ASK ChatGPT to write a five-paragraph essay on the symbolism of “The Great Gatsby”and it will produce a response within seconds. Plug in an algebra equation and it can solve it almost instantly and even explain its process.

That’s not all. The capabilities of the artificial intelligence chatbot tool, launched in November 2022 by San Francisco-based startup OpenAI, are vast. It can fix spelling and grammar errors, give feedback on writing, write poems and songs, create lesson plans for teachers and much more. It does it all in human-sounding text and with high efficiency.

Though ChatGPT is still in its infancy and limited in some ways, it has the attention of school administrators, teachers, parents and students, and its presence has garnered mixed responses, experts say. It’s brought ethical questions about how AI fits in education, and the potential for plagiarism and cheating is cause enough for some to shun the website altogether.

New York City Public Schools, the largest school district in the U.S., announced in early January 2023 that it was banning ChatGPT across all district devices and networks. Other big city districts like Seattle, Baltimore and Los Angeles have also blocked access to the app, and more may soon follow.

Some, however, say they’re excited about its potential to advance learning for some students and become a valuable tool in education. Those teachers are envisioning ways to adapt their teaching to incorporate it in their lessons, experts say.

“It’s been quite fascinating to see the education field react faster than I think I’ve ever seen them react to a new technology,” says Torrey Trust, associate professor of learning technology at the University of Massachusetts—Amherst.

As schools across the U.S. decide whether ChatGPT has a place in the classroom, here’s what parents and students should know.

What Is Different About ChatGPT?

As society has evolved technologically, so has education. Computers, cellphones, calculators and the internet have found a place in the classroom. Spellcheck and grammar-checking websites are also widely accepted tools, as are more advanced technologies like speech-to-text software and voice AI like Siri, Google Voice and Amazon Alexa.

So what makes ChatGPT different? Why is it generating such polarizing responses?

“From what I can tell, ChatGPT seems to be one of the most advanced natural language processing tools out there to date,” Trust says. “There’s something with this tool, with the simplicity of the user interface design, that anyone can log on and try it out. When you insert a prompt, what it comes back with is so close to what another human might say.”

ChatGPT is a “large language model,” which means it’s able to generate readable text on demand in a wide range of styles and for a variety of purposes. It can perform those tasks with noticeably more accuracy and coherence than previous models, experts say. Plus, ChatGPT is designed to be user-friendly, and it’s free.

Trust says ChatGPT has made AI visible in a way other technologies haven’t. Its capabilities have left some in awe while others, she says, feel “panicked” by its potential ramifications.

AI is present “through streaming recommendations, facial recognition to get into your phone or notifications and apps,” she says. “It’s around us, but it’s not something I think people think about on a daily basis. Something about this tool is like, ‘Oh my goodness, it’s so closely mapping to what humans might respond with or say. Is this cause for panic or concern?’”

Concerns About ChatGPT

One of the main concerns that educators have is that students might exploit ChatGPT’s capabilities to cheat on assignments – using the app to produce research papers and essays instead of doing the work themselves.

Edward Tian, a student at Princeton University in New Jersey, recently developed an app called GPTZero that he said in a tweet “can quickly and efficiently detect whether an essay is ChatGPT or human written.”

Trust says there was “a huge sigh of relief” by some in her education circles when this app, and other plagairism checkers, became available. Some teachers had ditched technology altogether and gone back to paper assignments and assessments, says Shana Ramin, a technology integration specialist with Oakland Schools in Michigan.

ChatGPT has its limitations as well, and educators fear that too much reliance on it could lead to more problems. For instance, Trust says she’s seen it solve math problems incorrectly as well as completely make up citations for a research paper, though visually it looked legitimate.

“I think with anything, it’s important to understand that it’s a new tool and you can’t just rely on it 100%,” Ramin says.

There are also concerns about privacy and data collection, as ChatGPT collects information like a user’s IP address, user interactions and the country where they’re located, Trust says.

The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, which was designed to protect the privacy of children under the age of 13, prohibits apps from collecting this kind of data on children. ChatGPT’s Terms of Use states that users should be 18 years or older, but it doesn’t verify the age of its users.

