Quality Enhancement Project - Institutional Reports: Phase 1 - Council on Higher Education
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Quality Enhancement Project Institutional Reports: Phase 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................................................................11
2. FOCUS AREA 1: ENHANCING ACADEMICS AS TEACHERS ..............................................................................11
2.1 SUMMARISE WHAT THE UNIVERSITY CONSIDERS TO BE THE KEY ISSUES IN ENHANCING ACADEMICS AS TEACHERS IN
ONE OR TWO PARAGRAPHS ................................................................................................................................................................. 11
2.2 DURING PHASE 1 OF THE QEP, WHAT CHANGES AT INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL (A) HAVE BEEN MADE, (B) ARE IN
PROGRESS, OR (C) ARE IN THE PLANNING STAGES THAT RELATE TO ENHANCING ACADEMICS AS TEACHERS?..................... 12
A) CHANGES MADE AT INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: ................................................................................ 12
Transformation and reconceptualization ........................................................................................................................12
B) CHANGES IN PROGRESS .................................................................................................................................................................. 13
Teaching Development Grant (TDG) ..................................................................................................................................13
Fitness for and of purpose .......................................................................................................................................................13
Staff development .......................................................................................................................................................................14
Skills Training ..............................................................................................................................................................................14
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) ...............................................................................................................14
Curriculum Development ........................................................................................................................................................15
Critical Skills in the Transport and Manufacturing Industry ....................................................................................15
Workshops .....................................................................................................................................................................................17
The First Year Experience (FYE) ..........................................................................................................................................17
Academic Staff Induction ........................................................................................................................................................18
Teaching and Learning Policies ............................................................................................................................................19
Completion of Masters and Doctoral Degrees .................................................................................................................19
Performance management .....................................................................................................................................................19
Workload Model ..........................................................................................................................................................................19
e-Learning and Moodle ............................................................................................................................................................20
Training for Staff in Management Positions....................................................................................................................20
C) CHANGES IN THE PLANNING STAGES ............................................................................................................................................ 21
Establishment of a Writing Centre ......................................................................................................................................21
Assessing Learning in Higher Education ...........................................................................................................................22
2.3 PROVIDE ONE OR MORE (BUT NOT MORE THAN 5) EXEMPLARS TO ILLUSTRATE SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF THE CHANGES
THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL. PROVIDE EVIDENCE FOR CLAIMS OF SUCCESS. WHERE AN ACTIVITY IS IN THE PLANNING STAGES,
INDICATE WHAT EVIDENCE WILL BE COLLECTED............................................................................................................................ 22
Training of Academic Staff .....................................................................................................................................................22
Leave Policy ..................................................................................................................................................................................23
CAL Teaching and Learning Workshop .............................................................................................................................23
Faculty of Education .................................................................................................................................................................23
2.4 PROVIDE ONE OR MORE (BUT NOT MORE THAN 5) EXEMPLARS OF CHANGES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND
SUGGEST REASONS. .............................................................................................................................................................................. 23
Turnover of staff .........................................................................................................................................................................23
Performance Appraisal ............................................................................................................................................................23
Teaching Philosophy for UNIZULU ......................................................................................................................................24
Assessor Moderator Workshop .............................................................................................................................................24
Workload Model ..........................................................................................................................................................................24
2.5 IF POSSIBLE, IDENTIFY ONE OR MORE PROMISING PRACTICES RELATED TO THIS FOCUS AREA. DESCRIBE THE PRACTICE
AND PROVIDE EVIDENCE FOR SUCCESS. SUGGEST WHAT THE KEY FEATURES MIGHT BE. ......................................................... 24
Revision of Promotion Criteria ..............................................................................................................................................24
Staff Professional Development ............................................................................................................................................24
Developing Programmes for Academic Development ..................................................................................................25
2.6 IDENTIFY THE MAIN CHALLENGES THE UNIVERSITY STILL FACES IN RELATION TO THIS FOCUS AREA............................ 25
3. FOCUS AREA 2: ENHANCING STUDENT SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT .................................................25
3.1 SUMMARISE WHAT THE UNIVERSITY CONSIDERS TO BE THE KEY ISSUES IN ENHANCING STUDENT SUPPORT AND
DEVELOPMENT...................................................................................................................................................................................... 26
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3.2 DURING PHASE 1 OF THE QEP, WHAT CHANGES AT INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL (A) HAVE BEEN MADE, (B) ARE IN
PROGRESS, OR (C) ARE IN THE PLANNING STAGES THAT RELATE TO ENHANCING STUDENT SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT?
