1.138bn towards the grant bringing the total

investment over the two years to R4.300bn). The issue of the UFH’s contribution towards the cost

however remains a challenge and it is hoped that through ongoing discussions with the Department

a solution will be found.

Table 17a: Recapitalisation and Infra-structural Funding Application

Funding category Intended Purpose Request from

Department

‘Own’

Contribution

Offered

Undergraduate Programmes in

Life and Physical Sciences

New buildings, upgrading of

existing buildings, maintenance of

these buildings, equipment

111,449,061 35,276,559

Master’s, Doctoral and Research

Programmes in Life and Physical

Sciences

Equipment 14,500,000 -

Student Housing New buildings, upgrading of


these buildings

270,924,282 19,259,432

Teacher Training Upgrading of existing buildings,

equipment, furnishings

12,993,766 964,009

Total 409,867,110 55,000,000

The response received from the Minister recently indicates that the following funding has been

allocated:

Table 17b: Funding Allocated by DoHET

Funding category Intended Purpose Granted by

Department

Required ‘Own’

Contribution

Undergraduate Programmes in

Life and Physical Sciences

New buildings, upgrading of


these buildings, equipment

50,000,000 5,000,000

Master’s, Doctoral and Research

Programmes in Life and Physical

Sciences

Equipment 8,200,000 800,000

Student Housing New buildings, upgrading of


these buildings

73,000,000 8,000,000

Teacher Training Upgrading of existing buildings,

equipment, furnishings

12,300,000 1,300,000

Total 143,500,000 15,600,000

This will be received in tranches as follows: R15m immediately to begin addressing the need for

major upgrading of the residence buildings on the Alice campus; R63.6m at the beginning of the

period 2010/11; and the remaining R64.9m at the beginning of the period 2011/12.

More than 90% of this funding will be spent on Alice campus upgrading projects.


Table 18 below indicates the financial scenario that will move us towards a balanced budget – it

assumes increased income from fees, increased research output and recapitalisation grant of R 35m

per year until 2011.

Table 18: Moderate Growth Income and Expenditure Budget after implementation of strategies

19.4.1.1.1

19.4.1.1.10 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

SUBSIDY 165,008,600 181,793,799 187,323,994 189,786,607 192,032,294 195,644,656 198,360,984 201,431,923

Teaching Input Subsidy 110,626,379 111,155,895 111,560,299 111,725,597 112,863,040 113,230,297 113,782,665

Teaching Output Subsidy 29,388,392 30,700,119 32,034,929 33,355,749 35,033,121 36,544,767 38,184,042

Research Output Subsidy 13,779,028 14,467,980 15,191,379 15,950,948 16,748,495 17,585,920 18,465,216

Institutional Factor Grant 28,000,000 31,000,000 31,000,000 31,000,000 31,000,000 31,000,000 31,000,000

19.5 19.6 19.7 19.8 19.9 19.10 19.11 19.12

OTHER INCOME 99,357,000 130,442,352 155,978,134 162,292,771 168,999,502 176,146,265 183,789,520 191,995,917

Tuition fees less rebates, bad debt 85,689,510 114,048,977 136,064,869 140,827,139 145,756,089 150,857,552 156,137,566 161,602,381

Other fee income 11,363,374 12,937,201 14,729,004 15,244,519 15,778,077 16,330,310 16,901,870 17,493,436

Other income 2,304,116 3,456,174 5,184,261 6,221,113 7,465,336 8,958,403 10,750,084 12,900,100

19.13

Total Income 264,365,600 312,236,151 343,302,128 352,079,378 361,031,796 371,790,921 382,150,504 393,427,840

19.14 19.15 19.16 19.17 19.18 19.19 19.20 19.21

EXPENSES 348,559,540 336,286,801 343,676,514 349,291,713 354,891,399 363,084,363 371,401,157 380,171,953

Net Contribution (Shortfall) -84,193,940 24,050,650 -374,386 2,787,665 6,140,397 8,706,558 10,749,347 13,255,887