Trust says K-12 educators should not ask students to use the tool for educational purposes because of privacy concerns. “I don’t even know if I would get parent permission, because technically it’s not to be used by anyone under 18,” Trust says, adding: “Is that stopping anyone? Absolutely not.”

She says the best practice would be adults creating an account and using it alongside their students or children.

How Teachers and Students Are Using ChatGPT

Trust says her hope is for teachers to adapt their practices to ChatGPT rather than just focus on catching students cheating. For example, experts say they’ve heard of some teachers giving ChatGPT a prompt and analyzing its response with students as a practice in editing and critical thinking.

Ramin says it can be used to pare down difficult passages for lower reading levels, one of many ways the tool can help English language learners or students with learning disabilities. It can also provide sentence starters or help generate ideas for students who struggle to do so on their own.

“When we think about tools like this, often it’s just like, how can the standard student use it?” Trust says. “But we often forget about how beneficial tools like this can be for students with disabilities in helping their thinking, learning and executive functioning.”

Some teachers are also using it to make their jobs easier, says Matt Miller, an educational technology writer and speaker and author of “Ditch That Textbook.”

Some are using ChatGPT to help generate ideas for lesson plans and class activities, or plug in their students’ writing to get recommendations and edits, he says. Miller says teachers are “so absolutely strapped for time” that using ChatGPT for certain functions can help them do their jobs better and more efficiently.

“I’m still of the opinion that if we can take some of the monotony out of the hands of teachers, it frees them up to do what they were made to do as teachers,” he says. “Build relationships with students one on one, develop curriculum, come up with creative teaching ideas – all of that stuff that the grind doesn’t let them do and beats them down for.”

Ramin says teachers and students should see ChatGPT as a helpful tool, much like a calculator might be in math class, but it “cannot do a teacher’s job.” It’s there to help teachers reach their learning objectives. Whether it’s ChatGPT or another technology down the road, she says, AI isn’t going away and, if anything, is likely to be more of a part of classrooms.

“It’s definitely scary. I understand the desire to panic,” she says. Her department met and discussed whether it was something they needed to consider banning in the district, she says.

“But the more than I play around with it, the more I see the potential and I see the benefits. There’s definitely the potential for misuse, but I think that’s all the more reason why we need to be aware of it and understand it.”

US NEWS

STAFF REPORTER

THE Gauteng Department of Education has confirmed that a Grade 10 boy who allegedly assaulted a female classmate has been suspended.

A video of the assault at Nic Diederichs High School in Krugersdorp has gone viral on social media.

The Gauteng Department of Education condemned the assault on the girl learner at the Krugersdorp school. 

‘‘The perpetrator was suspended on Wednesday, 1 February 2023, through correspondence that was served to his parents,’’ GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona said.

Mabona said a disciplinary hearing by the school’s Disciplinary Committee (DC) is scheduled for 12 February 2023.

“Our officials visited the school today to verify circumstances surrounding the incident. Our psycho-social support team has also been deployed to provide counselling and trauma support for the victim,’’ Mabona added.

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane said that he strongly condemns any acts of misconduct by learners that dehumanises, demeans and potentially endangers other learners, and ultimately undermines the dignity of learning institutions.

He said learner ill-discipline will not be tolerated in Gauteng schools. 

The GDE appealed to parents in assisting to enforce discipline upon their children in and outside the school environment.

“We condemn, in the strongest sense, this despicable behaviour. No one can be allowed to assault anyone in our schools, and we especially condemn any form of gender-based violence in our schools. We are pleased that the perpetrator is suspended and will not be allowed back to our school before necessary rehabilitation,” said Chiloane.

Chiloane said the GDE will continue to monitor the situation and apply further interventions.

The school is not new to controversy.

In 2008, an 18-year-old Morne Harmse, known as the ‘Samurai Sword Killer’, attacked four people with a ‘‘samurai’’ sword.

Harmse took out a 60 centimeter katana sword and slit the throat of 16-year-old Jacques Pretorius who died on the scene.

He then, claiming that he was following Satan’s orders, slashed three other people, who were injured and survived the attack.

He was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to all charges in April 2009, but he was released on parole in March 2020 with strict conditions.