................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 26
A) CHANGES MADE AT INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: ................................................................................ 26
Tutor Training .............................................................................................................................................................................26
Alumni .............................................................................................................................................................................................26
Toyota Graduate Programme ...............................................................................................................................................27
B) CHANGES IN PROGRESS .................................................................................................................................................................. 27
The Crucial Conversations Programme .............................................................................................................................27
C) CHANGES IN THE PLANNING STAGES ............................................................................................................................................ 29
The First Year Experience .......................................................................................................................................................29
3.3 PROVIDE ONE OR MORE (BUT NOT MORE THAN 5) EXEMPLARS TO ILLUSTRATE SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF THE CHANGE(S)
THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL. PROVIDE EVIDENCE FOR CLAIMS OF SUCCESS. WHERE AN ACTIVITY IS IN THE PLANNING STAGES,
INDICATE WHAT EVIDENCE WILL BE COLLECTED............................................................................................................................ 31
University of Zululand’s Enactus Team Wins 6 Awards at National Competition 2015 ................................31
Mentorship Programme ...........................................................................................................................................................34
Training in the Department of Law ....................................................................................................................................34
Student support for Amangwe Village ...............................................................................................................................34
Symposium for school learners .............................................................................................................................................35
Work Integrated Learning (WIL) programmes .............................................................................................................36
3.4 PROVIDE ONE OR MORE (BUT NOT MORE THAN 5) EXEMPLARS OF CHANGES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND
SUGGEST REASONS. .............................................................................................................................................................................. 37
FYE Questionnaire ......................................................................................................................................................................37
Literary Resources .....................................................................................................................................................................37
Tutor Training .............................................................................................................................................................................37
3.5 IF POSSIBLE, IDENTIFY ONE OR MORE PROMISING PRACTICES RELATED TO THIS FOCUS AREA. DESCRIBE THE
PRACTICE AND PROVIDE EVIDENCE FOR SUCCESS. SUGGEST WHAT THE KEY FEATURES MIGHT BE........................................ 37
MOOT Court ..................................................................................................................................................................................37
The Maritime Project ................................................................................................................................................................38
Computer Literacy training ....................................................................................................................................................38
The Campus Clinic ......................................................................................................................................................................38
3.6 IDENTIFY THE MAIN CHALLENGES THE UNIVERSITY STILL FACES IN RELATION TO THIS FOCUS AREA............................ 41
4. FOCUS AREA 3: ENHANCING THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT .....................................................................42
4.1 SUMMARISE WHAT THE UNIVERSITY CONSIDERS TO BE THE KEY ISSUES IN ENHANCING THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 42
4.2 DURING PHASE 1 OF THE QEP, WHAT CHANGES AT INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL (A) HAVE BEEN MADE, (B) ARE IN
PROGRESS, OR (C) ARE IN THE PLANNING STAGES THAT RELATE TO ENHANCING THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. ............. 42
A) CHANGES MADE AT INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: ................................................................................ 42
The Nursing Science Simulation Clinic ...............................................................................................................................42
New Lecture Theatre Building ..............................................................................................................................................43
B) CHANGES IN PROGRESS .................................................................................................................................................................. 43
ICT: Information Communication Technology projects and the future ................................................................43
C) CHANGES IN THE PLANNING STAGES ........................................................................................................................................... 44
Campus Master Plan..................................................................................................................................................................44
4.3 PROVIDE ONE OR MORE (BUT NOT MORE THAN 5) EXEMPLARS TO ILLUSTRATE SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF THE CHANGE(S)
THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL. PROVIDE EVIDENCE FOR CLAIMS OF SUCCESS. WHERE AN ACTIVITY IS IN THE PLANNING STAGES,
INDICATE WHAT EVIDENCE WILL BE COLLECTED............................................................................................................................ 46
Library Information Services (LIS) ......................................................................................................................................46
4.4 PROVIDE ONE OR MORE (BUT NOT MORE THAN 5) EXEMPLARS OF CHANGES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND
SUGGEST REASONS. .............................................................................................................................................................................. 49