Recapitalisation Grant 35,000,000 35,000,000 35,000,000 19.22 19.23 19.24 19.25 19.26

Surplus (deficit) previous year -49,193,940 -38,244,590 -3,618,976 -831,311 5,309,086 14,015,644 24,764,991

19.27 -49,193,940 -38,244,590 -3,618,976 -831,311 5,309,086 14,015,644 24,764,991 38,020,878

Compensation as % of total subsidy income 128% 109% 110% 111% 113% 115% 118% 120%

Compensation as % of total income 80% 64% 60% 60% 60% 61% 61% 62%

In Table 18 the assumption has been made that the normal depreciation charge to the Income

Statement (on average R 35m) will be set-off against any recapitalization funds received. Generally

accepted accounting practice allows for such funds received to be treated as deferred income

(balance sheet entry) and transferred to the income statement as income, once utilised. Whilst this

grant is expected to be considerably higher, the annual amount has been limited to the depreciation

charge for budgetary purposes in order to illustrate the effects of the strategies on normal income

and expenditure.

In determining the revised model as reflected in Table 18, every attempt has been made to

suggest changes that are attainable and reasonable. It is believed that with the commitment of all

involved the objectives as outlined in this section can be achieved.



Table 19: Financial sustainability sub-objectives


1. Increase income

from subsidy

To maximise all potential subsidy incomes

(input, output, research) through targeted

enrolments and improved efficiency

Implement enrolment planning,

improve throughput, and increase

research output.

19.5.1

2. Increase net

student fee

income

Fees at UFH, on average lower than other

universities in SA, will be gradually increased.

In doing this cognizance will be taken of the

financial status of the rural poor whom the

University largely serves

Increase fees, reduce rebates,

reduce bad debt (e.g. pay your fees

campaign), increase foreign

enrolments

Ensure equitable access for

students with financial constraints

through e.g. student funds, NSFAS

campaign, economic empowerment

deals

3. Diversify revenue

base

Establish alternative flow of income to the

University that does not detract attention

from the core business

Research chairs, endowment funds,

centres of excellence, audit of all

projects to ensure viability

4. Improve financial

planning and

management

To ensure projected income subsidy is

achieved through alignment of actual with

target enrolments in each category (UG, PG,

field of study) and improved throughput

Enrolment planning, rationalise

courses, monitor throughput

5. Reduce costs To reduce operating costs by reducing

proportion of compensation expenditure as

a portion of the overall budget, ensuring

strict monitoring and control of expenditure,

and innovative use of ICTs

Reduce compensation budget, leave

provision, fee rebates

Workforce planning and efficient

financial monitoring and reporting

systems

Use ICTs, e.g. video-conferencing,

online discussions and other forms

of online knowledge-sharing

Section 3: THE PLAN


20 Action Plan 2009-2012

No. ACTION RESPONSIBLE WITH 2009 2010 2011 2012

Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

GOAL 1: TEACHING AND LEARNING, RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EXCELLENCE

1 % THROUGHPUT (TARGET IN 2010 - 3N:32%, 3N+2:47%, 4N:45%, 4N+2:67%)

Link improvements in throughput to financial model to understand impact of

changes in throughput rates

CFO Planner

Review / amend exclusion / re-registration policy / process and communicate

(both UG and PG)

DVC-AR EDs

Review and amend rules that hinder graduation (e.g. 400 students 49%) DVC-AR REG

Complete all Academic Departmental Reviews DVC-AR Director: QMA

Review viability / relevance of all modules (core and elective) EDs Planner

Develop PG throughput targets Planner EDR / EDs

Provide details of throughput per Faculty / Programme Planner

Align credits allocated per programme DVC-AR EDs

Identify high performance Honours students for progression to M and D EDs

Link postgraduate fee waiver to performance EDR

Implement postgraduate mentorship programme EDR EDHR

2 % RETENTION (TARGET IN 2010 - 3 YR Q 85% 4 YR Q 95% (YR1-YR2)