INSIDE EDUCATION

PHUTI MOSOMANE

DEMOCRATIC Alliance (DA) councillor Boitumelo Sebego has called on the Provincial Education Department to urgently intervene in the closure of the overcrowded Deben Primary School in the Gamagara Municipality, Northern Cape.

The school has a capacity of 1400 learners but there are 1 885 learners enrolled at the school, and an additional 88 on the waiting list.

Despite efforts to report the overcrowding challenges by the school to the district, there appears to be no solution insight. Now, the school has been shut for four days due to overcrowding and the non-placement of learners who remain on the department’s waiting list for school placements.

Parents are angry and are keeping their children away from school, also making threats towards the school.

‘‘I conducted an oversight inspection of the school today [Wednesday], during which the school principal addressed teachers. He informed them that the school would remain closed because learners were not attending classes due to the department’s failure to address the current school crisis,’’ Sebego said.

To deal with overcrowding at the school, the principal ordered an additional mobile classroom through the department in August last year. It was meant to be delivered in December 2022 but has yet to arrive.

Although the school is scheduled to meet the education department on Thursday, the school community is growing increasingly agitated at the situation.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Eugene Eteris and Ojars Sparitis|

ANY government that wants to run efficiently has to address several complex challenges associated with issues such as digitalisation and sustainability, green and circular growth, climate changes and renewable energy, just to name a few.

The search for optimal solutions to these problems is aggravated by the lack of people qualified to resolve them. Hence, there is a need for a fundamental review and reform of existing education and training systems. Nevertheless, we believe that certain European initiatives could assist in accelerating quality teaching around the world.

All modern states need to increase the number of people in the workforce (and in teaching) who are qualified to address today’s problems by making teaching both an attractive employment for young professionals and a stimulus for a lifelong working experience.

A reformed national education policy should not only put additional emphasis on national development priorities, but also on education providers both in basic education and further education to help develop the new knowledge and experience required by digitalisation, sustainability demands and green agendas.

These skills will enable students and the future workforce to prosper in tomorrow’s world. The present educational revolution is transforming all walks of life and socio-economic growth patterns. The following are just some examples where educational reforms are having the most fundamental impact.

Adapting to change

Since the beginning of the 21st century, several challenges have been guiding the transformation of the political economy of most states – for instance, sustainability, the digital transition, the circular economy and climate change adaptation.

These and other challenges have been dramatically affecting national governance systems, corporate management and existing growth models. Currently, countries are trying to tackle the challenges by modernising outdated and old-fashioned education systems.

New facets of socio-economic development inspired by these modern challenges require adaptive workforces with new skills and, or re-skilling for a modernised labour market. Most far-sighted states have turned their governance structures towards the only feasible solution, ie, transforming their education and training systems in line with changing labour force demands.

Our new book provides some recommendations for national governments and, particularly, for education facilities when it comes to educational reform.

Business education reform

When it comes to education providers and universities, many are finding it difficult to develop the necessary governance instruments and measures to tackle global challenges which have become, at the same time, as pressing as national socio-economic issues.

The only feasible solution is to develop the necessary skills and professions to deal with the emerging problems. For example, modern corporate/business-oriented education needs to adapt quickly to the challenges and transformations in contemporary socio-economic development that are influenced by sustainability, circular economy, greener, inclusive and digital growth patterns.

The success of the latter, to a great extent, depends on students having adequate skills and qualifications as well as on a complete change in business education policy and training.

Business education reform is a vital instrument in sustainable socio-economic development and national wellbeing – with basic and specific skills future entrepreneurs are likely to better serve national priorities and create more business opportunities.

Our book has some recommendations for modernising business education and assisting it to adapt quickly to new challenges and working conditions with new teaching and online technologies.

European Union leadership

EU institutions, particularly the European Commission, are endorsing new proposals on urgently needed reforms in education in the EU member states that could be emulated around the world. Most prominent is the recent initiative on the EU’s educational assistance to Africa.

At the end of January 2023, the EU launched its Regional Teachers’ Initiative for Africa, a €100 million (US$109 million) investment to empower the world’s fastest growing youth population through quality education.

