FINNISH-HEQC-HDI’s FINNISH-HEQC-HDI’s PROJECTPROJECT

OUTCOMES, IMPACT AND OUTCOMES, IMPACT AND CHALLENGES AT THE CHALLENGES AT THE

UNIVERSITY OF UNIVERSITY OF ZULULANDZULULAND

20-21 OCTOBER 200820-21 OCTOBER 2008

COUNCIL CHAMBERS, UNIVERSITY OF COUNCIL CHAMBERS, UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND PROF CHANDRU KISTANZULULAND PROF CHANDRU KISTAN

BACKGROUND INFORMATIONBACKGROUND INFORMATION

Change of project managers. Three Change of project managers. Three changes during the project.changes during the project.

Lee Sutherland designed and developed Lee Sutherland designed and developed the proposal. She resigned in 2006.the proposal. She resigned in 2006.

Julian Vooght took over in acting Julian Vooght took over in acting capacity.capacity.

Prof Chandru Kistan appointed as Prof Chandru Kistan appointed as Director of QPA in 2007 and had to take Director of QPA in 2007 and had to take over the project.over the project.

Funding for one post in QPAFunding for one post in QPA

Reconfiguration of the UniversityReconfiguration of the University

Report of the National Working Group and Report of the National Working Group and approved by the Minister of Education, that approved by the Minister of Education, that the University of Zululand “the University of Zululand “to be configured to be configured to become a comprehensive University to become a comprehensive University offering technikon-type programmes”.offering technikon-type programmes”.

Move from traditional to comprehensive Move from traditional to comprehensive university offering both academic and university offering both academic and professional and career -focus programmes professional and career -focus programmes

This involved curriculum reform, This involved curriculum reform, programme design and review.programme design and review.

INSTITUTIONAL AUDITINSTITUTIONAL AUDIT

Higher Education Quality Committee Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) informed the university of (HEQC) informed the university of conducting an institutional audit in conducting an institutional audit in October 2008.October 2008.

This meant that quality management This meant that quality management systems are to be in place.systems are to be in place.

University academic policies, University academic policies, documentary evidence and review documentary evidence and review and survey reports have to be and survey reports have to be reviewed and developed.reviewed and developed.

OUTCOMES OF PROJECTOUTCOMES OF PROJECT

Post of QA Advisor was filled in July 2007.Post of QA Advisor was filled in July 2007. Twice this post was advertised, Twice this post was advertised,

interviews were held but in the last interviews were held but in the last minute the successful candidates turned minute the successful candidates turned us down.us down.

Policy on Department Reviews was Policy on Department Reviews was designed.designed.

Database on all policies related to Database on all policies related to academic activities. academic activities.

OUTCOMES OF PROJECTOUTCOMES OF PROJECT

A graduation opinion survey was A graduation opinion survey was administered for the first time during the administered for the first time during the May 2007 graduation ceremonies.May 2007 graduation ceremonies.

The Report was completed and well The Report was completed and well received by Council and University received by Council and University community.community.

First time academic departments were First time academic departments were reviewed on our campus from 2007.reviewed on our campus from 2007.

Comprehensive reports were written on Comprehensive reports were written on the departments reviewed. the departments reviewed.

DEPARTMENT/PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT/PROGRAMME REVIEWSREVIEWS

Bachelor of Laws : 22-24 April 2007Bachelor of Laws : 22-24 April 2007 Department of Nursing Science: 15-17 Department of Nursing Science: 15-17

Oct 2007Oct 2007 Department of English : 14-16 Nov 2007Department of English : 14-16 Nov 2007 Academic Development Unit : April 2008Academic Development Unit : April 2008 Human Movement Science : April 2008Human Movement Science : April 2008 Social Work Department : 07-09 May Social Work Department : 07-09 May

2008 2008 Industrial Psychology : 21-23 May Industrial Psychology : 21-23 May 20082008

SCHEDULE OF REVIEWS FOR SCHEDULE OF REVIEWS FOR SECOND SEMESTER : 2008 SECOND SEMESTER : 2008

Department of Agriculture : Department of Agriculture :

03 -05 November 200803 -05 November 2008 Department of Business Department of Business

Management :Management :

25-27 November 200825-27 November 2008 Department of Philosophy Department of Philosophy University LibraryUniversity Library

Programme ReviewProgramme Review Draft policy developed and Draft policy developed and

workshopped with the Faculty of workshopped with the Faculty of Education : Education :

29 September 2008.29 September 2008. Faculty of Education has to submit a Faculty of Education has to submit a

Progress report to the Higher Education Progress report to the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) 31 October Quality Committee (HEQC) 31 October 2008 … QPA active in the progress.2008 … QPA active in the progress.

