Institutional transformation at South African universities: Implications for academic staff

In South Africa the restructuring of the higher education system and the transformation of higher education institutions are located within the country's broad political and socio-economic transition to democracy. This paper focuses particularly on institutional transformation, and pays attention to the implications of the process of transformation for academic staff. The following five interlinked and interdependent issues characterizing institutional transformation in South African higher education are identified: democratising the governance structures of institutions increasing access for educationally and financially disadvantaged students restructuring the curriculum focusing on developmental needs in research and community service redressing inequalities in terms of race and gender. Although the overall effect of institutional transformation is experienced rather negatively by many academic staff members, the paper concludes that academics have to be empowered by means of staff development to remain active partners in the transformation process.