Page 10 - VC 5 Year Review Report 2022

SECTION B

Contextualisation of the

Higher Education Environment

Higher education plays a key role in fulfilling certain South Africa remains the most unequal country in
societal agendas such as democratisation, social the world with a Gini coefficient of 0.63. The Eastern
mobility, economic development, innovation, and Cape is in a particularly perilous position, with weak
a better quality of life for all citizens (Maassen and economic growth and high levels of unemployment.
Olsen, 2007). The rapid pace of change nationally The SOPA 2022 highlighted that roughly 43% of
and globally acts as a driver for universities to the provincial population depend on social grants.
revisit their core purpose, academic missions, and Financial instability results in poor quality service
operating models to ensure that they thrive within a delivery and continued disruptions in electricity
volatile, uncertain, and complex macro-environment. supply negatively impact on industries and threaten
Most recently, these external drivers have manifested job security.
as challenges such as food insecurity, uneven access
to quality healthcare and education, climate change, Gross social, class, racial and gender disparities
and rising societal expectations of universities. This contradict the ideals of social justice, access and
calls for universities to engage with key stakeholders equity espoused in the visions and strategies
at global, continental, national, provincial, and of universities. It is against this background that
local levels to anticipate future trends and serve as Zeleza argues for inclusion which he defines as
catalysts for sustainable development. the “…intentional and continuous processes and
outcomes in which all members of the community
1. Poverty, inequality, and as individuals and groups are welcomed and feel
economic recovery a sense of belonging and are provided with equal
opportunities to participate in institutional life
Across the world, the number of people living in and flourish.”
extreme poverty and facing acute food insecurity
has risen. According to the annual report launched To achieve this, significant progress has been
in May 2022 by the Global Network Against Food made since 2017 within the sector and at Mandela
Crises (GNAFC), approximately 193 million people University in addressing unequal access to
in 53 countries or territories experienced acute food higher education for financially disadvantaged,
insecurity at crisis or worse levels in 2021. The result academically deserving students through expanded
is an unsettled geopolitical landscape marked by financial aid. As at 31 December 2021, the National
downward pressure on the global economy and rising Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) disbursed
citizen discontent with how national governments are R38.7 billion to about 800 000 university and TVET
addressing profound socio-economic inequalities college students, representing an increase of 316%
and human precarity. from 2015 to 2021.

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