Class Attendance from AdaptIT ............................................................................................................................................49
e-Learning .....................................................................................................................................................................................49
Literary Resources .....................................................................................................................................................................50
4.5 IF POSSIBLE, IDENTIFY ONE OR MORE PROMISING PRACTICES RELATED TO THIS FOCUS AREA. DESCRIBE THE
PRACTICE AND PROVIDE EVIDENCE FOR SUCCESS. SUGGEST WHAT THE KEY FEATURES MIGHT BE........................................ 50
Infrastructure Development ...................................................................................................................................................50
Library and Information Service ..........................................................................................................................................50
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4.6 IDENTIFY THE MAIN CHALLENGES THE UNIVERSITY STILL FACES IN RELATION TO THIS FOCUS AREA............................ 50
Student Accommodation .........................................................................................................................................................50
Information Technology ..........................................................................................................................................................50
5. FOCUS AREA 4: ENHANCING COURSE AND PROGRAMME ENROLMENT MANAGEMENT ...................51
5.1 SUMMARISE WHAT THE UNIVERSITY CONSIDERS TO BE THE KEY ISSUES IN ENHANCING COURSE AND PROGRAMME
ENROLMENT MANAGEMENT. .............................................................................................................................................................. 52
5.2 DURING PHASE 1 OF THE QEP, WHAT CHANGES AT INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL (A) HAVE BEEN MADE, (B) ARE IN
PROGRESS, OR (C) ARE IN THE PLANNING STAGES THAT RELATE TO ENHANCING COURSE AND PROGRAMME ENROLMENT
MANAGEMENT. ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 52
A) CHANGES MADE AT INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: ................................................................................ 52
Admission management...........................................................................................................................................................52
Application growth trends and statistics ..........................................................................................................................52
International Applicants .........................................................................................................................................................52
Applicants/Applications Statistics .......................................................................................................................................53
Selection of prospective students .........................................................................................................................................53
Communication of the outcome to selected applicants ...............................................................................................54
Acceptance of offers ...................................................................................................................................................................54
Late applications and Walk-ins ............................................................................................................................................54
Late offers to applicants ..........................................................................................................................................................54
Selection of applicants (First time) .....................................................................................................................................55
Revised Admission Policy .........................................................................................................................................................55
Processing of bio-data during registration ......................................................................................................................55
Registration Processes – January 2015 .............................................................................................................................55
Faculty Advisory Services ........................................................................................................................................................55
Data Capturing of Modules .....................................................................................................................................................56
Issue of Student Cards ...............................................................................................................................................................56
B) CHANGES THAT ARE IN PROGRESS INCLUDE: .............................................................................................................................. 56
Re-admission Refusal ................................................................................................................................................................56
Placement of students ...............................................................................................................................................................57
Recognition of Prior Learning ...............................................................................................................................................57
Engagement of local schools during their career open days .....................................................................................57
C) THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES ARE IN THE PLANNING STAGES: ................................................................................................. 58
Online Registration ....................................................................................................................................................................58
MIS....................................................................................................................................................................................................58
5.3 PROVIDE ONE OR MORE (BUT NOT MORE THAN 5) EXEMPLARS TO ILLUSTRATE SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF THE CHANGE(S)
THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL. PROVIDE EVIDENCE FOR CLAIMS OF SUCCESS. WHERE AN ACTIVITY IS IN THE PLANNING STAGES,
INDICATE WHAT EVIDENCE WILL BE COLLECTED............................................................................................................................ 59
Through-put rates ......................................................................................................................................................................59
Pass rates in ‘Gate-way courses’ ...........................................................................................................................................59
Interruption of Study ................................................................................................................................................................60
