EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN THINKING ABOUT WHERE AND HOW TO INTERVENE

CRITICAL QUESTIONS How we see ourselves influences how we take up opportunities and reduce threats So we need to be clearer about where we are going Which level of government do we want to engage with and for what purpose? The capacity to influence the agenda at each level may be different How doe we create the human capacity to support national initiatives e.g. EBE

OPPORTUNITIES (1) 1. THIRD STREAM INCOME CPD courses (FET educators, educator upgrading, NSC subject areas, 2010) Participation in virtual/public academies (transport, judiciary, accountancy, public sector) Support from provincial government linked to the implementation of the MoU (transport and infrastructure, environment, social cohesion, scarce skills) Improving throughputs (ASGISA, targeted government bursaries) Donor funding (Institute for Performing Arts) Note: Unless take debates on cost recovery forward many of the things listed as opportunities may actually be costs

OPPORTUNITIES (2) 2. GOVERNMENT FUNDING HESA review of student fees Review of teaching input subsidy Review of teaching and research development grants Changes in the funding for clinical training Possible Capital Development Grant (150m) Increasing the spend on R & D to 1% of GDP Making use of increasing funds from DST and Trade and Industry – key to science innovation

OPPORTUNITIES (3) 3. PG STUDENT RECRUITMENT Exploiting new NRF chairs New national agreements (Brazil, India, China) Areas linked to ASGISA and the provincial Growth and Development Strategy Increasing PG numbers due to growing differentiation in the higher education landscape Location

OPPORTUNITIES (4) 4. STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS Strengthening relationships with the provincial government and the city OECD Australian/other international universities linked to improving processes in priority areas Southern African Regional Universities Association African Leaders Forum Presidential Working Group Asian Studies

THREATS (1) 1. FINANCIAL Threat to cap fees Affordability of a UCT education Joint Agreement Declining returning student numbers Reduced third stream income especially in CPD area Escalating staffing costs as proportion of budget

THREATS (2) 2. STUDENT RECRUITMENT Increased competition for black and PG students Reduced number of school leavers eligible to enter HE Sophisticated and targeted recruitment drives from other institutions Higher cohort success rates in other institutions impacting on attractiveness of UCT Use of HEQC audit reports by the public Impact of HIV/AIDS Not keeping track of factors influencing students’ choice of institution

THREATS (3) 3. STAFF RECRUITMENT Competition for meeting employment equity targets Better packages/scholarships for junior staff from other institutions Cost of housing in CT

Threats (4) Emigration of graduates Political instability in the Western Cape

OTHER HIGH LEVEL EXTERNAL TRENDS/ACTIVITIES Academic planning environment Imminent gazetting of the HEQF Finalisation of the NQF Review (Trade and Occupation Quality Council) Pressure from students to implement the recommendations of the HE Language policy task team State Steering Impact of the external audits Investigation into institutional autonomy and academic freedom Impact of the work of the Presidential task Team on HE