Three programmes will be reviewed in Three programmes will be reviewed in the Faculty of Education in 2009. the Faculty of Education in 2009.

Career-focused Programmes Career-focused Programmes Design and Development Design and Development

University commissioned a consultant University commissioned a consultant with technikon experience to assist.with technikon experience to assist.

Project plan in place. Project plan in place. Commence with the Faculty of Commerce.Commence with the Faculty of Commerce. Programmes designed for Richards Bay Programmes designed for Richards Bay

campus.campus. Person on campus twice a week, assisting Person on campus twice a week, assisting

staff to develop diploma programmes. staff to develop diploma programmes.

CHALLENGES AT UZCHALLENGES AT UZ

1.1. Funding : Post of Quality Advisor: Funding : Post of Quality Advisor: three- year contract. Post essential. three- year contract. Post essential. University has to fund this post.University has to fund this post.

2.2. Capacity building: major challenge Capacity building: major challenge for rural based institution. Capacity for rural based institution. Capacity building workshops organised by building workshops organised by HEQC. Networking and sharing of HEQC. Networking and sharing of initiatives by other colleagues and initiatives by other colleagues and Finnish inputs was beneficial. Ideas Finnish inputs was beneficial. Ideas picked up were picked up were

introduced at UZ .introduced at UZ .

CHALLENGES AT UZCHALLENGES AT UZ

3. Quality Culture and awareness on campus. 3. Quality Culture and awareness on campus. The department reviews and reports were The department reviews and reports were seen as positive and developmental seen as positive and developmental exercises. The impact was great. This exercises. The impact was great. This momentum of this quality initiative has to momentum of this quality initiative has to be sustained as we prepare for the be sustained as we prepare for the institutional audit.institutional audit.

4.The huge challenge is the establishment of 4.The huge challenge is the establishment of a management information system at UZ. a management information system at UZ. The HEQC workshops on MIS helped to see The HEQC workshops on MIS helped to see what other HEI’s were doing. Reliable data what other HEI’s were doing. Reliable data a challenge. a challenge.

CHALLENGES AT UZCHALLENGES AT UZ

5. Establishing a documentation 5. Establishing a documentation management system. There is no management system. There is no central repository for important central repository for important documents to be filed and stored documents to be filed and stored with easy access. Major part of with easy access. Major part of institutional audit is evidence based. institutional audit is evidence based. Further, electronic format of all Further, electronic format of all documents is required to be set up.documents is required to be set up.

CHALLENGES AT UZCHALLENGES AT UZ

6. Designing and updating the University’s 6. Designing and updating the University’s webpage. The webpage is not user webpage. The webpage is not user friendly and has been outsourced. No friendly and has been outsourced. No dedicated office/ person to update and dedicated office/ person to update and offer assistance to departments and offer assistance to departments and staff. staff.

7. University in the process of appointing a 7. University in the process of appointing a Management Information Management Information Officer.Officer.

8. Investigating using the Evasys 8. Investigating using the Evasys evaluation system. evaluation system.

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

Appreciate the final workshop being held in Appreciate the final workshop being held in a rural and former HDI institution.a rural and former HDI institution.

The University of Zululand acknowledges the The University of Zululand acknowledges the positive impact made on the quality positive impact made on the quality management systems by this project.management systems by this project.

The exposure, the sharing workshops, The exposure, the sharing workshops, professional guidance made a huge impact.professional guidance made a huge impact.

Thank Dr Herman du Toit and Judy Mashego Thank Dr Herman du Toit and Judy Mashego for their politeness and professional manner for their politeness and professional manner in which they interacted with UZ. in which they interacted with UZ.