Selection Rules and Procedures ............................................................................................................................................60
5.4 PROVIDE ONE OR MORE (BUT NOT MORE THAN 5) EXEMPLARS OF CHANGES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND
SUGGEST REASONS. .............................................................................................................................................................................. 61
Financial constraints ................................................................................................................................................................61
Attracting New Students .........................................................................................................................................................61
Placement tests............................................................................................................................................................................61
Tracking of Students .................................................................................................................................................................61
The Registration Process .........................................................................................................................................................61
5.5 IF POSSIBLE, IDENTIFY ONE OR MORE PROMISING PRACTICES RELATED TO THIS FOCUS AREA. DESCRIBE THE
PRACTICE AND PROVIDE EVIDENCE FOR SUCCESS. SUGGEST WHAT THE KEY FEATURES MIGHT BE........................................ 62
CAO Training ................................................................................................................................................................................62
E-registration ...............................................................................................................................................................................62
Re-curriculation ..........................................................................................................................................................................62
Career Open Day .........................................................................................................................................................................62
5.6 IDENTIFY THE MAIN CHALLENGES THE UNIVERSITY STILL FACES IN RELATION TO THIS FOCUS AREA............................ 62
6. REFLECTION ON PHASE 1 OF THE QEP...............................................................................................................63
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6.1 WHAT HAS BEEN THE EFFECT ON THE UNIVERSITY OF PARTICIPATING IN THE QEP FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS? ..... 63
UNIZULU as a Comprehensive University .........................................................................................................................63
Restructuring ...............................................................................................................................................................................63
First Year Experience (FYE) ...................................................................................................................................................64
Staff Induction .............................................................................................................................................................................64
PGDipHE .........................................................................................................................................................................................64
Workshops .....................................................................................................................................................................................64
Conditions of Service .................................................................................................................................................................65
6.2 IN WHAT WAYS DID THE UNIVERSITY’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE QEP PROMOTE OR STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION
WITH OTHER UNIVERSITIES ON SPECIFIC ISSUES?........................................................................................................................... 65
Collaboration with Teaching and Learning Centres ....................................................................................................65
Benchmarking Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) At Nelson Mandela University and Fort Hare University
(27 July-29 July 2015) ...............................................................................................................................................................66
6.3 LOOKING BACK OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, IN A PAGE OR TWO, SUMMARISE THE UNIVERSITY’S MAIN TRIUMPHS,
IMPROVEMENTS, CHANGES AND CHALLENGES RELATED TO THE FOUR QEP FOCUS AREAS..................................................... 66
Triumphs ........................................................................................................................................................................................66
Improvements ..............................................................................................................................................................................67
Changes ..........................................................................................................................................................................................67
Challenges .....................................................................................................................................................................................67
APPENDICES/ SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION...................................................................................................70
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Organogram of Structural Changes ___________________________________________________________________ 12
Figure 2: Sustainable Ocean Development _______________________________________________________________________ 16
Figure 3: Course Outline/Study Guide Workshop ________________________________________________________________ 17
Figure 4: Academic Induction ____________________________________________________________________________________ 18
Figure 5: Academic Induction ____________________________________________________________________________________ 19
Figure 6: Academic Induction ____________________________________________________________________________________ 20
Figure 7: Workshop for Managers ________________________________________________________________________________ 21
Figure 8: Corporate Induction ____________________________________________________________________________________ 22
Figure 9: Crucial Conversations __________________________________________________________________________________ 29
Figure 10: FYE Workshop - Day 1 ________________________________________________________________________________ 30
Figure 11: FYE Workshop - Day 2 ________________________________________________________________________________ 31
Figure 12: The Enactus Team ____________________________________________________________________________________ 32
