HESA Executive Office Higher Education South Africa UNISA, Sunnyside Campus Building 3, Level 1 Cnr. Rissik and Steve Biko Street, Sunnyside Pretoria, South Africa PO Box 27392, Sunnyside, Pretoria, 0132 Tel: 012 481 2821 Fax: 012 481 2843/50 E-mail: [email protected] HESA ANNUAL REPORT 2012 Table of Contents HESA's Vision and Mandate 1 PART ONE: LEADERSHIP OVERVIEW 2 - Chairman's Foreword 3 - Acting CEO's Report 5 PART TWO: GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK 8 Organogram of HESA governance 9 - The Board of Directors 11 - Governance Committees 13 o The Executive Committee (EXCO) 13 o Audit & Finance Committee 13 o HR & Remuneration Committee 13 o Matriculation Board Committee 13 - Strategy Groups 14 o Funding Strategy Group 14 o HESA-HEAIDS Strategy Group 14 o Research & Innovation Strategy Group 15 o Transformation Strategy Group 15 - Communities of Practice (CoP) 15 PART THREE: HESA OPERATIONS 16 Performance on Core Functions 17 - Policy Analysis and Strategic Research 17 o General Policy Analysis 17 o Analysis of Policy in Support of Teaching & Learning in Higher Education 18 o Policy Analysis to Advance Research, Science & Innovation 20 o Policy Analysis in Support of Higher Education Institutions 20 - Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement 22 o Engagement with Government-related Agencies 22 o Media Engagement 23 o Engagement for Multilateral Collaboration 25 - Sector Support 26 o Differentiation of the Higher Education Sector 26 o Rural Campus Connection Project 26 o Scholarships 27 o Higher Education Transformation 27 Programme Performance 28 o Capacity Development in the Higher Education Sector 28 o Higher Education Enrolment Services Programme 29 o Higher Education HIV/AIDS Programme (HEAIDS) 29 PART FOUR: FORGING INTER-INSTITUTIONAL COLLABORATION 36 - Communities of Practice (CoP) 37 o Education Deans' Forum (EDF) 37 o Finance Executives' Forum (FEF) 37 o HIV & AIDs Education Forum 37 o HR Directors' (HRD) Forum 38 o Quality Assurance (QA) Managers' Forum 38 o Registrars' Imbizo (RI) 38 o Skills Development Facilitators' Forum (SDF) 38 o Transformation Managers' Forum (TMF) 38 PART FIVE: FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2012 40 - Independent Auditors' Report 41 - HESA Statements of Comprehensive Income 44 - Statements of Financial Position 45 HESA Executive Office Organogram 47 HESA ANNUAL REPORT 2012 HESA'S Vision and Mandate Brief history o Advance and promote the benefits of South African Universities to the nation; Higher Education South African (HESA) was born out of a merger o Support South African Universities in the performance of on 9 May 2005, of the two statutory representative organisations their roles; for universities and universities of technology (former technikons). o Develop policy positions on higher education matters through These organisations were, respectively, the South African Universities discussing higher education issues, including teaching, research Vice-Chancellors Association (SAUVCA) and the Committee of and community engagement; Technikon Principals (CTP). SAUVCA was established as a statutory o Advance the internationalisation of South African Universities; body for the 21 public universities in South Africa by the Universities o Provide information for and about South African Universities; Act (Act 61 of 1955). As a statutory body, it made recommendations o Provide sector support services and programmes to all to the Minister and Director-General of Education on matters member Universities on issues of funding, research, referred to it or alternatively on any other issues, which it deemed transformation and access into higher education; and important for universities. The CTP was a national higher education o Assist in the further development of South African association established in 1967 in terms of the Advanced Technical Universities. Education Act (No. 40 of 1967). It comprised the rectors, principals and vice-chancellors of technikons in South Africa. Vision The restructuring of the higher education sector between 2004 and To be a unified body of leadership in a transforming, dynamic and 2005, - which involved mergers and the creation of new institutional diverse system of HE in SA. types called comprehensive universities - resulted in the reduction of institutions of higher education from 36 to 23. Strategic objectives (summarised as adopted by the Board of Directors in 2009) Mandate - High levels of quality comparable to the best in the world; Our mandate is to facilitate the development of informed public - High levels of institutional diversity based on institutional self- policy on higher education and to encourage cooperation among differentiation; universities and government, industry and other sectors of society - Significant transformation, social