Programme Planning and Curriculum Challenges in

Developing a New Academic Programme Structure at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan

University HEQC Merger Project Workshop: 10-11 October 2006

Presenter: Martin Oosthuizen Senior Director: Planning and Institutional Development Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Port Elizabeth South Africa

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OUTLINE

• The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) in context

• General programme planning/ curriculum challenges in merging institutions

• Specific challenges for NMMU as a comprehensive university Qualification structure Access, articulation and curriculum design

• Role of HEQC merger project in addressing curriculum challenges

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Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Context

• Incorporation of former Merger of former Port Elizabeth Campus of Vista University Campus by University of Port Elizabeth (UPE) at start of 2004

• Merger of UPE and Port Elizabeth Technikon at start of 2005 to form a comprehensive university

• 23,700 students 3820 distance education students 20450 in undergrad programmes (86%) Contact students: 53% African; 14% Coloured; 30,5% White;

2,5% Indian • 1425 permanent staff 557 permanent teaching staff Ratio of 1:24 FTE instructional staff to FTE students (including

contract staff)

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NMMU

•Multi-Campus Institution 5 Campuses in Port Elizabeth 2 Campuses in George

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General Programme Planning Challenges: National Policy Context

• “Responsiveness” A central tenet of HE policy documents is that programmes

should promote increased responsiveness to the national goals of economic and social development

National priorities – Science, Engineering, Technology, Business & Management and postgraduate enrolments (Role of the Humanities and Social Sciences?)

Increasing and often conflicting policy demands: increase access but preferably only in certain fields and ensure adequate throughput and success rates – all in a context of declining state funding of HE

• Restructured HE Sector: Role of various institutional types (traditional university;

comprehensive university; university of technology) Regional collaboration in provision of certain academic

programmes • Lack of clarity on final Higher Education Qualifications

Framework

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General Challenges: Institutional Context – Programme Prioritisation

• Challenge of programme prioritisation Most institutions are unrealistically striving to be all things to all people rather than focusing resources on the mission and programs that they can accomplish with distinction The most likely source for needed resources is reallocation of existing resources (Dickeson 1999)

• Strategic Planning & Alignment External demand – regional and national contexts Impact and justification of programmes: Contribution to Mission and Vision Contribution to institutional differentiation Congruence with academic focus areas Allocation of academic programmes within multi-campus

environment Relevance to and feedback from world of work

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General Challenges: Institutional Context – Programme Prioritisation

•Programme Quality: Inputs, Processes and Outputs

•Capacity: Academic Staff Scope of Programmes (range of qualification

levels; breadth and depth of coverage) Financial Infrastructure Information resources

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General Challenges: Institutional Context – Programme Prioritisation

• Existing Programmes could be candidates for: Enhancement Maintenance Maintenance but monitored Consolidation or restructuring Reduction in resources Suspension or Closure

• Also: Opportunities for new programme development

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Programme Prioritisation in relation to external and internal forces

Decisions on consolidated

NMMU Programme and Qualification Mix

DoE Steering: Academic Policy Funding Framework

NMMU Multi-Campus Management Model

HEQC Audit and Programme Accreditation

Systems

Regional and National Context

NMMU Financial Allocation Model

NMMU Vision, Mission

and Values

Programme Quality: Input- Process- Output- Impact

NMMU Strategic Priorities and Academic Focus Areas

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• The promise of comprehensives is that they offer enhanced opportunities for access and articulation across a spectrum of qualifications from Certificate to Doctoral level. Challenges are to define: Balance between various qualification types – Vocational &

Technological; Professional & Career-Focused; General Formative Slide 11

Balance of enrolments: • Undergrad/ Postgrad; • Diploma & Degree – Undergrad slide 12 • Different main fields (Science Engineering and Technology

(SET) / Business & Management/ Humanities) Slide 13 Appropriate strategies for access and placement Slide 15 Articulation pathways between different qualification levels and

types Slide 18 Appropriate programme/ curriculum models

Specific Challenges for the NMMU as Comprehensive University – New Qualification Structure

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GENERAL FORMATIVE

TECHNOLOGICAL / VOCATIONAL

PROFESSIONAL

TECHNIKON PROGRAMMES

UNIVERSITY PROGRAMMES

TECHNIKON AND UNIVERSITY PROGRAMMES

CAREER-ORIENTED

EDUCATIONAL FOCUS (Gibbon)

