Twenty-fifth International Conference on Learning

Abstract

Higher education institutions are currently undergoing phenomenal changes driven by the stakeholders like the students and workers, evident in the student protest actions of 2015 and 2016. Historically social movements fought for various aspects of social justice, identity, human rights and democracy, which is still evident in South Africa today. Higher education leadership have strived towards playing a role in building democracy and ensuring financial sustainability of universities. Post 1994 universities adopted a corporate culture which required commitment from all staff and students to succeed. Academics and support staff struggle, on occasions, to identify what it is they want to do and even to identify who are the customers. A case study of a comparison between two South African higher education institutions will be used to demonstrate how demands by students and workers have generated leadership to rethink the institutional agenda in a changing environment. This will be qualitative study of senior leadership at two institutions in the Western Cape and will include interviews and document study.