Introducing Unisa

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Introducing Unisa

• Prof Wendy R. Kilfoil
• Director Institute for Curriculum
• and Learning Development
• kilfowr_at_unisa.ac.za

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Unisa

• The only dedicated distance education institution
  in South Africa after a government-driven merger
  in 2004 - with multiple campuses, regional
  offices and learning centres
• Comprehensive nature of programme and
  qualification mix
• International profile more than a quarter of a
  million students with about 3-4 000 students
  outside Africa about 12-13 000 students in rest
  of Africa outside South Africa

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The new Unisa

• On 1 January 2004 the University of South Africa
  (Unisa) merged with the Technikon Southern Africa
  (TSA) to become the new comprehensive University
  of South Africa.
• On 2 January the new University incorporated the
  distance education campus of Vista University
  (Vudec) to become the only dedicated public
  distance education institution in South Africa.

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The former Unisa

• 1873 Founded in Cape Town as the University of
  the Cape of Good Hope

• 1877 Royal Charter from Queen Victoria as an
  examining body for Victoria College and the
  Universities of Cape Town and Stellenbosch

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The former Unisa

• 1916 The University Act No. 12 of 1916 decreed
  that the University of the Cape of Good Hope was
  to be incorporated in a federal University of
  South Africa on 2 April 1918 with seven
  constituent Colleges (which later became
  independent universities). The central
  administrative body was responsible for such
  functions as the organization of examinations,
  the tabulation of results and the issuing of
  certificates.

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The former Unisa

• 1918 The University moved from Cape Town to
  Pretoria. The federal university did not teach
  private students it merely examined them.

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The former Unisa

• 1946 The Higher Education Amendment Act of 1946
  enabled the University to undertake the tuition
  and guidance of the candidates for its
  examinations and the University of South Africa
  became the first public university in the world
  to teach exclusively by means of distance
  education.

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The former TSA

• 1980 Technikon RSA established as an autonomous
  tertiary educational institution in terms of Act
  40 of 1967. This same Act established the concept
  of a technikon as a tertiary education
  institution offering career-focused national
  certificates and diplomas on the basis of
  co-operative education. Qualifications were
  offered through distance education.

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The former TSA

• The passing of the new Technikons Act, Act 125 of
  1993, in July 1993 impacted on governance
  structures and provided for the awarding of
  degrees by technikons. It was agreed to change
  the name Technikon RSA to Technikon Southern
  Africa (TSA) at this time.

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The former VUDEC

• Vista University was founded in 1982 as a
  multi-campus university to serve the urban black
  community.
• Its campuses were situated in black townships
  throughout South Africa. The head office was in
  Pretoria as was the Further Training Campus that
  offered teacher upgrading qualifications through
  distance education.

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The former VUDEC

• In 1996 this campus changed its name to the Vista
  University Distance Education Campus (Vudec) and
  began to offer degrees through distance
  education.
• Vista was unbundled in the new landscape and
  its campuses allocated to different regional
  universities and Vudec to the new Unisa.

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Unity
The Calabash
The Open Book
The Diamonds
The Sun
The Sparks
The Arch
The Flames
The Tusks
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Governance
Governance

• Higher Education Act of 1997 legal persona,
  autonomy, government subsidy
• Chancellor titular head
• Council governing body, mainly external
• Senate highest academic decision-making body
• Principal and Vice-Chancellor CEO
• Vice-Principals
• Registrar
• Institutional Forum
• Students Representative Council

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Colleges
Colleges

• Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
• Economic and Management Sciences
• Graduate School of Business Leadership
• Human Sciences
• Law
• Science, Engineering and Technology

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Defining comprehensiveness

• Unisa is a leading, responsive, public ODL higher
  education institution in Africa committed to
  student-centredness through offering an
  affordable and comprehensive range of articulated
  certificates, diplomas, degrees and short
  learning programmes related to technical,
  vocational, professional and general academic
  qualifications with disciplinary and
  multi-/trans-/ inter-disciplinary emphases at
  undergraduate and postgraduate level in a
  flexible, blended mode, conducting pure and
  applied research, and engaging with and serving
  our urban and rural communities to their benefit
  and that of our lecturers and students in
  accordance with current best practice and in
  partnership where strategically appropriate.