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2006 NMMU Headcount Enrolments in Contact Programmes According to Qualification Type

2006 Headcounts Percentage (of UG / PG Totals)

Percentage (of Total Enrolment)

Undergraduate Diplomas / Certificates

7574 47.0%

Undergraduate Degrees

8555 53.0%

Total Undergraduate 16129 100.0% 87.5%

Postgraduate to Masters Level

665 28.9%

Masters 1355 58.8%

Doctors 284 12.3%

Total Postgraduate 2304 100.0% 12.5%

TOTAL ENROLMENT 18433 100.0%

Slide 10

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Contact FTE Enrolments by Field of Study

PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF CONTACT FTE ENROLMENTS BY MAJOR FIELDS OF STUDY: NMMU 2006

MAJOR FIELDS OF STUDY

Total FTE 2006

Percentage 2006 (%)

Preferred Scenario 2010 (%)

SET 5137 34.8 36.3

Business 3631 24.6 29.0

Education 723 4.9 7.5

Humanities 5258 35.7 27.2

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Contact FTE Enrolments by Qualification Type

UG Cert / Dip

3 yr B degrees

4 yr B degrees (Incl. B Tech)

PG Cert / Dip

Hons M degrees

D degrees

Total

SET 1860 2463 378 19 191 160 66 5137 (34.8%)

Business and Commerce

1625 1529 258 58 130 23 8 3631 (24.6%)

Education

110 488 14 23 55 21 12 723 (4.9%)

Other Humanities

1227 3238 220 29 271 231 42 5258 (35.6%)

Total 4822 (32.7%)

7718 (52.3%)

870 (5.9%)

129 (0.9%)

647 (4.4%)

435 (2.9%)

128 (0.9%)

14749 (100.0%)

Slide 10

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• Create appropriate access strategies in cooperation with the FETC sector

• Standardisation of admissions requirements (School Performance Score): A challenge for “comprehensives” is that admissions requirements

across degree, diploma and certificate programmes were developed in isolation of each other and need to be aligned with each other;

Appropriate placement of applicants in their programme of choice or an alternative is facilitated if the approach to the matric score and the setting of standards is standardised;

Over the course of two intakes, the NMMU has tackled the standardisation of computing the SPS (matric score) and is still in the process of removing some anomalies regarding the required scores for direct placement, for placement testing and subject requirements.

Access and Placement

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Inter-Sectoral Access Initiative: NMMU and PE FET

WHAT?

NQF Level 5 HET Band NQF Level 4 FET Band

NMMU • Degrees • Diplomas • Certificates • Short courses PE FET College • Career-oriented programmes

WHO? HOW? • Agreement between management at various institutions • Developmentally-focused Admissions & Placement System achieved through: * programme/career advice, * criterion-referenced testing of core competencies, * prog. placement based on developmental readiness & interests and ID dev. needs (need central unit) • Multi-level Programme Pathways with inbuilt Articulation possibilities (need prog. articulation unit)

Facilitating life-long learning and access to learning opportunities

Adult learners

of all ages

Schools & Teachers

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Example of standardisation in Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences

Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences

ND: HR Management (SPS = 26; NSC 3 for Maths literacy, or 2 for Maths)

NHC Accounting (SPS = 31, NSC 6 for Maths literacy, or 3 for Maths)

B Com HR Management (SPS = 35, NSC 6 for Maths literacy, or 3 for Maths)

B Com Accounting (SPS = 35, NSC 6 for Maths literacy, or 3 for Maths

• Have also centralised admissions decision-making to channel applicants between programme types. • Result - 6% increase in enrolment in diploma programmes in 2006. Slide 10

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Access and Articulation: Staircasing

Learning/Career Pathways

1st Entry Qual

Highest Exit Qual

Pathway = linking of qualifications across, upwards and downwards allowing for vertical, diagonal and horizontal movement between qualifications and levels of qualifications and across institutions.

Staircasing = a subset of a pathway where emphasis is placed on progression from lower level certificate qualifications to higher level postgraduate qualifications or the upward linking of qualifications within & across institutions with the aim of enhancing access, retention & lifelong learning.