cohesion, non-discrimination in South Africa. and freedom of speech and association; - High levels of responsiveness and relevance. In particular, HESA aims to be the: - Single, credible, authoritative and respected voice of public Higher Education; - Single, unified national body equitably representing all sectors of the public Higher Education system; - Primary point of contact for government, the media, national and international organisations, prospective students and anyone who seeks information or interaction with public Higher Education in the Republic; - Facilitator and enabler of conditions and services that allow institutional leadership, staff and students to integrate effectively with the knowledge of the economy in order to: 1 PART ONE: LEADERSHIP OVERVIEW 2 CHAIRPERSON'S FOREWORD Professor Ahmed Bawa Chairperson, HESA Board 3 The past year has been characterised by major changes at the senior and share each other's perspective on emerging higher education management level of HESA. With the departure of the previous priorities and challenges. CEO at the end of 2011, Dr Jeffrey Mabelebele was appointed in an acting capacity to the position of Chief Executive Officer for the - HESA biennial Research and Innovation Conference: 2012 financial year. I am happy to report that the new CEO has HESA held a successful biennial Research and Innovation taken to the position with aplomb. Despite this significant change, Conference on 3 and 4 April 2012. The conference was aimed not only has the work of HESA remained on an even keel; there at identifying the critical and necessary conditions for the has been an injection of thoughtfulness, energy and passion. successful implementation of the national research and innovation plans from the perspective of the higher education sector. HESA, A major preoccupation of HESA in the 2012 financial year has been through the Research and Innovation Strategy Group, will engage engaging with relevant stakeholders on key policy issues in higher with the recommendations of the conference and develop education through submissions, seminars, meetings, workshops and implementation strategies in 2013. conferences. The most prominent issues of policy, regulatory and legislative nature, in which HESA was intricately involved, include It is pleasing to note that HESA has also taken the lead in facilitating the following: the building of a framework for cooperation among our higher education system and other systems in the world through the - Protection of State Information Bill; hosting of academic fora which are vital platforms for the exchange - Higher Education and Training Amendment Bill; of knowledge and ideas, research collaboration between institutions - Review of the Funding Framework for Universities; and through academic and postgraduate exchange. It also has the - Draft Reporting Regulations for Public Higher Education potential to support an evidence-based policy environment. These Institutions; include academic fora called for by the Brazil-Russia-India-China- - Central Applications System; South Africa (BRICS), India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) and the Indian - Green Paper on Post-School Education and Training System; Ocean Rim-Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) - National Development Plan; and protocols. - Differentiation framework for the Higher Education sector in South Africa. In addition, both our Higher Education Leadership and Management and Higher Education HIV and AIDS Programmes, are making In some cases, our inputs were considered when final policy outcomes significant contributions to the higher education sector, through a were realised. It is expected that engagements on some of these range of initiatives as part of sector support. proposed policies and regulations will continue in 2013. The CEO's overview, which follows, details the operational successes A number of projects were completed in 2012, including the following: of HESA in pursuing its work in the past year. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to extend my gratitude to the CEO, - HESA Infrastructure Study - Buildings and Equipment: Dr Jeffrey Mabelebele, for his outstanding contribution to the The report on the HESA Infrastructure Study on both buildings organisation. I also gratefully acknowledge HESA's Board of Directors, and equipment had been finalised in 2012. HESA held Executive Committee, Audit and Finance Committee, Human engagements with the Ministerial Committee on the Review of Resources and Remuneration Committee, Admissions Committee the Funding Framework for Universities and Department of and all the strategy groups, for their continued and outstanding Higher Education and Training on the findings and commitment to the achievement of our goals. recommendations of the report in June 2012. I would