Governance, leadership and institutional change in South African higher education: Grappling with instability

Higher Education in the BRICS Countries

“…In some instances, the transformation focus shifted to efficiency due to a change overload, particularly, the reporting requirements of the Department of Education (3 year rolling plans) and the South African Qualifications Authority (programme registration) and more recently, the HEQC programme reaccreditation initiative. perceived collegial traditions, academic elitism and commitment to knowledge advancement) and responding to global pressures for international competitiveness (Kulati 2000). Kulati (2000) argues that institutions that have adopted an outright entrepreneurial approach are white Afrikaans universities, which historically had the least state control.…”

“…The latter institutions, with a few exceptions, found it more difficult to usher in radical changes from the centre (Kulati 2000;). As the government pushed for growth and efficiency in its macroeconomy policy 3 , the rhetoric of stakeholder participation in the transformation project was increasingly taken over by managerial power in the institutions, and was beginning to mimic private business management practices ).…”

“…The academically strong universities, mainly the English-speaking ones, relied on their academic strength and continued 'business as usual', and the weaker institutions that were predominantly serving black students were unable to regroup quickly and respond to the requirements of transformation and innovation that were looming (Kulati 2000;Muller et al 2004). The academically strong universities, mainly the English-speaking ones, relied on their academic strength and continued 'business as usual', and the weaker institutions that were predominantly serving black students were unable to regroup quickly and respond to the requirements of transformation and innovation that were looming (Kulati 2000;Muller et al 2004).…”

Improving Institutional Stakeholder Governance Practices in the University Council: Membership Strategies and Policies

“…The key areas of this debate are based on the assumption that representation and participation is a prerequisite for the transformation of the universities (CHE, 2004); so, the governance landscape has witnessed a sharp increase in different stakeholders, both internal and external, striving to become a part of the leadership and governance of higher education institutions at the level of the university councils. According to Kulati (2000), the transformation of the university governance structures in most higher education institutions has been achieved, but it remains a challenge. Several studies carried out a claim that governance precariousness stems from how the university councils are stakeholder-composed and operated (Department of Education, 1998, 1999, 2000b.…”

Changing career orientations in higher education: Can HE be a breeding ground for entrepreneurial careers?

“…W ith the refinement and implementation of the final plan for the restructuring of South African higher education, much has been written about the implications and challenges set by the transformational context of the new envisaged higher education landscape (Brunyee 2001;Kulati 2000;Pretorius 2001;Gultig 2000). However, with exten sive restructuring and rationalisation looming, shrink ing subsidies and mergers in process, little attention has been given to the impact and possible implica tions of these events on the unfolding of careers of academic staff in future tertiary education structures.…”