Link retention data to MIS / Student tracking system Planner CIO

Improve support for international students DVC-AR

Review application and registration processes re ‘right student in right course’ EDs

Improve career counselling and academic advice EDs EDSA

3 % PASS RATES (TARGET 79% AVERAGE)

Provide detailed breakdown of pass rates per Faculty Planner



Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Identify high risk modules (taken in Yr 3/4) EDs Planner

Implement academic staff performance management system DVC-AR EDHR

Review tutoring / TLC services effectiveness DVC-AR TLC

Review moderation process across campuses DVC-AR QMA

4 NO OF RESEARCH OUTPUTS (TARGET 1.06 PER FTE ACADEMIC by 2012)

Complete Faculty Research Plans Deans EDR

Explore linking research output to promotion criteria DVC-AR EDR

M&E of impact of GMRDC workshops EDR EDs

Link to academic staff performance management system7 DVC-AR EDHR

4 % INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS (TARGET 20% in 2010)

Implement international student levy DVC-AR CFO

Develop marketing and communication strategy to attract students from all

African countries (and beyond)

DMC

Improve registration / re-registration processes REG

5 % COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE

Establish CE office DVC-AR EDCE

Implement CE Policy DVC-AR EDCE

Devise CE database DVC-AR EDCE

Support NRF income mgt link to research output / postgraduate throughput DVC-AR EDCE

Marketing and communication of CE at UFH DVC-AR DMC

Review process to integrate CE, teaching and research DVC-AR EDs

Review LKA model and link to fundraising strategy (incl. Link to existing

tutoring system)

DVC-AR Director: LKA, TLC

Review role of all Institutes, Centres within the University (cost/benefit) DVC-AR EDs and Directors

7 Clarity required on location of training and staff development budget (i.e. – line (Faculties, Divisions) or staff (HR)) and skills levy criteria



Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

7 % ENROLMENT BY FIELD OF STUDY

Review marketing and communication methods to increase applications (link

to international students above)

DMC

Communicate financial implications (understanding of subsidy process) to

support application approval process

Planner EDs

Target Honours students (UFH and beyond) to improve SA% in postgraduate

enrolments

EDs

GOAL 2: IMPROVE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

8 % STUDENT SATISFACTION (ACADEMICS) TARGET 75%

Conduct annual satisfaction survey (also for measure 9) Planning EDSA

GOAL 3: FOSTER A SERVICE CULTURE

9 % STUDENT SATISFACTION (TARGET 65% in 2010)

Improve efficiency of student registration / orientation REG EDs

Improve Residence Registration EDSA

Provide training and leadership development to student leadership EDSA

Develop comprehensive Institutional Communication and Marketing Plan Director DMC

EMT communiqué (after each EMT meeting) Director DMC

Develop annual “Communications Calendar” Director DMC

VC Open sessions /briefing s – calendar dates to be assigned Director DMC

Revive e-Newsletter and Fort Hare Today Director DMC

Signs and posters Director DMC

Written report / presentation to Senate on financial situation VC

Institutional Forum – repositioning and strengthening IF Chair

Institutional Process Maps – reactivate Director

QMA

Dean’s Reports to Faculty Board DEANS



Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Communication and capacity building for the use of available technology e.g.

