Council on Higher Education: Annual Report 2010-2011

Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training

12 October 2010

Functions

1) Advise Minister on any aspect of higher education.2) Quality Assurance – auditing of institutional QA

mechanisms; programme accreditation; promoting QA.

3) Qualifications framework – development and management of HEQF; standards setting, including naming conventions for qualifications; maintenance of learner database.

4) Publish information/reports on developments in, and the state of, higher education: monitoring function.

Overview2010/11 – period of transition:• Organisational stability with appointment of new management team.• Review of organisational structure and functions re: expanded mandate as QC; new structure – National Reviews and Standards Development.• Focus on addressing weaknesses, which adversely impact on operational efficiency and effectiveness – revised HR policies, including performance management; benchmarking of salary structure; comprehensive compliance audit.

Overview

• Two key challenges:

(i) Lack of systemic monitoring, in particular, policy impact studies.

(ii) Challenge: QA not used as steering tool to complement planning and funding.

Advice and Monitoring

Advice:• No advice requested or provided; request at end of March 2011: Establishment of a Central Applications Office. Establishment of a Community Service Scheme for Graduates. Role of CHE in strengthening teaching and learning.

• Facilitated Consultative Workshop on the establishment of a National Stakeholders Forum.

Monitoring:• State of Higher Education – Indicator project initiated in January 2010.

•Research projects: Survey of Student Engagement – 9442 students and 290 lecturers at 7 institutions. Effectiveness of the LLB – report not published; quality concerns linked to methodology. State of Private Higher Education – no formal report because of lack of robust data.

Advice and Monitoring

PublicationsHigher Education Monitor:• No 9: Access and Throughput in SA Higher Education: Three Case Studies.• No 10: Teaching and Learning beyond Formal Access: Assessment through the Looking Glass.•No 11: Report on the National Review of Academic and Professional Programmes in Education.

• Findings of the 2009 Student Engagement Survey - Focusing the Student Experience on Success through Student Engagement.

Institutional Audits

First cycle – 2005/11: • Focus on institutional QA policies, procedures and systems; 3 conducted – Universities of Venda, Limpopo and Cape Peninsula University of Technology; 2 improvement plans submitted – UNISA and North-West.• Draft UKZN Audit Report withdrawn.•Walter Sisulu University and Mangosuthu University of Technology audits completed in April and may 2011.•Second Cycle Framework finalised: focus on teaching & learning – pilots in late 2012.

Programme Accreditation

• Accreditation of new programmes – 248 assessed; 130 private provider programmes evaluated for re-accreditation.

• Alignment of existing programmes – apprx. 20 000 with HEQF; implementation plan finalised; time-frame 2012-2014.

Quality Promotion and Capacity Development

• CHE/HEQC – Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association of South Africa (HELTASA) Teaching Excellence Awards – 4 awards made.

Qualifications Framework

•Review of HEQF: 20 submissions received -end of November 2010. Revised HEQF finalised and submitted to Minister for gazetting for public comment.

• Standards setting: Framework finalised for consultation; pilots in mid-2012.

• Internal and external audit identified gaps and weaknesses in the application and implementation of systems, policies and procedures in finance, supply chain and HR.• Key issues: Lack of compliance with PFMA and other regulations. Policies not reviewed and updated regularly, including gaps.

• Action plan developed to address findings – monitored by Exco and Audit Committee.

Corporate Services

Corporate Services

Employee Turnover

Occupancy Profile

Corporate Services

Race Profile

Gender Profile

Financial Statements

AG – 3 key findings:(i)Irregular Expenditure: R6, 211 824 re: building renovations undertaken in the 2008/09 & 2009/10 financial years.

Condoned by Council following investigation – indicated no deliberate wrongdoing, self enrichment or fraud.

(ii) Fruitless and Wasteful Expenditure: R5 905.72 re: SARS interest and penalties for late payment of taxes.(i)Late and incorrect submission of financial statements.

Income 2010-2011

Expenditure 2010-2011

Consulting Fees

• Programme Accreditation Evaluators R1 573 165 (33%)• Institutional Audit Report Writers &Panel Honoraria 906 068 (19%)• SASSE Project and LL.B Survey 710 418 (15%)• HEQCIS (SAQA) 633 000 (13%)• Other (Seconded staff/payroll system) 987 893 (21%)

R4 810 544