This flagship initiative under the EU-Africa Global Gateway Investment Package aims to accelerate the training of teachers in Sub-Saharan Africa, responding to the need for 15 million new qualified teachers in Africa by 2030.

The initiative will contribute to regional and national objectives by supporting and complementing national education and teacher reforms, and offer opportunities for cross-country collaboration, partnerships and accelerated learning of new skills.

It is known that well-trained and motivated teachers are vital for improving learning outcomes, transforming education systems and accelerating progress towards reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and, particularly, SDG 4 on quality education. It is estimated that one in three teachers in Sub-Saharan Africa lack the minimum required qualifications and training.

The EU-27 and the African Union have already endorsed the Regional Teachers’ Initiative as part of the EU-Africa Global Gateway Investment Package. The initiative is also a key element of the implementation of the Youth Action Plan for EU external action that aims to engage, empower and connect young people.

The EU and its member states are key partners in boosting quality education worldwide through the Team Europe programme. Investment in education in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and Asia and the Pacific will rise to more than €6 billion by 2027, focusing on quality teachers, necessary working skills, inclusive and equitable education systems, opportunity-driven vocational education and training and higher education and mobility.

Teaching reform is at the heart of how we address our future global challenge and Europe is helping to move this agenda forward.

Dr Eugene Eteris is a visiting professor at Turiba University, Latvia. He has been an adviser to the president of the Latvian Academy of Sciences in economics, politics and education. He is head of the European Integration Institute in Denmark. Dr Ojars Sparitis is vice-president of the Latvian Academy of Sciences and professor at the Latvian Academy of Arts. He is deeply involved in international cooperative networks in science, art and education. Their book, Modern Educational Revolution: Challenges and solutions, is available in seven languages.

University World News

DATA from Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) scored universities worldwide based on graduate employability – showing that the University of Cape Town (UCT) has the best employment outcome in South Africa.

Attending university is a big decision for many people, as it often requires a significant investment of time and money. However, while there are several reasons why individuals choose to pursue higher education, the main reason is to increase their chances of finding a well-paid job.

QS is a British company specialising in the analysis of higher education institutions around the world. It said that it appreciates that for many students, a successful career is a primary goal of their university education.

This is the primary motivation for the creation of the Employment Outcomes indicator.

“QS have designed the Employment Outcomes indicator to reflect the ability of institutions to ensure a high level of employability for their graduates while also nurturing future leaders who go on to make an impact in their respective fields,” it said.

Rankings

This year’s QS World University Rankings include almost 1,500 institutions worldwide. The rankings compare institutions on various criteria, from academic and employer reputation to employment outcomes.

According to QS, the employment outcomes indicator combines two metrics, widely known from their QS Graduate Employability Rankings:

Graduate Employment Rate; and

Alumni Impact

The employment outcome indicator ranks the institutions based on these metrics and gives the universities a score out of 100.

According to QS, seven South African institutions ranked in the top 1000, with the University of Cape Town (UCT) having the best employment outcome with a score of 92.8.

The University of Witwatersrand (WITS) is second, and the University of Pretoria is third, scoring 89.2 and 56, respectively.

Regarding world rankings, the QS World University Rankings 2023 showed UCT on top as the best university in South Africa, ranking 237. In contrast, the University of Johannesburg (UJ), WITS, and Stellenbosch University ranked 412, 428, and 454, respectively.

The table below shows the employment outcomes score of all seven South African universities evaluated in the top 1000.

QS World RankingUniversityEmployment outcome score237University of Cape Town92.8428University of Witwatersrand89.2591-600University of Pretoria56.0454Stellenbosch University53.8801-1000Rhodes University50.0801-1000University of Kwa-Zulu Natal43.9412University of Johannesburg38.9

Methodology

Regarding the evaluation metrics, the Graduate Employment Rate is defined as the percentage of graduates who go on to paid work within 15 months of finishing their degree, said QS.

“We consider any mode of employment (full-time or part-time), even if unknown. We do not consider graduates who are on voluntary or unpaid work, continuing further study, or unavailable for work due to military service, disability, travel, or caring needs,” it added.