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Programme and Qualification Mix Higher Education
Qualifications Framework
Higher Education Qualifications Framework and
comprehensive Programme and Qualification Mix

• Undergraduate
• Higher Certificate (120 credits)
• Advanced Certificate (120 credits)
• Diploma (360 credits)
• Advanced Diploma (120 credits)
• Bachelors Degree (360-480 credits)
• Postgraduate
• Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits)
• Bachelor Honours Degree (120 credits)
• Masters Degree (180 credits)
• Doctoral Degree (360 credits)

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Vision
Towards the African university in the service of
humanity
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Mission

• provides quality general academic and
  career-focused learning opportunities underpinned
  by principles of lifelong learning, flexibility,
  and student centredness
• undertakes research and knowledge development
  guided by integrity, quality and rigour
• participates in community development by
  utilising its resources and capacities for the
  upliftment of the disadvantaged

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Mission

• is accessible to all learners, specifically those
  on the African continent, and the marginalised,
  by way of a barrier-free environment, while
  responding to the needs of the global market
• addresses the needs of a diverse student profile
  by offering relevant learner support, facilitated
  by appropriate information and communications
  technology
• develops and maintains high-quality capacities
  among its staff members to achieve human
  development, by using the resources at its
  disposal efficiently

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Mission

• cultivates and promotes an institutional ethos,
  intellectual culture and educational experience
  that is conducive to critical discourse,
  intellectual curiosity, tolerance and a diversity
  of views
• contributes to good and responsible society by
  graduating individuals of sound character and
  versatile ability and
• meets the needs of the global competitive society
  by nurturing collaborative relationships with its
  stakeholders and other partners

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• Regional centres

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Services provided by regions

• Cape Coastal Regional Hub Cape Town

• Calendars brochures available
• Pre-registration
• Pre-registration administration
• Financial aid advice
• Career advice, guidance counselling
• Recognition of prior learning

• Dispatch of study material
• Courier services
• Postal services
• Personal counter collection
• Counselling services
• (career subject information)

• Registration
• Full registration
• Self-help
• Online
• Postal
• Credits and accreditation
• Access/Foundation programmes

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Services provided by regions

• Cape Coastal Regional Hub Cape Town

• Satellite delivery
• Reading and writing
• Work-integrated learning
• Library services
• Computer based training testing (ICDL)
• Access to computers
• Access to study space
• Alumni

• Tutorial services
• Parow Learning Centre
• 15 Jean Simonis Street
• Parow
• Tel 021 - 936 4122/3
• Fax 021 - 936 4124

Claremont Learning Centre CTI Cape Town
Campus 3rd Floor Stadium, Main road Claremont
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Services provided by regions

• Gauteng Regional Hub Pretoria

• Pre-registration
• Pre-registration administration
• Financial aid advice
• Career advice, guidance counselling
• Recognition of prior learning
• Registration
• Full registration (refer to Muckleneuk Campus)
• Self-help (not currently offered)
• Online
• Postal (Main Campus, Muckleneuk)
• Credits and accreditation
• Access/Foundation programmes

• Information desk
• Calendars brochures available
• Dispatch of study material
• Courier services (not currently offered)
• Postal services (not currently offered)
• Counselling services
• (career subject information)

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Services provided by regions

• Gauteng Regional Hub Pretoria

• Satellite delivery
• Reading and writing
• Peer collaborative learning
• Work-integrated learning
• Library services (Muckleneuk Campus)
• Computer based training testing (ICDL)
• Access to computers
• Access to study space
• Thutong Learning Centre
• Job readiness skills programme
• Alumni (Main Campus, Muckleneuk)

• Tutorial services
• Thutong Learning Centre
• Harmony Building 12
• Cnr. Walker Joubert Street
• Unisa Sunnyside Campus
• Tel 012 - 484 1190/1/2/3
• Fax 012 - 484 1194

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Services provided by regions

• KwaZulu Regional Hub Durban

• Pre-registration
• Pre-registration administration
• Financial aid advice
• Career advice, guidance counselling
• Recognition of prior learning
• Registration
• Full registration
• Self-help
• Postal
• Credits and accreditation
• Access/Foundation programmes
• Cashiers

• Information desk
• Calendars brochures available
• Dispatch of study material
• Counter (Limited)
• Postal services from Pretoria to home address
• Counselling services
• (career subject information)

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Services provided by regions

• KwaZulu Regional Hub Durban

• Library services
• Loaning of books
• Access to study space
• Limited photo copying
• Courier Service
• Computer based training testing (ICDL)
• Access to computers
• Access to study space

• Orientation programmes
• Tutorial services
• Satellite delivery
• Reading and writing
• Peer collaborative learning
• Work-integrated learning
• Job readiness skills programme