Figure 13: Enactus Team Members ______________________________________________________________________________ 32
Figure 14: Enactus Team Members ______________________________________________________________________________ 33
Figure 15: Student support for Amangwe Village _______________________________________________________________ 35
Figure 16: SAICA and Academics _________________________________________________________________________________ 36
Figure 17: Communication Science and WIL Initiative __________________________________________________________ 36
Figure 18: Students at the Condoms Launch _____________________________________________________________________ 39
Figure 19: Students at the Condoms Launch _____________________________________________________________________ 40
Figure 20: Research Commons Figures __________________________________________________________________________ 48
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 58
Figure 21: Open Day 2015 ________________________________________________________________________________________ 58
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Skills Training ____________________________________________________________________________________________14
Table 2: Appointment of Tutors ___________________________________________________________________________________26
Table 3: Throughput and Drop-out rates by qualification: enrolled between 2010-2013 -
graduated in 2014 _________________________________________________________________________________________________28
Table 4: Info Cellar Library Services ______________________________________________________________________________47
Table 5: Library Presentations Jan-Nov 2015 ____________________________________________________________________49
Table 6: Total Applicants __________________________________________________________________________________________53
Table 7: Increase in Applicants 2013-2014 _______________________________________________________________________53
Table 8: Increase in Applicants 2014-2015 _______________________________________________________________________53
Table 9: Number of Applicants and Choices Made _______________________________________________________________53
Table 10: Offers made by Faculties________________________________________________________________________________54
Table 11: Stats on Application/Registration (First time) from ITS _____________________________________________55
Table 12: Registration Statistics __________________________________________________________________________________56
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LIST OF ACRONYMS
ABC Abstinence, Be faithful and Condom Usage
AHOD Acting Head of Department
ARV Antiretroviral
BCP Business Continuity Plan
BLA Black Lawyers Association
CAL Commerce, Administration and Law
CAO Central Applications Office
CCTV Closed Circuit Television
CHE Council on Higher Education
CSI Corporate Social Investment
DBA Database Administrators
DHET Department of Higher Education and Training
DRP Disaster Recovery Plan
DUT Durban University of Technology
DVC Deputy Vice-Chancellor
DVP Data Video Projector
ECA Electronic Communication and Transaction Act
EDMS Electronic Document Management System
ERP Enterprise Resource Planning
ETDP Education, Training and Development Practice
FNB First National bank
FYE First Year Experience
HCT HIV & ADS Counselling and Testing
HEDA Higher Education Data Analyser
HEI Higher Education Institutions
HEMIS Higher Education Management Information System
HEQC Higher Education Quality Committee
HERS-SA Higher Education Resource Services
HIV & AIDS Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired
Immunodeficiency Syndrome
HOD Head of Department
HR Human Resources
ICT Information and Communication Technology
ILL Inter-library Loans
IQEPC Institutional Quality Enhancement Project Committee
IT Information Technology
ITS Integrated Tertiary Systems
LIASA Library and Information Association of South Africa
LIS Library and Information Services
LLB Bachelor of Laws
LMS Learning Management System
MANCO Management Committee
MIS Management Information System
MMC Male Medical Circumcision
MOU Memorandum of Understanding
NCV National Certificate Vocational
NQF National Qualifications Framework
NSC National Senior Certificate
OLA Operational Level Agreement
PC Personal Computer
PG Post-graduate
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PGDipHE Post Graduate Diploma in Higher Education
POPI Protection of Personal Information
PP&W Physical Planning and Works
PSD Protective Services Department
QEP Quality Enhancement Project
R&I Research and Internationalisation
RBIDZ Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone
RCB Richards Bay
SACSSP South African Council for Social Service Professions
SAICA South African Institute of Chartered Accountants
SAMSA South African Maritime Safety Authority
SANRC South African National Resource Centre for the First
Year Experience and Students in Transition
SES Senior Experten Service
SETA Skills Education Training Authorities
SLA Service Level Agreement
SMS Short Message Service
SoTL Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
STI Sexually Transmitted Infections
T&L Teaching and Learning
TB tuberculosis
TDG Teaching Development Grant
TLC Teaching and Learning Centre
UKZN University of KwaZulu-Natal
UNIVEN University of Venda
UNIZULU University of Zululand
VCT Voluntary Counselling and Testing
WiFi Wireless Fidelity
WIL Work-integrated Learning
ZCBF Zululand Chamber of Business Foundation
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Quality Enhancement Project
Institutional Reports: Phase 1
Due Date: 11 December 2015
Name of Institution
University of Zululand
Contact Person
Dr Y. Rugbeer
Date of submission
December 2015
The aim of the institutional report is to demonstrate efforts to bring about enhancements in
each of the four Quality Enhancement Project (QEP) focus areas since the beginning of Phase
1 of the QEP in February 2014, reflect on the journey towards enhancement and assess the
extent to which the efforts have resulted in improvements.
10 | P a g e1. INTRODUCTION (suggested length 2-5 pages)
Indicate how the report was prepared. Include a list of the people that were involved, their
designations and their roles in the preparation of the report.
A participatory approach was used to guide the QEP at institutional level. All members of
various Departments were requested to contribute to the compilation of the QEP document.
The Institutional Submission was prepared under the direction of the Manager, Quality
Enhancement in Teaching and Learning, Dr Yasmin Rugbeer, who was appointed in July
2015.
The QEP committee reports to the Management Committee and the Senate Committee on
Teaching and Learning. Prof Mtose, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, oversaw the establishment
of the Institutional Quality Enhancement Project Committee (IQEPC) in 2014 and she chairs
this committee which is the oversight committee for the QEP.
Two further QEP committees were established in 2014 to oversee the collection of
information for each of the four focus areas. These committees are the Academic Quality
Enhancement Project committee and the Support Services Quality Enhancement Project
committee. Members of the Academic QEP committee include the Deans of the four
faculties: Arts, Education, Science and Agriculture and Commerce, Administration and Law,
as well as the Academic Coordinators for each faculty. Each of the four faculties in turn
established its own task team to provide input into the four focus areas of the QEP.
