No subject

Sun May 22 04:31:39 CEST 2016

ca.com</a>&gt;<br>
<br>
-------------------------------------------------------<br>
[Moderator&#39;s Note: The last day for comments will be this upcoming Tues=
day, the 31st, after which Cristina will have the opportunity to respond.]<=
br>
<br>
I echo appreciation of Cristina=E2=80=99s succinct overview of the major is=
sues facing universities. I have been following the contributions with inte=
rest and agree substantially with many of the arguments made. Universities =
need to change in order to give more effective leadership towards =E2=80=98=
another world we want=E2=80=99. I amplify three short/medium term intervent=
ions which are shaped by my 40 years of experience in the South African uni=
versity system, where I have been immersed mainly in an historically black =
university which played an important role in the liberation struggle and in=
 processes of democratising the country.<br>
<br>
1. A critique of African University Rankings<br>
<br>
The Times Higher Education proposes that an African-specific ranking system=
 be designed for universities in Africa. This is an effort to revise a syst=
em designed for institutions in the rich developed world. Critical literatu=
re shows that ranking of universities incentivises universities uncriticall=
y to support the status quo disconnected from broader society. Rankings are=
 inclined to encourage competition rather than cooperation. In considering =
the ranking of African universities questions to ask are: what are the role=
s of universities in societies across Africa and what is the point of intro=
ducing a hierarchy of these universities? To the latter question, we might =
answer that there is none; that we do not want to foster competition when A=
frica needs collaboration. The creation of uniform indicators across the di=
versity of contexts can encourage unquestioning consumption of university l=
eague tables by the public and universities themselves. However, if we are =
to rank, what could<br>
constitute an alternative measurement practice which takes environmental an=
d social justice, collaboration and feminist politics as starting points? E=
ngaging broadly across many different African contexts through deeply democ=
ratic processes around this question could make an important start to alter=
native ways of thinking about `social responsibility` of universities acros=
s local and global contexts.<br>
<br>
2. A Transformation Barometer<br>
<br>
There are processes currently underway in South Africa to create a higher e=
ducation `transformation barometer`. There is a push for transformation fro=
m both government and civil society in the wake of various students=E2=80=
=99 movements. Transformation includes radical change in the demographics o=
f professoriate; =E2=80=98decolonisation=E2=80=99 of curricula and research=
 agendas; embracing intellectual contributions from Africa; elimination of =
racism and sexism and all other forms of unjust discrimination; improvement=
 in academic success rates amongst black students; expansion of student sup=
port; promotion of socially just pedagogies; democratic and non-repressive =
institutional cultures; and ensuring accountable governance and management =
efficiencies. Of course, =E2=80=98transformation=E2=80=99 is highly contest=
ed but despite the slipperiness of the concept, a broad meaning-making fram=
e is emerging that can facilitate the fundamental reconstitution and re-exp=
ression of the role of the university in wider<br>
society. The idea of the barometer has limitations and so needs to be subje=
cted to perennial questions about =E2=80=98transformation=E2=80=99. As such=
, the idea of a perennially questioned barometer presents a potential start=
ing point for a useful =E2=80=98measurement practice=E2=80=99.<br>
<br>
3. Glocal citizenship education<br>
<br>
There are scholar-activists, both students and staff, who against many odds=
, are constructing alternative ways of living and learning; they are develo=
ping new organizational and epistemological models that counter the separat=
ion of people and institutions from one another; that counter the separatio=
n of feelings from thinking, and which embrace =E2=80=98heads, hearts and h=
ands=E2=80=99 - they are striving to build community. Global citizenship ed=
ucation involves, amongst others, a learning of empathy for people and envi=
ronments and the interconnected realities in which we all exist on one plan=
et. So where is glocal, democratic citizenship learnt? From the experiences=
 in South Africa and elsewhere, one site which is underutilised as an infor=
mal / non-formal / formalised learning space for students, academics, manag=
ers and workers, are student and staff-led movements. Change will only come=
 through activism of various kinds by members of the university community, =
therefore, student, worker and<br>
scholar-activists, whose individual and collective involvements are contrib=
uting to change, need support and affirmation. Integration of activist orie=
ntations into a =E2=80=98transformation barometer=E2=80=99 offers a possibi=
lity to sustain commitments for social, economic and environmental justice,=
 thus encouraging its =E2=80=98mainstreaming=E2=80=99 within universities.<=
br>
<br>
When thinking of universities and their social responsibilities, I align wi=
th the sentiment of Lilla Watson, an aboriginal Australian woman, when she =
says, =E2=80=9CIf you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time.=
 But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then l=
et us work together.=E2=80=9D<br>
<br>
Best wishes<br>
Shirley Walters<br>
<br>
****************************************************<br>
<br>
Transition Network [mailto:<a href=3D"mailto:gtnetwork at greattransition.org"=
>gtnetwork at greattransition.org</a>]<br>
Sent: April 29, 2016 10:02 AM<br>
<br>
Higher Calling for Higher Education (GTN Discussion)<br>
<br>