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Services provided by regions

• Midlands Regional Hub Rustenburg

• Pre-registration
• Pre-registration administration
• Financial aid advice
• Career advice, guidance counselling
• Recognition of prior learning
• Registration
• Full registration (refer to Muckleneuk Campus)
• Self-help (not currently offered)
• Online
• Postal (Main Campus, Muckleneuk)
• Credits and accreditation
• Access/Foundation programmes

• Information desk
• Calendars brochures available
• Dispatch of study material
• Courier services
• Postal services
• Counselling services
• (career subject information)

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Services provided by regions

• Midlands Regional Hub Rustenburg

• Orientation programmes
• Satellite delivery
• Reading and writing
• Peer collaborative learning
• Work-integrated learning
• Computer based training testing (ICDL)
• Access to computers
• Access to study space
• Job readiness skills programme
• Alumni (Main Campus, Muckleneuk)

• Tutorial services
• Rustenburg Technical High School
• Cnr.Benedenr Zedelingt Street
• Rustenburg
• Tel 014 - 565 7080
• Fax 014 - 565 2145
• bkhonou_at_unisa.ac.za

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Services provided by regions

• North Eastern Regional Hub Polokwane

• Pre-registration
• Pre-registration administration
• Financial aid advice
• NSFAS
• Career advice, guidance counselling
• Recognition of prior learning
• Registration
• Full registration
• Self-help
• Online
• Postal
• Credits and accreditation
• Access/Foundation programmes

• Information desk
• Calendars brochures available
• Dispatch of study material
• Courier services
• Postal services
• Personal counter collection
• Counselling services
• (career subject information)

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Services provided by regions

• North Eastern Regional Hub Polokwane

• Orientation programmes
• Satellite delivery
• Reading and writing
• Peer collaborative learning
• Work-integrated learning
• Job readiness skills programme
• Alumni
• Graduation Ceremonies

• Tutorial services
• Learning centre
• 23 Landros Mare Street
• Polokwane
• Tel 015 - 290 3419/3445
• Fax 015 - 290 3443
• mrakoma_at_unisa.ac.za
• tshmanw_at_unisa.ac.za

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Registrations by region
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Registrations by region
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Annual formal headcount growth
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Formal registrations per College
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Formal registrations by degree level
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Registration by age group
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Unisas demographic profile
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Gender profile
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Language profile

• 23 different home languages
• About 90 of the students use English as an
  additional language but it is the main language
  of instruction
• Implications for language level in materials
  Plain English
• Afrikaans is also a medium of instruction
• Language Policy functional multilingualism and
  promotion of all 11 official South African
  languages
• Glossaries in mother tongues

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Staff profile
  Total Permanent Staff Total Permanent Staff Total Permanent Staff of Black Staff in Total of Black Staff in Total of Black Staff in Total of Female Staff in Total of Female Staff in Total of Female Staff in Total
Year    Instruction Research Staff Admin Staff Service Staff Instruction Research Staff Admin Staff Service Staff Instruction Research Staff Admin Staff Service Staff
2004 1 330 2 702 245 26 48 100 51 57 25
2005 1 308 2 645 232 26 48 100 52 57 25
2006 1 319 2 565 224 27 50 99 52 52 26
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Technology profile

• Predominantly print-based with a huge investment
  in print technology biggest publisher in Africa
• SAKAI-based learning management system myUnisa
• Satellite footprint in sub-Saharan Africa
• Videoconferencing
• SMS
• Sound, Video and Photography
• Centre for Software Engineering
• Computer laboratories for students
• Science laboratories
• Library

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Students technology preferences

• Print (portable, low tech in a poor country not
  over-supplied with technology)
• Just over 50 of students registered on myUnisa
• Increasing demand for online interaction on
  discussion forums
• Training efforts to capacitate staff to work
  online

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Contact

• Tutors 10-20 of students attend sessions,
  mainly on Saturdays
• Financially stretched students dont attend
• Deep rural students dont attend
• Group visits 10-20 of students attend
• Limited sites
• Increasing number of straight-from-school
  students who want more contact
• Work-integrated learning

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Student support

• Regions
• Tutors
• Career counsellors
• Study counsellors
• PALs peer assisted learning
• Literacy centres
• Computer training
• Contact centre

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Student Representative Council
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Academic structure

• College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
• College of Economic and Management Sciences
• College of Human Sciences
• College of Law
• College of Science, Engineering and Technology
• School of Business Leadership
• Centre for African Renaissance Studies

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