The Support Services QEP committee is represented by the Registrar’s division, which
includes Assessment Management. Other departments are Finance, Library and Information
Services, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Each of the different
divisions provided information for the Institutional Submission.
Dr Rugbeer collated the information provided by the faculties, support services units and
students, and drew on information contained in other documentation provided to compile the
Institutional Submission. The answers in this document, therefore, reflect the perspectives of
academic and support departments, the Faculty Student Council Representative and Post-
graduate Student Representatives.
The draft was revised in accordance with comments from the Vice-Chancellor and Executive
Management as well as SENATE, MANCO members and the QEP Committees.
A list of contributors is attached as Annexure A.
A list of meetings is attached as Annexure B.
2. FOCUS AREA 1: ENHANCING ACADEMICS AS TEACHERS (suggested length
10-20 pages)
Includes: professional development, reward and recognition, workload, conditions of service and
performance appraisal.
This section of the report should make reference to all of the sub-topics listed above, either by
discussing them individually or by integrating them. Note: it is not necessary to respond to each of the
questions below for every sub-topic.
2.1 Summarise what the university considers to be the key issues in
enhancing academics as teachers in one or two paragraphs.
The University of Zululand, as evinced in its Teaching and Learning Strategy and its
11 | P a g eTeaching and Learning Policy, is committed to a conception of teaching and learning as a
partnership between the University and its students in the co-creation of knowledge. For the
purpose of this report the University of Zululand uses the Strategic Plan (2016-2021) as a
document that guides and supports its vision and mission as a comprehensive university
(attached as Annexure C).
The university has identified six strategic priorities. The strategic vision of UNIZULU is to
unite the university communities and refresh our academic purpose and identity. The
second strategic priority of the Strategic Plan “Create a quality teaching and learning
environment as a comprehensive university” is linked to Strategic Goal 1 “Improve
governance through enhanced operations to support the academic enterprise and ensure
sustainability” and Strategic Goal 2 “Create a quality teaching and learning environment as a
comprehensive University”. Objectives which showcase priority 2 include:
o Enhance teaching and learning
o Creation of career focused programmes deepening and entrenching the synergy
between conventional university programmes and vocational offerings.
o Recruit and retain a qualified cohort of academic staff
The University of Zululand acknowledges the need for capacity-building which focuses on
enhancing academics’ teaching skills and also improving their professional development. In
any education system, the quality of the teachers profoundly affects the quality of student
learning. In addition to disciplinary expertise, academics as teachers need skills in
pedagogy, curriculum development and assessment, as well as a number of other skills and
attributes such as presentation skills and basic Information Technology (IT) skills to prepare
our students for effective life-long learning in a technologically-rich world of work.
2.2 During Phase 1 of the QEP, what changes at institutional level (a) have
been made, (b) are in progress, or (c) are in the planning stages that relate to
enhancing academics as teachers?
a) Changes made at institutional level include the following:
An organogram depicting the structural changes that have been made, is as follows:
DVC
Teaching and
Learning
Executive
Secretary
Dean Dean Director Director
Dean Dean
Faculty of Faculty of Teaching and Quality
Faculty of Arts Commerce, Faculty of Science
Education Learning Enhancement
Admin and Law
Figure 1: Organogram of Structural Changes
Transformation and reconceptualization
The whole purpose of the restructuring of the senior administration is to allow UNIZULU to
effectively pursue its aims and strategies associated with its core activities of teaching and
12 | P a g elearning, research and community engagement. The restructuring process has been guided
by consultation with all relevant individuals and structures at UNIZULU.
The Academic Development Unit has been restructured under the guidance of the DVC:
Teaching and Learning. A new organogram was developed and presented at the four faculty
board meetings and was recommended by the University Teaching and Learning Committee
to Senate for approval.
A development is the transformation of the Academic Development Unit into the Teaching
and Learning Centre (TLC) and a reconceptualisation of the post of Director: Academic
Development. Dr N. Mashiya has been appointed Director: Teaching and Learning.
