Page 17 - VC 5 Year Review Report 2022

and the world of work. The NPPSET also seeks to Universities. The draft policy sets out the criteria
better integrate the post-school system and support for quality learning and teaching, research, and
the continued implementation of initiatives that will community engagement at universities. Among
result in significantly improved student success and these, it is required that universities must: produce
throughput. sufficient postgraduate students, particularly at
doctoral level; contribute to national development
The White Paper on Science, Technology and needs; and be internationally active.
Innovation, 2019, complements the WPPSET and
NPPSET by providing the long-term policy direction In conclusion, there are many dynamic forces
to ensure a growing role for science, technology of change influencing higher education, many
and innovation (STI) in improving economic of which challenge us to think broadly and plan
competitiveness and creating a more prosperous and for influences from unexpected domains. Within
inclusive society. The White Paper on STI introduces the prevailing uncertainty and complexity of this
policy approaches to ensure an open, responsive, moment in history, higher education institutions are
and diverse knowledge system, including adopting being called upon to take stock of where they have
an open science paradigm, supporting a diversity of come from and to chart future directions informed
knowledge fields, advancing a greater focus on inter- by a rapidly evolving context and responsiveness
and transdisciplinary research, and acknowledging to societal needs, particularly within a context
the contribution of the humanities and social of deep social inequalities. This underscores the
sciences to addressing complex societal problems. importance of universities contributing to building
Furthermore, the White Paper introduces a systematic
approach to expanding the internationalisation of
STI and science diplomacy with a strong focus on the
African continent to support a pan-African agenda.

Through the Decadal Plan for Science, Technology
and Innovation released in February 2022, the
Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) aims
to improve coherence and coordination of scientific
and technological innovation in priority areas. It
also assesses how to align and pool resources to
fund these areas. Universities are called upon to Universities are called
form part of a compact and work with government,
social partners, and industry in developing and upon to form part of
implementing innovation-enabling programmes that
will yield benefits for the South African economy in a compact and work
the following priority areas: climate change and the
circular economy; education for the future; future of with government,
society; ICTs and smart systems; high-technology
industrialisation; nutrition security; water security; social partners, and
health innovation; and sustainable energy.
industry in developing
The Draft Policy for the Recognition of South African
Higher Education Institutional Types was released and implementing
by the DHET in August 2022 for public comment.
This Draft Policy provides for the classification of all innovation-enabling
South African institutions of higher learning into one
of three types, namely: Higher Education Colleges, programmes that will
which can offer undergraduate degrees but have no
mandate to conduct research; University Colleges, yield benefits for the
which are “universities in the making” operating
under the trusteeship of an existing university; and South African economy.

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