In 2014, through the office of the minister of higher education and training, eight universities were identified as Historically Disadvantaged Institutions (HDIs) to address the injustices of the past and these included the University of the Western Cape, University of Fort Hare, University of Limpopo, University of Venda, Walter Sisulu University, University of Zululand, Mangosuthu University of Technology, and Sefako Makgatho Health Science University.
Minister Blade Nzimande highlighted that in 2014 “a Funding Review Committee established that the needs of individual universities far exceeded the resources that are available, and in many respects, it was the predominantly Historically Disadvantaged Institutions (HDIs) which received fewer resources than their counterparts.” The Minister also stated that “it is the Funding Review Committee’s recommendation that a special dispensation for these universities must be considered as they will pose grave constraints to their academic enterprise and mandate”.
The establishment of the SBDG thus sought to redress the inequalities that had negatively impacted the development and sustainability of HDIs. This programme aimed to ensure that it contributed to the further development of HDIs as strong, socially embedded and responsive institutions in a diversified post-school education and training system. One of the key goals of the Sibusiso Bhengu Development Grant (SBDG) was to identify and develop research-focus areas that characterised the identity and aspirations of each institution and build innovation and technology transfer capacity that enabled the research to impact society, industry and the economy.
Innovation at UWC
Based on this premise and the initiatives of funding agencies such as South Africa Sweden University Forum (SASUF), the EU Commission and National Research Foundation (NRF) calls to include HDIs as key partners for funding opportunities, Deputy Vice-Chancellors (DVCs) for research decided to come together to unpack their role in knowledge creation, knowledge translation and knowledge integration as a collective.
At a face-to-face session, on 13 and 14 July 2023, DVCs of research, directors of research and directors of internationalisation, representing their institutions, met to discuss how they could collectively promote driving impactful research in their institutions, nationally and globally. This initiative was led by Prof José Frantz, DVC: Research and Innovation at UWC, who highlighted the need for collaboration to position institutions to add value to the higher education sector and provide a common purpose for all.
Firstly, she said, identifying as higher education institutions with values that can promote excellence through research is the common ground from which to start the discussion, and identifying personal, institutional and research values allows for engagement at a deeper level that is needed to lay the foundation for future discussions.
Secondly, changing the lens through which HDIs are understood and creating awareness about what HDIs are able to offer in the higher education sector, is necessary, she said. It is the intention of the group that HDIs are not seen from a deficit point of view but from a position of strength through contribution from their context.
Finally, unsurprisingly, the overriding theme that emerged from discussions was the need for the greater empowerment of HDIs – with l clear intentions that the development of effective solutions to the challenges facing communities needed to be driven by those who lived and worked in those communities. Thus, the motivation to establish an alliance amongst HDIs was established and this will mark the start of future conversations as we move forward.
Feedback from participants:
These were some of the comments made at the workshop on Day 1 from different institutions across South Africa:
“I welcome the initiative to collaborate. Being together in such a manner has been very fruitful. We can see that there are common grounds in our research niche areas. We have an opportunity to showcase what we are doing in terms of research and it is also clarifying issues. We can really learn from each other, especially those that have already paved the way forward and thus share best practices. Our universities are going through transformation and this initiative helps us learn from each other. Our strengths have become our niche areas.” - Prof Thobeka Ncanywa, acting Senior Director of Research and Innovation, Walter Sisulu University.
“This is such a significant way for us to collaborate. Having each other's back is so important, as Prof Frantz had mentioned earlier. Can we trust that one person will have and carry the voice of many on behalf of HDIs and we do not even realise the importance of it and think about it? Forming a collaboration is a key element, to network and meet regularly as a group of HDIs, as we have so much to focus on from the past, deal with the present and articulate future aspirations. We have come to a realisation that more is needed and in order to do that we need to work together.” - Dr Carlien Jooste, Director: Internationalisation, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University.
“This initiative is long overdue. A lot of universities come from the same type of systems, struggling with the same issues. Even within the HDIs, we are not all the same; some progressing and others still trying to. This environment can help us learn from each other and cross-collaborate in general. I think the real value is in HDIs speaking with a single voice within the system itself and breaking free from the label.” - Mr Thabo Dikgale, Partnership Officer – International Relations and Partnerships, University of Venda.
The next meeting of the alliance will be held in November 2023, to cement the decisions made at the launch and to plot the way forward.
For more images from the two-day workshop of the HDIs, scroll through the gallery below...