The Teaching and Learning Centre has responsibility for:
o Academic staff development
o Student academic development
o The promotion of quality assurance in teaching and learning
o Research on teaching and learning issues in higher education
Two Deputy Vice Chancellors have joined the University. They are:
o Professor J. Baxen – DVC: Research and Innovation and
o Professor N. Garrod – DVC: Institutional Support
The posts of Deputy Dean: Teaching and Learning, Deputy Dean: Research and Innovation
as well as Academic Coordinators for each faculty now have allocated responsibilities in
each designated area.
The university seeks to recruit qualified applicants to the following posts:
o Manager: Community Engagement
o Coordinator: Teaching with Technology
o Curriculum Development Specialists
o Coordinator: Academic Staff Development
o Administrator: Teaching and Learning
The Teaching and Learning Committee, which is a committee of Senate, chaired by the
DVC: Teaching and Learning and comprising the Director, Teaching and Learning, the
Manager, Quality Enhancement in Teaching and Learning, Deans, Deputy Deans, and
Faculty academic coordinators, developed the Framework for Professional Academic Staff
Development. The Framework differentiates between mandatory and voluntary activities.
The draft framework is attached as Annexure D.
b) Changes in progress
Teaching Development Grant (TDG)
The DVC: Teaching and Learning is the custodian of the Teaching Development Grant
(TDG). The TLC, after consultation with the relevant role-players, has devised a DHET
approved plan that focuses on developing academic staff. The document is attached as
Annexure E.
Fitness for and of purpose
The Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) approach to quality includes fitness for
and of purpose, and transformation. The new leadership of the Teaching and Learning
Centre seek to ensure that programmes offered at UNIZULU are fit for and of purpose. This
will mean that decisions will need to correlate with learning support and enhancement
initiatives envisioned for the new Teaching and Learning Centre. Bearing in mind this
13 | P a g erecommendation, one such project for the new Teaching and Learning Centre might include
the examination of all first-year learning materials.
Staff development
The TLC is in possession of an approved plan from the Department of Higher Education and
Training (DHET), which focuses on developing academic staff in acquiring the skills,
knowledge and attitudes required to engage in current and ensuing responsibilities and
roles, in ways that are consistent with the goals of UNIZULU. The activities that are a priority
are induction, ongoing professional development as well as professionalising higher
education teaching and learning by providing a space for academics to register for the Post
Graduate Diploma in Higher Education (PGDipHE). A mandatory induction programme is
being developed for new staff members. Pedagogical training and ongoing courses to
enhance academics will also be offered, focusing on different aspects of academic key
performance areas. The TLC team is currently liaising with the UKZN, which offers the
PGDipHE, to assist some academics to register for the qualification. The aim of the TLC in
offering this programme is to improve and strengthen lecturers’ knowledge of teaching and
learning in higher education, and to support candidates in enhancing their skills of reflection
and development. This will be undertaken though a study of current thinking, practice and
research methods in teaching and learning. Staff members complete evaluation forms at the
end of every workshop, which assist in monitoring and determining whether developmental
goals were accomplished, as well as feeding into the plans of future activities. Documents
are attached as Annexure F.
Skills Training
The Human Resources (HR) Department has offered various courses to help academics
fulfill their academic potential and stimulate development by encouraging active involvement
in the learning process. The table below shows the course and the number of staff who
attended the skills training workshops offered by HR for the period 2014-2015:
Course Number attended
Higher Education Resource Services 4
Report Writing 2
Microsoft Office Advanced 1
MS PowerPoint 4
Ms Excel Advanced 6
Project Management 9
Assessor 23
Finance For Non Finance 8
Handling Discipline, Incapacity and Grievance 17
Negotiation and Communication Skills 1
Mos Specialist 3
Moodle Training 3
Table 1: Skills Training
A detailed report is attached as Annexure G.
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)
The TLC views the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) as pivotal to the
transformation of higher education. Ongoing learning in the 21st century incorporates
discovery, reflection, and evidence-based methods to research effective teaching and
student learning. Assistance and support to individuals to practically carry out research
projects on their teaching and their students learning has been made available through the
TDG. This will enable the institution’s first SoTL conference, scheduled for 18-20 May, 2016,
which will provide an opportunity for delegates and presenters to showcase and disseminate
14 | P a g ethe wealth of good practices, insights, methods and strategies in teaching and learning, as
well as to explore scholarly work in an open and collegial arena. Authors of accepted
abstracts will be invited to submit full papers, which will then be considered for publication.