The analytics company noted that they source its data from the respective universities and third-party providers, such as Higher Education South Africa (HESA), and calculate the scores based on the difference between each institution’s rate and the country’s average.

The alumni impact indicator shows which institutions are producing impactful graduates in all walks of life, from performing arts to finance, medicine, and politics, said QS.

“To produce this list, we use a combination of over 40 externally published lists, such as the ‘100 most influential Africans’ and our own in-house sourced information. We also look at where the alumnus went to school, which degree they completed and in which subject, and their age,” it added.

The indicators are balanced against student numbers to ensure that larger and smaller institutions are proportionately evaluated.

Business Tech

A sports day focused on reducing crime was hosted by Sports Against Crime South Africa (Sacsa) in conjunction with the Secure Rite Security and local neighbourhood watches at Gordon High School, Western Cape, last weekend.

According to Sacsa president Vincent Daniels, the event focused on learners and giving them something to do that will inevitably draw them away from taking part in crime or become a statistic.

Doreen Finger, a resident of Lourencia Park, says many youths of the area are drawn into crime and drugs.

This is why the organisers decided to host a mini-run and six of the learners from the area who attended did a loop of the athletics field. Afterwards the young athletes each received a certificate for completing the run.

“This is why we try and organise events such as these because we try to fight crime with sports,” he said. “We have to thank the school’s principal Lizette Visser who availed the school grounds for us.”

Daniels reiterated the importance of an event like this, especially because crime has become so prevalent in schools.

Distrikspos

The COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected the way that education is conceived and delivered worldwide. As institutions in South Africa adapt to the new learning environment and consider implications for students, faculty, and staff, technology plays a critical role in enabling successful outcomes both today and in the future.  

That’s why OneConnect and Anthology have partnered to support the South African education community and help more students and institutions achieve their goals. With a holistic approach to education technology that’s focused on delivering dynamic, data-informed experiences, OneConnect and Anthology are breaking down silos and connecting critical systems to open up a world of new possibilities for learning.  

Blending Data with Experiences 

A learner doesn’t exist inside one system alone, and neither does an institution. By bringing together data and insights across core solutions, the right technology can help educators develop a deeper understanding of students to deliver more personalised experiences tailored to meet the needs of each learner.

This also helps institutions drive operational efficiencies and meet objectives around critical areas like enrolment, retention, and engagement.  

And learners are hungry for more personalised experiences. According to a global survey recently fielded by Anthology, 66% of learners agree that their university views them as individuals with unique needs and preferences, but most learners express a desire for even greater personalisation.

For example, 70% would like to receive more reminders of deadlines and other key information, such as a notification about an outstanding bill or when to register for classes, as they would be more likely to complete the task on time or if prompted. And 71% would like to receive recommendations about which courses to take and when to do so during their academic career. 

More personalised experiences can also provide the support needed to keep students on track toward achieving their goals. Survey results indicate 40% of students strongly agree that they would like to receive more support from their university to be successful. Aligning that support to the areas in which students feel they need it is critical. More tailored financial aid and career-focused support top the list. 

Higher education leaders are nearly unanimous in their perspective on the potential impact that blending data and experiences could make. 94% globally agree that a holistic view of learner data pulled across multiple systems would benefit their team and help more students achieve their goals. The same percentage of higher education leaders are also actively looking for new opportunities to aggregate and analyse learner data to drive more insights. 

“By considering student feedback and investing in technology resources to deliver more personalisation across everything from course delivery options to career services, higher education leaders can position their university to provide an experience that meets the needs of today’s learners—and those of tomorrow,” said Jim Milton, Chairman and CEO, Anthology.  

“We believe that education technology solutions allow students in rural and remote areas access to the same quality of education as a child attending the best private school in the city. Furthermore, that student can interact with peers across the country and the continent; be exposed to new ideas and new opportunities, benefitting from the diversity and richness of their engagements. Our aim is to also help education institutions see that they can grow their businesses beyond brick and mortar and do so quickly – breaking down “walls” to reach students beyond their physical geography, through sophisticated solutions that make administration and teaching seamless,” said Rogers Sithole, MD of OneConnect Education. 