teleconferencing, Share Point platform, SMS

CIO

Host HR information days (employee benefits etc.) EDHR

Conduct annual satisfaction survey (also for measure 8) Planning

Spatial development plan8 (clarify roles and responsibilities) EDSD EDSA, GMO

Environmental sustainability strategy EDSD

Feasibility study for libraries in Alice and EL EDSD

10 % SLAs DEVELOPED

Negotiate and develop service level agreements with Faculties All SS Heads EDs

Bi-annual review of service levels All SS Heads EDs

GOAL 4: OPTIMISE MULTI CAMPUS MODEL

12 MEASURES PER CAMPUS

Establish measures per campus Planner

QMA on all campuses DVC-AR Director QMA

GOAL 5: HARNESS TECHNOLOGY EFFECTIVELY

13 % USER SATISFACTION LEVELS WITH ITS SERVICES

Establish cross-functional Information Unit to ensure data cleansing /

integrity

CIO HEMIS, ITS, HR,

Finance

Develop and monitor ICT SLA (including response times) CIO

Pay for Oracle licence CIO CFO

Establish ICT Governance structure (ICT strategy and policies) CIO

14 STAFF/STUDENT : COMPUTER RATIOS (TARGETS)

Fundraise to install computers in Gasson Centre CIO FHF

8 The Spatial Development Plan should include inter alia student accommodation and sports and recreational facilities, staff housing, disability access and PPP funding strategies



Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Explore different structural models to fund ICTs (e.g. fee levy, bandwidth

levy)

CIO

Conduct computer use / distribution equity analysis CIO

15 EXAMPLES OF ICT INNOVATION

Management information dashboard CIO

ICT governance dashboard CIO

Online exam results CIO REG

Online registration CIO REG

Online leave CIO EDHR

E-payslips CIO EDHR

E-procurement CIO GMO/CFO

Wireless residences

Investigate ‘freeware’ options

GOAL 6: DEVELOP HUMAN RESOURCES

16 STAFF SATISFACTION (TARGET 65% in 2010)

Develop appropriate organisational structure EDHR

Develop workforce plan (link to PSP-ICON process) EDHR CFO

Rationalise staff complement EDHR CFO

Develop Competency Framework for the University EDHR

Improve staff orientation EDHR Director TLC

Develop / review UFH Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) EDHR

Implement PM system EDHR

Develop and implement HR communications strategy EDHR

17 QUALIFICATIONS OF ACADEMIC STAFF (M, D, PGTD, ASSESSORS)

Develop equity and succession plan with targets EDHR DVC-AR



Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Implement a performance management system for all academic staff EDHR DVC-AR

Link qualifications attainment to PDPs DVC-AR EDR, Deans

18 NO OF RATED RESEARCHERS (TARGET 24 BY 2012)

Link rating to PM System EDHR

Review the current research incentive policy EDR EDs

GOAL 7: FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY AND VIABILITY

19 BREAK EVEN BUDGET (TARGET 100% BY 2011)

Lobby Department of Higher Education and Training re. recapitalisation VC

“Sell” student debt VC CFO

Review outsourced contracts GMO

Develop monitoring framework for projects (including assets) CFO

Review Fort Hare Foundation strategy VC

Implement ‘pay your fees’ campaign CFO EDSA

Perform cost benefit analysis of all current offerings, especially those

currently duplicated across campuses (PSP-ICON process)

CFO

Rationalize elective offerings across all three campuses DVC-AR EDs

Explore consolidation of common courses in certain faculties/programmes DVC-AR EDs

Produce financial MIS to monitor expenditure patterns CFO

20 % COMPENSATION OVER RECURRING INCOME (TARGET 60% BY 2011)

Review departmental / school / faculty staff complements and re-structure

(link to PSP-ICON process)

DVC-AR EDs

Develop compensation budget projections (scenarios) CFO

21 % FEE INCREASE (TARGET 8 - 10%)

Prioritise NSFAS review process CFO

Review fees / bursaries per CESM category CFO Planner



Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Enforce exclusion strategies CFO EDs

Equalise fee structure (Alice-East London) CFO EDs

22 % REDUCTION IN NON-CASH PROVISIONS

Leave (Target 80% by 2012) EDHR CFO

Post-retirement benefits (capped by 2010) EDHR CFO

23 % ENROLMENT TARGETS MET (BY 2012 - SET 21%, HUM 35,5%, BEM 28,5%, EDU 14,% PG:UG 76:24)

