Programme director;
Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande;
Minister of Science and Technology, Ms Naledi Pandor;
Secretary-General of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, Professor John Tarrant;
Dr Max Price of the University of Cape Town and other Vice-Chancellors and Senior Managers from various universities;
Distinguished guests;
Ladies and gentlemen:
It is an honour for me on behalf of the Government of South Africa, to warmly welcome you to this important conference of higher education institutions in the Commonwealth.
I trust that you have already experienced the warmth of this beautiful city - not so much because of the sun’s rays but from the collective hearts of South Africans. If you have not already done so, I hope you will have the opportunity before you leave our shores.
I learn that the Association of Commonwealth Universities is the oldest inter-university network in the world, having been established in 1913. Congratulations for being in existence for nearly a century.
In this regard, this association has many reasons for strengthening the legacy of its five hundred (500) institutional members due to the similarities of language and common heritage.
Let me pause to explain, in particular to non South Africans present, that the Association of Commonwealth Universities shares a birthday with the infamous 1913 Native Land Act passed by the government of the Union of South Africa, which effectively lies at the root of many of the land and development challenges we are currently experiencing in our country.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As a result of the dispossession and deprivation caused by that Act and other colonial and apartheid policies, democratic South Africa has embarked on a systematic programme to deal with the accumulated ravages of that era and the inherited twin challenges of poverty and skills shortage.
In doing so we have identified education and training as one central pillar, amongst others, to assist in creating the foundation for a united democratic non racial, non sexist, prosperous South Africa.
Distinguished guests,
2010 marks the tenth (10) year since the establishment of the eight (8) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which consist of:
· eradication of poverty and hunger;
· achieving universal primary education;
· promoting gender equality and empower women;
· reducing child mortality;
· improving maternal health;
· combating HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases;
· ensuring environmental sustainability; and
· developing a global partnership for development.
With only five years remaining, it is opportune that this year’s conference theme “Universities and the Millennium Development Goals” focuses on the progress made towards achieving these goals, and the vital role that universities play in this regard.
None of these goals can be achieved, however, if our knowledge producers are not active participants in developing the necessary knowledge and values required for sustainable development; if they are not producing new generations of scholars and researchers; and if they are not producing the critical thinkers that we need to invigorate democracy.
Universities should advance the public good by sustaining an informed and active citizenry, reducing economic marginalisation and inequality, advancing science and innovation, and ensuring qualitative progress in human development.
More specifically, universities, as centres for the pursuit of knowledge and excellence, are key partners in monitoring progress towards the MDGs and seeking innovative responses to the challenges identified in the process.
Thus, as government, we welcome the social engagement evident in your choice of the theme for this important conference.
The Association of Commonwealth Universities is well positioned to make this contribution through the strategic partnerships it represents across the globe.
Developing countries must continue to work towards increasing their spending in the higher education sector.
In this context, there are important lessons and best practices that can and should be learnt from leading universities in developed member states of the Commonwealth.
We also need to ask ourselves whether those well endowed Commonwealth universities are adequately sharing their facilities, expertise, knowledge, and skills to complement efforts of developing countries which are increasing spending on tertiary education, research and development?
I hope you will have space to answer this question at this conference!
Programme director,
South Africa has prioritised expenditure on education, research and development and continues to strive for better support of the research and development efforts’ Our short-term target is to have 1% of GDP going towards research and development.
The Department of Higher Education and Training has prioritised partnerships with the Department of Science and Technology to harness and accelerate our gains in the research and innovation terrain.
Minister Nzimande assures us that investment in our higher education institutions to develop infrastructure, support research and develop the new cadre of researchers is a priority.
Programme Director,
I recognise that while the members of this association come from different continents and from different regional bodies such as the Association of African Universities and the Association of Pacific Rim Universities, members of the Association of Commonwealth Universities converge and find common ground around the problems and solutions they share.
They all share concerns and challenges of meeting the demands of the 21st century that include:
* access to tertiary education;
* funding for higher education;
* maintaining quality teaching and learning;
* research and innovation; as well as
* meeting student’s expectations.
It is generally accepted that the normative function of universities includes facilitating teaching and professional training, as well as the production and dissemination of theoretical and practical knowledge.
Higher education has an immeasurably seminal role to play in supporting social, economic and political development in society, especially for the developing nations like those in Africa and the Caribbean.
For instance, universities in South Africa are key partners in government’s plans for sustainable development intended to address the scourge of poverty, the challenges of skills development and the goal of shared economic growth.
In the words of Frithjof Kuhnen, writing for a German Agricultural magazine in 1978:
“the ultimate yardstick for measuring the success of a university is the improvement in the lives of the people it serves… the needs of society have to be at the centre of a university’s activities”
Programme Director,
Without a doubt, access to higher education remains a particular challenge for developing countries.
A study by the Southern African Regional Universities Association (SARUA) confirmed that some of the reasons for poor access to higher education in the Southern African Development Community region are poor and inadequate schooling, as well as the lack of academic support capacity in higher education institutions.
The fact of the matter is that, inadequate capacity at universities affects both teaching and research, but the effects are especially adverse in the area of research.
Many governments in the developing countries are not able to provide enough funding to universities because often they have to contend with other pressing priorities such as the provision of health care, basic education and basic services.
Africa cannot achieve the development envisaged in the MDGs without increasing participation rates, deepening quality, and growing a vibrant new generation of researchers actively engaged with the social, scientific and economic challenges of the region.
This weakness was confirmed by Professor Tarrant and Jay Kubler in your Association of Commonwealth Universities Bulletin in September 2008 that Africa’s
“gross enrolment ratio in tertiary education stands at around 5% lagging far behind the rest of the world”
The question however is how can we address this weakness and what practical measures should be implemented to remedy this situation?
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Since we share a common heritage of having been part of the British Empire and we share similar challenges in the global village, we have at our disposal the possibility to forge new partnerships and to identify new vistas for collaboration.
We should cultivate relationships across the developing and developed world in the international community of university academics and administrators.
Knowledge and information highways are now more open to facilitate these relationships.
I trust that over the next two days you will strengthen and consolidate these partnerships and propose productive solutions to our common challenges.
This conference gives you an excellent opportunity to develop programmes that will contribute towards addressing the developmental needs of the people of the Commonwealth.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I note that some of you have made it here despite the immense difficulties caused by the volcanic eruption in Iceland that has disrupted international travel.
I salute you for your role as trailblazers and torch bearers and encourage you to continue your willingness and commitment to ensuring that the community of universities rise to the challenge of achieving the MDGs.
I wish you strength, focus and wisdom in your deliberations and hope that some of you will return to our shores in the next 47 days to join us as we host 32 national teams for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
I thank you.
Issued by: The Presidency
25 April 2010
Source: The Presidency (http://www.thepresidency.gov.za)