Learners want and expect technology to be more prevalent in their higher education experience and university leaders are keenly aware of opportunities to adjust course delivery and enhance technology. In fact, according to the same global survey, 60% believe their institution lacks some of the appropriate digital learning tools to help learners succeed. Perhaps more importantly, 17% of global leaders believe that the technology resources provided by their university do not match up with learner needs in a way that adequately supports their studies. But those same leaders clearly recognise a shifting landscape, with nearly 60% confident that more classes will be available online in the next five years. 

Institutions recognise the urgent need for new education technology as well as aligning their current tools to the changing landscape of digital learning. To that end, 45% of higher education leaders have maintained the same technology but significantly changed the way administrators, faculty, and students rely on digital resources, likely due to shifts associated with the pandemic.  

The good news is that universities are on the right track according to learners’ expectations of how technology is incorporated into their experience.

For example, 73% of students globally prefer to submit assignments in an online portal, and 70% indicate they often or always submit assignments this way. 70% of students also prefer to receive instructor feedback on assignments through an online platform, and 66% of students indicate they often or always receive feedback this way. As universities continue along the path to fully supporting learners, more investment in technology is necessary. University leaders are cognisant of this need, and more than half are considering additional investments. 

CNBCA

THE National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has introduced certain policy changes for the 2023 academic year to progressively address existing disparities between Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and university beneficiaries’ bursary packages.

Announcing NSFAS 2023 funding eligibility and criteria during a media briefing held in Pretoria on Tuesday, NSFAS board chairperson, Ernest Khosa, said TVET college students studying occupational programmes can only be funded for the cost of tuition for the duration of the qualification.

“TVET college students,who are registered on an occupational qualification, may qualify for allowances only if in simulated training, and students registered on an occupational qualification, who have an employment contract, do not qualify for NSFAS allowances.

“TVET college graduates will be funded for a university undergraduate qualification regardless of the benefit that they would have derived from the application of the N+ rule at a TVET college level (on condition they did not exceed the TVET N+ rule),” Khosa explained.

“N” is the minimum number of years allocated to complete a qualification and the +1 refers to the extra year that a student may need to complete the qualification.

On academic eligibility, Khosa announced that as of 2023, first-time entering students must achieve a course credit pass rate of 50%, while continuing university students must achieve a progressive course credit pass rate of 55%, and returning university students must meet ongoing academic eligibility requirements in order to remain funded by NSFAS.

“The N+ rule for distance university students will be reviewed as of 2024, and academic progression criteria will increase from 55% to 60% over time. On allowances, our board directed the executive management to introduce processes that enable the entity to reduce the risk of abuse of its funds,” Khosa said.

Khosa said the payment of allowances will be made directly by NSFAS into the students’ NSFAS bank account and NSFAS funded students are required to complete the NSFAS direct payment on-boarding process to prepare for the payment of allowances into their account.

“Through direct payment, NSFAS beneficiaries will receive their allowances for food, personal care, transport etc., through a NSFAS bank account; and after being registered on the system, students will receive virtual and/or physical cards they will use to transact.

“Additionally, students will be able to make online transactions such as EFT, prepaid purchases, receive from and transfer money to other existing banks, just as with a normal bank account, and other benefits include access to value-added services, ATM cash withdrawals, as well as at retail stores,” Khosa explained.

To ensure that all NSFAS students are on board, Khosa said the scheme has assigned NSFAS teams to institutions, and its service partners will join them when visiting all institutions from February 2023 to assist with on-boarding and query handling.

“Currently, the focus of the NSFAS teams is to encourage university students to on-board the new system in the meantime, as we prepare for university implementation later in the year. I would like to request that the SRCs, together with the student unions responsible for both our TVET colleges and universities, work together with the teams to make this process seamless,” Khosa said.

SA NEWS

JONATHAN JANSEN

What happens when those responsible for managing universities cannot trust each other to act with integrity? In a nutshell, as I discuss in my new book, Corrupted: A study of chronic dysfunction in South African universities, dysfunction is the consequence.

This is the situation playing out in some South African universities – sometimes with fatal results. In early January 2023, a protection officer who was guarding Fort Hare University vice-chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu was shot dead in an apparent assassination attempt. The shooting has been linked to ongoing investigations into corruption at the university.