Review enrolment targets for 2010 against current capacity Planner EDs

Review and align (to plan) marketing and communication of student

recruitment initiatives (incl. international students)

DMC EDs

Align targets to CESM categories Planner EDs

Communicate financial implications (understanding of subsidy process) to

support application approval process (Faculty planning and enrolment

committees)

Planner

Target Honours students (UFH and beyond) to improve SA% on postgraduate

studies

EDs

Development of a long range Academic Plan DVC-AR EDs

KEY VC Vice-Chancellor QMA Quality Management & Assurance Unit

DVC-AR Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic and Research TLC Teaching and Learning Centre

CFO Chief Financial Officer EDCE Executive Director Community Engagement

EDs Executive Deans of Faculty DMC Department of Marketing and Communication

REG Registrar LKA Life Knowledge Action Programme

EDR Executive Dean Research SS Support Services

EDSA Executive Dean Student Affairs GMO General Manager Operations

Planner University Planner CIO Chief Information Officer

EDHR Executive Director Human Resources IF Institutional Forum


21 Annexure 1: Risk Review Summary and Responsibility

No Risk Category Risk Name

Link to strategic

objectives Impact Likelihood

Inherent

Risk

Exposure

Perceived

Control

Effectiveness

Residual

Risk

Exposure

Responsible

Executive

1

Financial

stability Inadequate revenue base 1, 2, 6, 7 Catastrophic

Almost

certain Extreme Weak Priority 1 CFO

2

Human

resources Poor quality staff 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Catastrophic

Almost

certain Extreme Weak Priority 1 ED: HR

3 Operational Inadequate support processes 1, 5, 6, 7 Critical

Almost

certain Extreme Weak Priority 1 GM: OPS

4

Financial

stability Inadequate capital funding 1, 6 Critical

Almost

certain Extreme Weak Priority 1 CFO

5 Organisational

Dysfunctional institutional

culture 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Critical Likely High Weak Priority 1 Planner

6 Organisational

Inadequate information

management 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Critical Likely High Weak Priority 1 CIO

7 Services

Inadequate quality of student

experience 6 Serious

Almost

certain High Weak Priority 1

ED: Student

Affairs

8 Organisational Inadequate communication 4, 5, 6, 7 Serious

Almost

certain High Weak Priority 1 Director: DMC

9 Services

Poor quality of teaching

practice 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Catastrophic Likely Extreme Satisfactory Priority 2 ED

10 Fraud and theft

Fraud, corruption and

collusion 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Critical

Almost

certain Extreme Satisfactory Priority 2 VC

11 Services

Inadequate research output

and quality 3 Critical

Almost

certain Extreme Satisfactory Priority 2 ED: Research

12

Technical and

technological

Inadequate information,

communication and

technology systems 7 Critical

Almost

certain Extreme Satisfactory Priority 2 CIO

13 Services Low throughput 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 Critical

Almost

certain Extreme Satisfactory Priority 2 DVC


No Risk Category Risk Name

Link to strategic

objectives Impact Likelihood

Inherent

Risk

Exposure

Perceived

Control

Effectiveness

Residual

Risk

Exposure

Responsible

Executive

14 Organisational

Ineffective management of

multi campus model 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Serious Likely Moderate Weak Priority 2 Planner

15 Marketing

Inadequate marketing of the

institution 1 Serious Likely Moderate Weak Priority 2 Director: DMC

16 Organisational Poor corporate governance 2, 5, 6, 7 Critical Likely High Satisfactory Priority 3 Registrar

17

Business

continuity

planning Business interruption 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Critical Possible Moderate Weak Priority 3 CIO

18 Operational

Inadequate management of

Alumni constituency 1 Significant

Almost

certain Moderate Weak Priority 3

CEO:

