The impact of globalisation on higher education : achieving a balance between local and global needs and realities.

The business world has changed dramatically over the last decade to address the reality of globalisation in the sphere of business. However, most universities have remained intact as local universities servicing local needs of citizens studying at their closest universities. For instance, a small number of universities have managed to attract students from other provinces, countries and regions. The question arises: to what extent have universities in South Africa embraced to the reality of globalisation? Are higher education institutions preparing students to work globally, or do they still function as institutions operating with a local mindset for a local market? Although South African universities have been widely criticised for not producing graduates meeting the needs of the local economy, these institutions are now challenged to prepare students for global markets. Only one local university achieved a ranking in the top hundred universities in the world according to the latest international ranking of universities. This reality poses several challenges for universities, for example, globalising curriculum to meet global needs and realities, as well as sourcing more academics from different parts of the world to infuse a global focus in the development and delivery of a global curriculum. Similarly, local universities are expected to play a key role in the socio-economic transformation of South Africa, while being challenged to meet international standards. This dichotomy places severe strain on the resources of universities, of which many may not be ready to compete globally, especially in the light of the rapid growth of private higher education, and big business, resorting to corporate universities to meet their needs. This paper seeks to determine the impact of globalisation on higher education with specific recommendations for achieving a balance between global and local higher education needs and realities

Forming communities of practice in higher education: a comparative analysis

In the light of the development of the educational process, a by this the overall system, there occurs the permanent need for its advancement. Through the realization of that aim it will be contributed to the development of the contemporary society – both regional as well as global. The quality educational process also means the achievement of quality, applicable knowledge, which is said to be power. With the thought of Francis Bacon “Knowledge is power” begins the project of the modern. René Descartes joined him as the leader of the modern with his rationalistic stance “I think, therefore I am”) which opens presumptions for the later period of the postmodern. In the new times, by applying concretization of independent constructivism, creativity, independency and working on oneself, various pedagogical models open spaces to human thinking and creation and also to interactive relations indispensable for the development of pedagogical thought and work. Then we talk about the postmodern. Readiness for quality processes can be seen in the context of formatting social competences (within the social terms), which includes educational, human potentials, strategies and structures of developing politic. What do they incline to? They aspire to the realization of the system of excellence in all fields and all levels of education. The formatting of the overall system of excellence must be accompanied quality and creative processes of managing and regulation

An assessment framework for human resource management in specific higher education institutions.

Hoër onderwys in SA ondergaan tans ingrypende veranderinge. Groter toeganklikheid, veranderinge in die demografiese profiel van leerders en diversiteit asook die samesmeltings tussen verskeie hoër onderwysinstellings het die landskap van hoër onderwys beïnvloed. Die proses van transformasie en die gepaardgaande paradigmaskuif na uitkomsgebaseerde onderwys hou verskeie implikasies vir die assessering van leer in. Die doel van die studie is om ‘n assesseringsraamwerk vir die vakgebied Menslike Hulpbronbestuur aan universiteite van tegnologie (voorheen technikons) wat kontakonderrig verskaf, te ontwikkel. Met hierdie doel voor oë, is ‘n omvattende literatuurstudie oor assessering gedoen. Dit het gedien as ‘n teoretiese grondslag vir die assesseringsraamwerk. ‘n Kwalitatiewe benadering tot die studie is gevolg. Fokusgroeponderhoude met die leerders en dosente aan verskillende universiteite van tegnologie is gevoer. Dit is opgevolg met individuele onderhoude met die departementshoofde en beleidsmakers (dekane en vise-rektore). Deelnemers in die industrie wat direk werk met die leerders gedurende hulle tydperk van ervaringsleer as deel van koöperatiewe onderwys in die werkomgewing, is ook genader. Temas oor die verskillende datastelle is ontwikkel waaruit verskeie implikasies en bevindinge na vore getree het en geïnterpreteer is. Van die vernaamste bevindinge dui op die strategiese en oppervlakkige leerbenadering van die leerders; oorbeklemtoning van praktiese bevoegdheid ten koste van toegepaste bevoegdheid asook die onderbeklemtoning van kontinue assessering en die onderbeklemtoning van formatiewe assesseringsmetodes. Groot klasse lei daartoe dat die dosente en departementshoofde assesseringsmetodes kies wat maklik toegepas kan word en wat in die verlede sukses getoon het. Wanneer groepassessering toegepas word, verkies die dosente dit dat die leerders die punte toeken. ‘n Gebrek aan assesseringskriteria lei tot onsekerheid oor wat gedoen moet word in take en in die industrie tydens ervaringsleer. Volgens die data is die industrie ten gunste van betrokkenheid by die assessering van ervaringsleer. Hulle benodig uitkomsgebaseerde riglyne vir die assessering daarvan. Na die eksplisitering en integrasie van al die datastelle, is die assesseringsraamwerk vir Menslike Hulpbronbestuur ontwikkel. Dit sluit ‘n doel en omvang, rasionaal, begripsverklaring, rigtinggewende beginsels en die praktiese implementering daarvan en aanbevelings of voorvereistes waaronder die raamwerk geïmplementeer kan word, in. Die raamwerk gee erkenning aan toegepaste bevoegdheid, assessering wat ‘n integrale deel van leer vorm en praktiese metodes soos oopboekassessering, gevalstudies en aanbiedings. Metodes van assessering wat tot dusver nagelaat is soos joernale, portefeuljes, uitstallings en plakkaataanbiedings is ingesluit in die raamwerk. Variasie in die toepassing van spesifieke assesseringsmetodes word aanbeveel. Die industrie dien as ‘n vennoot in die assessering van die leerders. Die studie eindig met voorstelle rakende verdere navorsing.Prof. H.C. Geyse

Noord-Sotho-spreekwoorde : 'n linguistiese ontleding

M.A. (African Languages)Please refer to full text to view abstrac