The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mr Blade Nzimande announced that the Higher Education Summit on Higher Education Transformation is to be held in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal between 15 and 18 October 2015.
The Summit is expected to be attended by a wide range of higher education stakeholders including academics and researchers, university leaders, university council members, student bodies; political bodies, civil society organisations and government, amongst others.
As a prelude to the Summit, the University of Johannesburg (UJ), in partnership with the Department of Higher Education and Training, will host an open dialogue, entitled On the Road to Durban on Monday, 5 October 2015. The two-hour long dialogue, at the University’s Art Centre Theatre (Auckland Park Kingsway Campus), is scheduled to start at 17:00.
Issues around student accessibility to institutions of higher learning, student experiences within higher education, and the means to enable productive engagement to address issues of higher education transformation will be explored by university Vice-Chancellors and student leaders during the dialogue.
The seven member panel will consist of three Vice-Chancellors and four student leaders, representing various student bodies from universities across South Africa.
The panelist include: Prof Ihron Rensburg, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, University of Johannesburg; Prof Dan Kgwadi, Vice-Chancellor, North West University and Dr Sizwe Mabizela, Vice-Chancellor, Rhodes University. Student leaders from UJ, Fort Hare and the Vaal University as well as from the ‘Open Stellenbosch’ movement will join the panel.
Some of the questions the panel will explore during the dialogue include: What is the vision for a transformed university? What must be done to achieve a transformed university? What are the burning issues that must be addressed at the national Higher Education Summit on Higher Education Transformation?