Foundation

19

External

environment

Macro and micro

environment impact on the

university 1, 6 Serious Likely Moderate Satisfactory Priority 4 VC

20 Operational

Inadequate community

engagement 1 Serious Likely Moderate Satisfactory Priority 4 DVC


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Appendices


23 Appendix 1: HEQC Audit Recommendations: Quality Improvement Plan

The University successfully underwent a HEQC Institutional Quality Audit in May 2008. Under

the theme ‘Living Our Mission’, the audit comprised a thorough self-assessment, as well as, an

external evaluation of the University by a team of independent assessors. The audit focussed

primarily on institutional fitness of, and for, purpose, and the institutional quality assurance systems

and practices in place to enable the above. The audit recommendations have been incorporated

into the Strategic Plan 2009 - 2016.

As a result of the university-wide participatory process for preparing for the audit, and a

mercilessly candid Self Evaluation Report, the verbal feedback, and subsequent draft audit report,

largely confirmed our own understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the institution, all of

which either could, or do, affect our effectiveness in terms of operational efficiency and generating

improved throughputs. Aside from the six commendations already mentioned, the University

received twenty-two recommendations in the draft report received in November 2008. Although

these may yet change in the final report, they are tabulated below in abbreviated form. The table

also shows where these have been incorporated into the new strategic plan as indicated:

Recommendations

UFH Strategic

Response

1. That the future roles and strategic developments of the campuses are revisited to

ensure that educational quality is nowhere compromised Enabler 4

2. That communication is improved, notably to ensure buy-in to strategic plans Sub-Objective 3.3

3. That the Grounding Programme proposal is revisited to ensure its aims are

effected Sub Objective 1.1

4. That a comprehensive HR strategy is developed, also covering equity and

succession Enabler 6

5. That the International Office is strengthened Sub-objective 1.3

6. That xenophobia is investigated and addressed effectively throughout the

institution Sub-objective 3.1

7. That the Institutional Forum is strengthened and made more effective Sub-objective 3.1

8. That the ITS system is used more effectively so that it can be used as a

management tool Sub-objective 5.3

9. That policies and procedures affecting teaching and learning are developed,

implemented and monitored Sub-objective 1.6

10. That mechanisms are created to give effect to teaching and learning goals Sub-objective 1.2

11. That mechanisms are developed for effective placement and monitoring of

students in programmes with an experiential learning component Sub-objective 1.6

12. That a full review of the committee structure and system is undertaken to

improve effectiveness and reduce duplication Sub-objective 3.2

13. That residences be rendered safe and secure Sub-objectives

2.1 and 2.2

14. That a comprehensive ICT policy be developed and implemented, notably also

covering disaster recovery Sub-objective 5.3

15. That the provision of e-learning for additional teaching and learning support be

investigated Sub-objective 1.5

16. That procedures to minimize errors and inaccuracies be initiated for all phases of

the examination process Sub-objective 3.4

17. That the policies and procedures for curriculum development and review be

finalized and implemented Sub-objective 1.1

18. That appropriate and relevant external stakeholders be involved in curriculum Sub-objective 1.1


development and review

19. That the Human Resources function is strengthened and made effective Sub-objective 6.1

20. That policies and procedures for assessment be reviewed, implemented and

monitored Sub-objective 1.6

21. That a research culture is embedded in the institution through policies,

procedures and other mechanisms Sub-objective 1.2

22. That a framework and mechanism to develop, implement, incorporate into

curricula, monitor and evaluate be developed for community engagement Sub-objective 1.1

While there is some overlap between certain recommendations, this does not diminish their

individual intent and importance. In addition, certain recommendations will be straight forward to

action, whereas others will require long term investment of time and money, as well as, modification

of behaviours. Once the final report is made available, the University will provide the HEQC with a

self-improvement plan that outlines how and when it will address the recommendations; the HEQC

will also expect regular reports on progress with the implementation of the self-improvement plan.

The HEQC Institutional Quality Audit is cyclical in nature, and the University expects its next audit to

take place in 2014.

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