The TLC also strives to establish teaching communities of practice through providing a
space for academics to share knowledge across institutions both nationally and
internationally. An Introduction to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Workshop for
academics was held in the Library Conference Centre on 26 – 27 October 2015. Documents
are attached as Annexure H.
Curriculum Development
In an attempt to encourage and enable continuous improvement of the quality of teaching
and learning at UNIZULU, curriculum development activities, from conceptualization through
to implementation and into monitoring, are in progress. Staff members are being trained in
curriculum development, which includes the design of new courses and programmes.
Improvement of existing courses and programmes is underway. Dr Menon has assisted the
faculties of Arts and Education with capacitation of staff in curriculum development,
providing feedback for new materials or making revisions to the existing curriculum.
Professor K. J. Collins, a visiting professor from UJ, assisted the Social Work department in
capacitating staff in a workshop on curriculum development from 4th to 6th November 2015.
Curriculum related activities are attached as Annexure I.
The University of Zululand has decided to develop and offer Maritime programmes to
mitigate the acute shortage of skills in the Maritime sector. The institution has identified
specific areas within the maritime sector as scarce skills areas, and has decided to solicit
cooperation from other higher education institutions offering similar programmes, and seek
partnership from industry stakeholders.
Critical Skills in the Transport and Manufacturing Industry
The critical skills in the transport sector could be classified according to the following
transport modes - Road Passenger, Road Freight, Aerospace, Maritime, Rail, and Pipelines.
At present we are offering the following modules at the UNIZULU’s Richards Bay Campus;
Transport Management, Logistics/Supply Chain Management, Business Management and
Procurement Management. Furthermore, four engineering diplomas have been submitted to
DHET.
15 | P a g eCourtesy of Operation Phakisa, 15 August 2015
Figure 2: Sustainable Ocean Development
The institution has collaborated with the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA)
regarding Marine Engineering.
The German Organisation, Senior Experten Service (SES) has approved the institution’s
request for assistance and will be sending experts in January 2016 to help with curricula on:
o Marine Engineering,
o Aeronautic Engineering,
o Mechanical Engineering and
o Materials Engineering.
There are huge overlaps and synergy between these fields – it makes sense to introduce
them together and benefit ‘advantages of scale’.
The institution has purchased land for residences to house students in Richards Bay.
Currently the institution is negotiating with the Umhlatuze Municipality, and the Richards Bay
Industrial Development Zone (RBIDZ) for more land and also looking at vacant properties in
the Richards Bay area, in particular, a building on 39 Ceramic Curve, Richards Bay, valued
at R28 million that might be suitable for an Enterprise Unit, or some of the diplomas in
Marine Engineering.
These qualifications will be hosted by the department of Mechanical Engineering, Business
Management and Law at the Richards Bay Campus. Support departments in the Faculty of
Science and Agriculture that already exist at UNIZULU, like Physics, Mathematics,
Computer Science, Hydrology and Chemistry, as well as the already existing Faculty of
Commerce, Administration and Law will play a major role. Details are attached as Annexure
AB.
16 | P a g eWorkshops
There are internal workshops that constitute continuous academic development e.g.,
portfolio development workshops, ITS related workshops and Turnitin. These opportunities
allow staff to collaborate with colleagues on best practices. Furthermore, they explore
classroom issues that hinder student success and learn how to manage them. UNIZULU
ensures staff development through attendance of workshops, conferences, symposia as
well as study leave and recognition through research awards.
Portfolio Development
The Portfolio development workshop for 100 academics was completed on 7 August 2015
and was facilitated by Ms V. L. M. Tredoux. Topics covered, include:
o The Higher Education landscape
o University teaching as a profession
o Standards of and support for university teaching
o Current reward structures, workload and resources
o The multi-faceted nature of the academic role
o Models of teaching and development
o The different roles of an academic (SAQA 2002)
o Brookfield’s critical reflective lenses
o Developing a teaching philosophy
Documentation related to this activity has been attached as Annexure J.
Developing Course Outlines and Study Guides
Dr Michele Stears from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) facilitated a workshop on
Developing Course Outlines and Study Guides on 2 October 2015. Documents pertaining to
this activity have been listed as Annexure K.
Figure 3: Course Outline/Study Guide Workshop
From left: Dr Y. Rugbeer; 3rd from left: Dr N. Mashiya and Dr M. Stears
The First Year Experience (FYE)
The low graduation output of South African universities has been a cause for concern. While
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