A Perspective on Challenges to the Delivery of Distance

Education in the Unisa Context

Prof Narend Baijnath - VP Strategy, Planning and Partnerships - Unisa

1. Institutional Context Climate of constant change Organisational size and complexity Regulatory environment H E System/Sector in flux Technological advancements Societal change and impact on the

University Demands for skilled personpower –

access, throughputs Diversity and differentiation in the sector

Access with success Geographical reach Student diversity – diverse needs Scale versus diversity of choice Legacy – PQM, culture, capacity Change and resistance MIS, institutional architecture

2. QA Challenges

Course Registrations by Module Size, 2007 [Disa]

No of Modules

Cum.Total

% Total Cum. %

% 2007CourseCounts

Cumulative%

CourseCounts

1 – 5 1 068 1 068 20% 20% 0% 0%

6 - 9 400 1 468 8% 28% 0% 1%

10 - 24 742 2 210 14% 42% 1% 2%

25 - 49 699 2 909 13% 55% 2% 4%

50 - 99 670 3 579 13% 68% 4% 8%

100 - 249 726 4 305 14% 82% 9% 17%

250 - 499 355 4 660 7% 88% 9% 27%

500 - 1 000 266 4 926 5% 93% 13% 40%

1 000 - 5 000 312 5 238 6% 99% 39% 80%

5 000 - 10 000 25 5 263 0% 100% 8% 88%

10 000 - 21 000 12 5 275 0% 100% 12% 100%

Offered in 2006  638 5 275 0% 100% 0% 100%

Grand Total 5 275   100%   100%  

Age Group Reg by Formal [Disa]

Age Group2004 2005 2006 2007

No % No % No % No %

< 20 49 0% 1 778 1% 8 325 4% 16 689 9%

20-30 79 494 38% 93 614 43%105 638 46% 91 498 49%

30-40 80 601 39% 77 052 36% 74 722 33% 52 551 28%

40-50 37 142 18% 34 510 16% 32 522 14% 20 269 11%

50-60 9 236 4% 8 304 4% 7 380 3% 4 177 2%

60-70 1 088 1% 905 0% 727 0% 423 0%

70-75 90 0% 87 0% 58 0% 35 0%

> 75 42 0% 32 0% 24 0% 18 0%

Total207 742 100%

216 282 100%

229 396 100%

185 660 100%

Formal Reg by Nationality [Disa]

Continent2004 2005 2006 2007

No % No % No % No %

Africa 203 369 98% 212 442 98% 226 016 99% 183 494 99%

Asia 674 0% 653 0% 683 0% 464 0%

Europe 2 481 1% 2 235 1% 1 908 1% 1 232 1%

Oceania 440 0% 375 0% 302 0% 169 0%

Americas 654 0% 574 0% 485 0% 301 0%

Unknown 124 0% 3 0% 2 0%   0%

Total 207 742 100% 216 282 100% 229 396 100% 185 660 100%

Formal Reg by Employment Status [Disa]

Status Details2004 2005 2006 2007

No % No % No % No %

Employed 129 883 63% 128 373 59% 135 783 59% 102 966 55%

UnemployedFull-time student 31 795 15% 33 449 15% 41 541 18% 35 313 19%

  Housewife 1 606 1% 1 500 1% 1 572 1% 1 317 1%

  Retiree 152 0% 146 0% 164 0% 132 0%

 

Unemployed 19 129 9% 24 009 11% 24 620 11% 22 802 12%

Subtotal 52 682 25% 59 104 27% 67 897 30% 59 564 32%

Unknown 25 177 12% 28 805 13% 25 716 11% 23 130 12%

Grand Total207 742 100% 216 282 100% 229 396 100% 185 660 100%

3. Towards a highly planned organisation

Advocacy, dissemination, evangelism (whose responsibility ?)

From Institutional purpose to outcomes Integrated, co-ordinated and aligned processes of

planning – but detailed planning at manager level From Unisa 2015 to individual/Institutional

outcomes From potential and promise to impact and effects Planning as achieving coherence between purpose

and outcomes = STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

A HIGHLY PLANNED ORGANISATIONA HIGHLY PLANNED ORGANISATION

Strategic Strategic planplan

Functional Functional plansplans

Operational Operational plansplans

Individual Individual perf. plansperf. plans

IINNSSTTIITTUUTTIIOONNAALL

PPUURRPPOOSSEE

Social Social mandatemandate

Institu- Institu- tional tional character/ character/ typetype

Policy/ Policy/ regulatory regulatory frameworkframework

Institutional Institutional capabilities/ capabilities/ objectivesobjectives

Competitive Competitive positioningpositioning

OO

UU

TT

CC

OO

MM

EE

SS

UtilityUtility

QualityQuality

Relevant Relevant knowledgeknowledge

Relevant Relevant HR capacityHR capacity

Relevant Relevant community community

outreachoutreach

Critical Critical citizenshipcitizenship

National National culture culture identityidentity

Strategic leadershipStrategic leadership Vision, advocacy, accountability, analysis, MISVision, advocacy, accountability, analysis, MIS

Strategic organisationStrategic organisation SStructures, competencies, business architecture, tructures, competencies, business architecture,

technology, processestechnology, processes

Strategic planningStrategic planning Planning, coordination, integration, alignment, resource Planning, coordination, integration, alignment, resource

allocationallocation

Strategic managementStrategic management Responsibility, performance, evaluation, reportingResponsibility, performance, evaluation, reporting

Systems, methods, instruments, institutional Systems, methods, instruments, institutional intelligence, policies, guidelinesintelligence, policies, guidelines

4. UNISA 2015 On Planning Planning in.. Context of ambiguity and shifting

sands; in the economy, society, and the higher education sector. We accept that uncertainty and rapid change have become the pervasive conditions under which planning must be done

A highly planned institution offers the best protection against shifting and changing conditions

A good plan must find expression in the allocation of its resources. It must then culminate in properly monitored implementation to ensure that performance outcomes are achieved

5. Reflection and Evaluation

How do we know we are achieving intended outcomes?

Performance Indicators Monitoring and evaluation Business Intelligence (MIS, IR,

analyses)

6. QA processes Trial Audit – testing the robustness

of the QA systems HEQC Compliance, regime of QA –

methods, instruments, processes Capacities, infrastructure Saturated priorities

7. Obstacles Ownership and buy-in Management detachment System/process convolutions and failures Planning capacity Perceptions and reality - morale Cost-effectiveness vs effective educational

experience Resistance, apathy and indifference Ideology, capacity and commitment gap between

legacy and status quo, and transformational agenda

Embedded cultures and practices Unisa 2015 competing for attention

7. Going Forward Ownership, responsibility, accountability Strategy implementation Stress on strategic management Integrated Planning Framework and

Planning guidelines Review, reflection and analyses and

research