This appears to be just one example of how eroded trust has led to conflict among university managers that’s spilled into the public domain.

The principal conclusion I reach in my book is that chronic dysfunction in a sample of South African universities can be explained by two intertwined factors. One is institutional capacity. This is the expert ability to lead, manage and administer universities. The other is institutional integrity – the steering academic values that buffer universities against instability. Where both capacity and integrity are weak, dysfunction is inevitable.

Integrity matters

Individual integrity involves a person acting honestly and doing the right thing. It means consistency in the values that connect words and actions. An institution with integrity has been described as: an organisation that defines and acts within a strong code of ethical conduct and positive values.

It doesn’t tolerate deviance from the code by its employees or partners.

Universities with high levels of institutional integrity vigorously pursue their core mandate. This is rooted in a strong sense of academic values. It is the glue that holds functional universities together and focuses their operations. Those academic values also steady an institution in turbulent times.

It doesn’t tolerate deviance from the code by its employees or partners.

Universities with high levels of institutional integrity vigorously pursue their core mandate. This is rooted in a strong sense of academic values. It is the glue that holds functional universities together and focuses their operations. Those academic values also steady an institution in turbulent times.

Such values centre on high-quality teaching, higher learning and cutting-edge research. Together these values advance social and human development. They are prominent on management’s weekly meetings agendas, on senate’s term meetings and on council’s quarterly meetings. Everything revolves around the academic project.

The case of student protests

One of the most important functions of academic values is to hold the institution together in times of challenge. For instance, how does an institution react when the integrity of the academic degree is at risk because of a prolonged shutdown?

In 2015 and 2016, students embarked on historic protests at campuses across South Africa. They demanded free and decolonised higher education. The press for free higher education arose because degree studies were becoming more expensive. This excluded more and more people from university. The decolonisation movement at formerly white universities protested that the curriculum was too European, the professors too white, and the institutional culture too alienating.

In response to the disruptions, the better-resourced, formerly white universities quickly transitioned to emergency remote teaching to ensure that the academic year was not lost. This highlights the importance of academic values to those institutions.

By contrast, in 2021, after a dysfunctional university specialising in the health sciences was shut down by routine protests for months on end, the students received their degrees as if nothing had happened.

The academic project was seriously compromised. But there was little institutional concern about the integrity of the degrees.

It is quite possible to see a structure or an organisation and to misrecognise it as an institution of higher learning. It would be easy to be fooled by the symbolic functions – like graduation – and administrative routines – such as registration – of university life and mistake these for a university. As I have argued elsewhere, a university ceases to exist when the intellectual project no longer defines its identity, infuses its curriculum, energises its scholars, and inspires its students.

When integrity is undermined

The crisis of dysfunctional institutions commonly arises when universities make compromised decisions on everything from tenders for infrastructure to appointments of key personnel. Such decisions compound foundational weaknesses and increase the risk of systemic failure. This is how institutional dysfunction begins and is sustained: through the breaching of institutional integrity.

The institutional integrity of vulnerable institutions is weakened, for example, through the decisions it makes about personnel appointments and promotions. Critical skill sets are compromised by populating crucial positions in administration with friends and family members. In one instance, as I document in the book, a whistle-blower at a serially dysfunctional university gave the new administrator “a list of all the family members appointed by the vice-chancellor”. Action was promised. None was taken.

The integrity of the academy is undermined even more when people who would not enjoy such elevation at an established university are promoted to senior academic positions in the name of equity.

And the governance of an institution is placed at serious risk through the appointment to council of junior members who have never governed anything in their lives. A university council is the most senior body responsible for governance. It should consist of senior people from professional fields with the experience to govern a higher education institution.

Tackling the crisis

There is no shortcut to restoring the institutional integrity of a chronically dysfunctional university.

It requires the appointment of smaller, professional councils without political interference. It demands competent leaders who are not beholden to political parties or factions. These leaders must hold strong convictions about the importance of academic values in the gradual rebuilding of a university.

This is an edited excerpt from the book, Corrupted: A study of chronic dysfunction in South African universities (Wits University Press, 2023).

THE CONVERSATION