Minister for Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande is preparing to host his counterparts from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region at a two-day extra-ordinary Ministerial meeting on Higher Education.
The meeting, scheduled from 4 to 5 June 2012, at the Southern Sun OR Tambo Airport, will be extra-ordinary in that it is not a regular SADC meeting of Ministers of Education and Training, as its objective is to formulate a clear policy vision for higher education within the region.
“The meeting will further set a policy direction for higher education in the region. This will be done through a discussion on the status and challenges of the sector based on the work that has been undertaken by the Southern African Regional University Association (SARUA),” Minister Nzimande said.
He added that the policy vision would be translated into a regional strategic framework for higher education and training which will outline key priorities for both the short and long terms.
“We are also planning to launch the establishment of the Technical Committee on Higher Education, which is important if all the plans we make at a Ministerial level are to be effectively and successfully implemented in a manner that results in positive impacts on the higher education and training sector in the SADC region,” Minister Nzimande said.
The meeting will take the form of a policy dialogue underpinned by a Discussion Document that has been developed and will be presented by SARUA to guide and direct the discussions.
The meeting will be organised into the following three plenary thematic discussion areas:
- Thematic Discussion 1: Access and Participation Rates. This will explore the current trend of participation rates and provision of higher education including the role of private higher education, its potential and challenges.
- Thematic Discussion 2: Funding and Capacity Building: This will examine the funding of higher education and requirements for capacity building in the region. Discussions will engage with possible scenarios of funding higher education which are sustainable and point direction to proper investment for higher education in the Region in the next 10-15 years.
- Thematic Discussion 3: Research and Monitoring. This will examine research capacity of higher education institutions in the region as well as data collection and reporting on higher education. It will consider recommendations for capacity development in this regard and the best possible strategy for improving research and monitoring to benefit the region.
Urgent notice to Journalists, Photo-graphers and Camera-persons covering this event:
Date: Monday 4 June to Tuesday 5 June 2012
Venue: Southern Sun Hotel, OR Tambo International Airport
Time: 09h00 - 19h00 on Monday, 4 June
09h00 - 14h00 on Tuesday, 5 June
Please note: All media persons who will be at the Meeting venue will have to be accredited. Media Persons are kindly requested to provide us with their names and ID numbers as soon as possible.
Please email them to: SebokoK@dhet.gov.za urgently.
Please confirm attendance with: Bridget on 078 2914 438 or Kgomotso on 082 978 2565.
The media programme is herewith attached:
Media programme for the SADC Ministers of Higher Education and Training 4 - 5 June 2012
Southern Sun, OR Tambo International Airport
Johannesburg, South Africa
Monday, 4 June 2012
- 9h00 - 17h30 Meeting of Technical Committee on Higher Education and Training (Closed to the Media)
- 19h00 - 21h00 Dinner for Ministers (Media Welcome to Attend)
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
- 7h00 - 12h00 Media accreditation
- 8h30 – 9h15 Official Opening (Media in attendance)
Welcome remarks by the host – Honourable Dr EB Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education and Training, South Africa. (Media in attendance)
Remarks by SADC Chairperson- Honourable Dr. Maria Candida Pereira Teixeira, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Angola. (Media in attendance)
- 9h15 – 10h00: Presentation on Higher education in Southern Africa by Southern Africa by Southern African Regional Universities Association (SARAU) (Media in Attendance)
- 10h00 - 10h15: Tea break
- 10h15 – 13h00: Closed session
- 13h00 – 13h45: Media briefing
Enquiries:
Vuyelwa Qinga
Tel: 012 312 5555/5538
Cell: 076 883 4144
E-mail: Qinga.V@dhet.gov.za
