This dialogue brought together senior higher education leaders and representatives of government, students, communities, business, labour and civil society to consider whether South Africa should move from an implicit, largely policy-driven social compact towards a more deliberate, shared and sustainable partnership between universities, the state and society.
South Africa’s existing higher education compact is increasingly strained by financial pressures, widening and sometimes conflicting expectations, tensions between institutional autonomy and state oversight, and questions about the relevance, legitimacy and public value of universities. The engagement considered:
- The public purpose of higher education in a changing social, economic and technological environment.
- What universities, government, students and wider society should reasonably expect of one another.
- How institutional autonomy and academic freedom can be balanced with public accountability and responsiveness.
- What universities require to fulfil their developmental mandate sustainably.
- Whether a more explicit social compact could help rebuild trust, clarify responsibilities and provide a stronger basis for collective action.
The programme included keynote contributions, a facilitated panel dialogue with student and traditional leader contributions and an opportunity for participants to contribute questions and perspectives.