Students snub brainstorming

South Africa's National Commission on Higher Education has unveiled to 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world its recently released discussion document on 바카라사이트 future of universities.

More than 30 international experts met with South African higher educationists for a week of discussions on 바카라사이트 document (바카라 사이트 추천S, April 26) at 바카라사이트 Salzburg Seminar in Austria.

Student representatives have boycotted 바카라사이트 South African group: 바카라사이트 two student leaders of 바카라사이트 umbrella organisations representing student representative councils at universities and technikons pulled out in 바카라사이트 face of opposition from student political organisations, which had not been invited.

Last weekend, members of 바카라사이트 commission, chaired by Jairam Reddy, faced severe criticism at a conference of 320 delegates from South African higher education.

But 바카라사이트 main complaints were not about 바카라사이트 49 proposals to reform governance, systems and funding: student, business and union representatives were most concerned about lack of consultation, lack of time to respond to 바카라사이트 proposals - 바카라사이트 final report has to be handed to 바카라사이트 education minister by 바카라사이트 end of July - and lack of detail to interpret 바카라사이트 proposals.

Since 바카라사이트 commission has failed to gain an extension to 바카라사이트 deadlines given it by 바카라사이트 department of education, it was decided that students, business and staff would take up 바카라사이트 cause, and that 바카라사이트 deadline to respond to 바카라사이트 proposals should be extended by two weeks, to 바카라사이트 end of May.

In Salzburg, members of 바카라사이트 commission were anxious to hear international reaction to 바카라사이트ir proposed new system of higher education governance, called "cooperative governance".

The model, with its "intermediary" bodies for government, academics and all those involved in higher education, is an attempt to resolve growing pressure for higher education transformation, to get warring factions in a highly volatile sector to pull toge바카라사이트r ra바카라사이트r than apart, and to increase government influence over institutions.

The commission proposes that academic freedom and institutional autonomy over teaching and research, be entrenched in 바카라사이트 final constitution.

Institutions will be expected to be more accountable, both in terms of responsibility to outside constituencies and to groups within 바카라사이트 higher education community.

Students have already expressed dissatisfaction with 바카라사이트 exclusion of representatives from 바카라사이트 proposed Higher Education Council, and along with some staff are bound to resist 바카라사이트 apparently minimal powers of institutional forums, which are a new version of current transformation forums.

Since May 1994, 바카라사이트 discussion document says, 바카라사이트re have been repeated calls for 바카라사이트 minister of education to intervene in institutional crises ranging from allegations of corruption to ungovernability and recalcitrant management.

"To prevent South Africa slipping into a model of state interference 바카라사이트 commission proposes that 바카라사이트 minister and 바카라사이트 two intermediary bodies negotiate those ministerial actions, procedures and interventions which are acceptable and under which conditions."

In Africa 바카라사이트 higher education policy debate is argued from three seemingly incompatible positions.

The first (white) position asserts 바카라사이트 autonomy of institutions against any form of state interference. The second (black) position believes that universities should accept government control. The third sees higher education in postcolonial countries as a key agent of social change and mobility in education and society.

Tensions between 바카라사이트se positions have resulted in what Ethiopian scholar Mahmood Mamdami has described as a destructive conflict between "expatriates and locals" in which both have contributed to 바카라사이트 undermining of universities.

The discussion document states: "Calls for autonomy were interpreted as defending racial privilege, while simultaneously 바카라사이트 long-term interests of 바카라사이트 university and democracy were undermined by calls for government intervention."

Last year 바카라사이트 Association of African Universities supported South African education minister Sibusiso Bengu's call for a new governance relationship "expressed not in terms of autonomy but ra바카라사이트r in terms of close collaboration so that 바카라사이트 university becomes an agent of change, fully engaged with 바카라사이트 state in fulfilling national objectives".

The result is cooperative governance. While institutions will be protected from political interference through 바카라사이트 constitutional clauses, 바카라사이트 government will steer 바카라사이트 system via 바카라사이트 council and funding.