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120 Higher

Certificate (5)

NEW HIGHER EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK

120 Advanced

Certificate (6)

120 Advanced Diploma

(7)

120 Post Graduate Diploma (8)

120 Bachelor Honours Degree (8)

Post Graduate

FETC NSC with appropriate subject combinations and level of achievement

180 Master’s Degree (9) Note: Arrows denote the

minimum entry requirements for the

qualification 360 Doctoral Degree (10)

Under Graduate

360 Diploma

(6)

360 Credits

480 Credits or more

(Professional)

Bachelor’s Degree (7)

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Faculty of Business & Economic Sciences

Technikon Type Programmes University Type Programmes

NATIONAL HIGHER CERTIFICATE ACCOUNTING NATIONAL DIPLOMAS •Financial Information Systems •Accounting •Human Resources Management •Marketing •Logistics •Tourism

DEGREES •B Com (Accounting) •B Com (Human Resources Management) •B Com (Marketing Management) •B Com (Economics/Business Management) B Com (SMME)

B TECH •Business Administration •Management •Cost and Management Accounting •Human Resources Management

HONOURS •B Com Hons (Business Management) •B Com Hons (HR Management) •B Com Hons (Accounting) •B Com Hons (Labour Relations and Human Resources

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Access and Articulation : HR Management

NQF 10 D Com (HR Management)/ (Labour Relations) (NQF 10)

NQF 9 M Com (HR Management)/ (Labour Relations) (NQF 9) (Various programme foci)

NQF 8 New B Com / B A Hons (more general scope)

B Com Hons (HR) (Focus on Industrial Psychology)

B Com Hons (Labour Relations)

NQF 7 Advanced Diploma (HRM) (?) / B Tech (?)

B Com HRM (1 year of study with credit transfer from National Diploma?)

B A HRM (1 year of study with credit transfer from National Diploma?)

NQF 5 & 6 National Diploma in HR Management plus academic skills dev. (NQF 6)

NQF 4 National Senior Certificate Vocational (Management) plus foundational HE

National Senior Certificate

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Appropriate Curriculum and Programme Models

• What makes a Diploma in HRM different from a Degree in HRM More directly applicable skills (specific

contexts) v Broader Conceptual understanding (various contexts)? Different mix of curricular components –

knowledge areas Broader range of disciplinary inputs at degree

level? Different approaches to teaching?

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Different knowledge fields – Prof J Muller

Knowledge through Action Knowledge through Reasoning

Knowledge field •Particular procedures •Specific contexts

Particular procedures – specific contexts

General procedures – Different contexts

General principles – context free

Occupational fields

Particular occupation

General occupations

Professional work

Knowledge work

Curricular form Practice – modules of practical knowledge

Practice and theory – Modules of practical knowledge and theoretical modules

Theory applied in specific cases – Modules of theory applied and practical experience

Theoretical progression of the discipline

FET Certificate or diploma. No route to B Degree

Diploma and entry to B degree

B Degree and professional qualification. Some Masters

B degree progressively specialising to M and PhDs

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Appropriate Programme Models: A possible model for Programmes in Human Resources?

DEGREE

EXITLEVELS

LOWER ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

HIGHER ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

THE INVERTED ‘Y’ MODEL

Shared Stem

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Role of HEQC Merger Project

• NMMU conducting institution-wide programme review during 2006-2007: Programme review is part of a larger process to develop

consolidated Programme and Qualification mix, with coherent models for access, articulation and curriculum design

Consistent process for assessing current programme strengths – as basis for refining academic focus areas

Basis for informed choices re prioritisation of academic programmes within budget constraints and to ensure sustainability in terms of staff capacity and expertise, as well as infrastructural, information and financial resources.

Provides a framework for the introduction of a principled discussion on access, articulation and curriculum design – which will lead to re-curriculation, and the implementation of consistent mechanisms for access and placement, and articulation.

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Programme Review and Academic Planning

Phase 1: Quality Review

Academic Departments: Review against 29 Criteria

•SE Portfolio •Quality Report

Phase 2: Academic Planning

Faculty Management: Quality Review

integrated into Faculty Academic Planning Process

Academic Planning

Committee Senate

Executive Management

Academic Design

Operational Issues: Budget, Staffing, Facilities

Programme Review

Committee

SE Manual •Criteria

•Guidelines •Templates

Consolidated PQM