Dr. M. Makhafola Director: Quality Assurance & Promotion University of Venda 20-21 October 2008

1. The Finnish-HEQC’s Quality Systems Restructuring Project: Outcomes Impact & Challenges @ UNIVENUniversity of Zululand Workshop Dr. M. Makhafola Director: Quality Assurance & Promotion University of Venda 20-21 October 2008

2. OUTLINE 1. Background 2. SAQI Diagnostic Analysis Report 3. Project Focus Areas 4. Output and Impact 5. Challenges 6. Acknowledgements

3. 1. Introduction • The University of Venda is one of the four universities in the Limpopo Province, located in Thohoyandou. • Most recent university to be established in South Africa (1982). • Re-designing size and shape which is guided by both the internal (new vision and mission) and external imperatives (NPHE, HE Act, SEPHE) • Current students head-count = 10 660 • 8 Schools; Agriculture, Rural Development & Forestry, Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Health Sciences, Law, Management Sciences, Mathematics & Natural Sciences, Integrated Studies & Humanities Dr M Makhafola, Finnish HEQC Project Workshop, 20-21 Oct. 2008

4. 1.2. Vision and Mission The Vision “To be at the centre of tertiary education for rural and regional development in Southern Africa” The Mission “As a Comprehensive institution, the University of Venda offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications in fields of study that are responsive to the development needs of the Southern African region, using appropriate learning methodologies and research” Dr M Makhafola, Finnish HEQC Project Workshop, 20-21 Oct. 2008

5. 1.3. Current University Projects • Recovery Plan: Major re-innovation of buildings, upgrading of ICT infrastructure and introduction of management systems • Increasing carrying capacity of the campus: To increase the current carrying capacity from 5500 to 10 000. • Right sizing and converting to Comprehensive University: All programmes offered at UNIVEN will be subjected to a review in-order to develop an academic plan (including size and shape and programme qualification mix, PQM) that reflects the new vision and mission. Dr M Makhafola, Finnish HEQC Project Workshop, 20-21 Oct. 2008

6. 1.4. Converting to a Comprehensive • From a policy directive Comprehensive University seem to be: • Diversity • Accessibility • Student mobility • Responsiveness • Flexibility Dr M Makhafola, Finnish HEQC Project Workshop, 20-21 Oct. 2008

7. 2. SAQI Diagnostic Analysis Report Dr M Makhafola, Finnish HEQC Project Workshop, 20-21 Oct. 2008 Project proposal was informed by the SAQI (11-14 April 2005) diagnostic analysis of the Quality Management System. They use the ISO 9001:2000 and CHE audit criteria models as a basis for analysis. The University’s compliance to the ISO 9001:2000 standard was 68% CHE Audit criteria was not aggregated The QMS diagnostic analysis identified 35 areas that needed to be addressed in order for the University to comply with ISO 9001:2000 and CHE audit criteria .

8. 3. Project Focus Areas Dr M Makhafola, Finnish HEQC Project Workshop, 20-21 Oct. 2008 Refine Records and Document Management Programme Review and Programme Development Institutionalization of Quality Assurance and Promotion Refine Academic Policies Benchmarking

9. 3.1Refine Records and Document Management Dr M Makhafola, Finnish HEQC Project Workshop, 20-21 Oct. 2008 A workshop was conducted in 2006 on record management and archiving of documents. The workshop was attended mainly by school officers and academic administration. Training on Records Management (11-12 October 2007 Policy was developed in 2006 then revised in March 2008

10. 3.2 Programme Review and Annual Departmental Reviews Dr M Makhafola, Finnish HEQC Project Workshop, 20-21 Oct. 2008 3.2.1 Policy development 3.2.2 Capacity Development workshops 3.2.3Teacher Education Improvement Plans 3.2.4 Programme Portfolio Review

11. 3.2.4 Programme Portfolio Review Dr M Makhafola, Finnish HEQC Project Workshop, 20-21 Oct. 2008 • All programmes offered at UNIVEN were subjected to a review (July – November 2008) in-order to: • Develop an academic plan (including size and shape and programme qualification mix, PQM) that reflects the new vision and mission. • Bring the size and shape of UNIVEN within the framework set by the Minister for 2010 (from current 11 700 to 10 500 head count) • Develop the new PQM within the framework of the Higher Education Qualification Framework (HEQF, 2007) • UNIVEN engaged a consultant Mr. J. File

12. Programme Portfolio Review key Criteria • Relevance, to what extent is each UNIVEN programme relevant in terms of: • New mission and vision • Desired size and shape for 2010 • Labour market demand for graduates • Viability, to what extent is each programme viable in terms of: • Government subsidy • The tuition it brings • Compared to the costs involved in offering it • While Relevancy and Viability are proposed as the key criteria, other factors should play a role like: • Competition (others offering the programme • Unique or distinct programmes (like Tshivenda) • Quality of the department offering the programme in other fields like research • The opportunity to enhance the programme’s relevance or viability • The programme not fitting in the new HEQF Dr M Makhafola, Finnish HEQC Project Workshop, 20-21 Oct. 2008

13. 3.3 Institutionalization of Quality Assurance and Promotion Dr M Makhafola, Finnish HEQC Project Workshop, 20-21 Oct. 2008 Awareness campaigns School/Administration Committees Student Quality Literacy Quality Assurance & Promotion Board Quality Assurance a standing item in all School Boards meetings HEQC Institutional Audits Criteria Workshop

14. 3.4 Refine Academic Policies Dr M Makhafola, Finnish HEQC Project Workshop, 20-21 Oct. 2008 • Develop Policy template (Policy on Policy) • 2 Workshops (March & April 2007) • Assessment Policy • Learning & Teaching Policy • Guidelines (Curriculum review, Programme development, QA committees etc) • Records Management Policy • Policy Data Bank • Questionnaire for policy rollout

15. 3.5 Benchmarking Dr M Makhafola, Finnish HEQC Project Workshop, 20-21 Oct. 2008 Student administration Examination process Teaching and learning Research output and training Community engagement Student support services Policy formulation & implementation

16. 4. Project Output and Impact Dr M Makhafola, Finnish HEQC Project Workshop, 20-21 Oct. 2008 QMS icon on all the desktops Successful Programme Evaluation Capacity development workshops Uniformity in policy formulation Institutional Audit preparation 2010 Buy-in Three evaluation tools (Programme, departmental & SEQ)

17. 5. Challenges Dr M Makhafola, Finnish HEQC Project Workshop, 20-21 Oct. 2008 Everything dumped at QAPD Policy rollout and implementation Staffing Resource availability Flooded with education policies (NSC, HEQF, Mergers etc) QM of community engagement Territorial

18. 6. Acknowledgements • HEQC, Herman & Judith • Finnish Funders • UNIVEN Community • Fellow QA Managers/Directors THANK YOU KE A LEBOGA ENKOSI Dr M Makhafola, Finnish HEQC Project Workshop, 20-21 Oct. 2008