Page 16 - Transformation Indaba Report

higher educaTion sociology emerging sociology for sa higher educaTion

Prof Soudien explained that the sector does not yet have a Prof Soudien advised that we are developing our own HE
sociology of higher education. One for Basic Education sociology, originating from the Higher Education Act of 1997.
(although 50 years old) focuses on the grade K-12 school He suggested we use Trow’s categories as ‘placeholders’
experience. Apart from the work of HE sociologist Martin to analyse what is happening inside SA universities. He
Trow, we don’t yet have the analytic frameworks to understand believes our sociology is not yet sufficient in dealing with
the HE structure/entity. However, Martin Trow does provide all the complexities, especially regarding how power works.
beneficial frameworks in eight categories, namely: Martin Trow thinks of power only in administrative terms.
1. Attitudes to success Therefore, Prof Soudien suggests the discourses of power
2. Functions of HE and how it operates in disciplines are what we need to under-
3. Curriculum stand because power and identities are constituted in these
4. Institutional characteristics disciplinary engagements that happen inside a university. He
5. Locus of power reported that a summary of the general features emerging
6. Academic standards from the annual reports concern:
7. Access and selection 1. Governance, Leadership and Management
8. Internal governance 2. Higher education experience
3. Teaching and Learning
4. Research and Knowledge Production
5. Societal Relevance and Community Engagement

1. Governance, leadership and management: general features (slide)

• Stronger emphasis towards internal matters of equity transformation in some cases and a stronger emphasis on
outward-focused relevance in others.
• Institutional Forums barely complying with the law in their operations. At the same time, several examples of IFs
adding value to the governance process and advancing transformation. 1/5 not functional.
• Proliferation of transformation-related structures and units without a clear relationship with the IFs.
• One institution had significantly changed its Senate composition during 2018/19 in order to make the structure
more widely representative, moving away from a traditional-hybrid Senate towards a more democratic one.
• Student (and staff) activism, stimulated new interventions - decolonisation, fee-free higher education and the
insourcing of support staff.
• Gender-based violence became an increasing focus of anti-discrimination/anti-harassment measures in 2019 with
many institutions creating or revising related policies and strengthening their procedures.

NelsoN MaNdela UNiversity • traNsforMatioN iNdaba • 2022 10