The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, will be hosting the University Capacity Development Programme (UCDP), which seeks to achieve the goal of transforming teaching, learning, researching and leading towards enhanced quality, success and equity in public universities.
The programme was launched by the Minister Nzimande in 2015 during the 2nd National Higher Education Summit titled, Transforming Higher Education for a Transformed South Africa in a 21st Century World.
One of the specific focal areas for the UCDP involves the development of staff in South African universities through a structured programme, namely, Staffing South African Universities’ Framework (SSAUF).
The New Generation of Academics Programme (nGAP) is one of the core staff development initiatives that are implemented by the Department as part of SSAUF under the UCDP.
The nGAP is implemented in partnership with all 26 public universities and involves the recruitment of highly capable scholars as new academics, against carefully designed and balanced equity considerations and disciplinary areas of greatest need.
The most important feature of the programme is that scholars are appointed into permanent posts firmly rooted into long-term staffing plans right from the outset. The programme covers a 6-year period for each cohort/phase taken onto the programme, covering a 3-year development programme plus 3 years induction thereafter.
Participants who entered the programme in the years 2015 and 2016 have since completed their 6 years in the programme and have attained their PhDs, with some even becoming Associate Professors.
To mark the successful completion of the cohorts of the first 2 phases of the programme, Minister Nzimande will hold a 2-day colloquium to celebrate this milestone and afford an opportunity for the successful participants to share research findings from their respective dissertations or research papers, as well as sharing their experiences and lessons learnt during their journey in the programme.
The colloquium will take place as follows:
Date: 12-13 April 2023
Venue: Emperors Palace Hotel (OR Tambo International Airport)
Time: 13h30
Enquiries:
Ishmael Mnisi
Cell: 0660378859
