On 08 October 2024, the Directorate of Institutional Planning and Quality Assurance (IPQA), through its Quality Assurance Unit (QAU), successfully hosted a Quality Assurance Awareness Workshop at the Avoca Vale Country Hotel in Makhado. The event, supported by the University Capacity Development Grant (UCDP), aimed to enhance awareness of quality assurance processes both internally and externally among the university’s academic staff.
Some of the workshop attendees
The IPQA serves as a vital resource within the university, providing strategic direction in quality assurance through initiatives such as departmental reviews, programme development and reviews, accreditation, qualification registration on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), and the management of the Programme Qualification Mix (PQM). The workshop’s primary goal was to deepen understanding of quality assurance processes, ensuring all staff are equipped to contribute to the university’s commitment to continuous improvement.
The session was led by members of the Quality Assurance Unit, including Mr Lufuno Netshifhefhe, Mr Emmanuel Thagwana and Mrs Livhuwani Mulelu-Baloyi, who used interactive methods to engage participants and encourage open dialogue on key quality assurance matters.
In her opening remarks, Dr Sannah Mativandlela, Director of IPQA, highlighted the importance of conducting regular Self-Evaluation Reviews (SER) across various university divisions. She also provided an update on the development of the Improvement Plan following the 2022 Council on Higher Education (CHE) institutional audit. Dr Mativandlela emphasised the significance of adher-ing to the CHE’s Quality Assurance Framework (QAF), stressing its implications for the institution’s long-term academic and operational success.
Mr Netshifhefhe focused on the newly implemented Quality Assurance Framework (QAF), which came into effect at the start of 2024. He underscored the need for a robust Internal Quality As-surance (IQA) mechanism to maintain and improve quality across the university. Mr Netshifhefhe stressed that the Self-Evaluation Review (SER) process, as outlined in the Quality Assurance Policy (QA), must be regularly conducted to ensure the quality of academic projects and activities. He em-phasised that critical self-evaluation followed by peer evaluation are essential steps for maintaining and enhancing the university’s quality culture and ensuring continuous improvement.
Mrs Mulelu-Baloyi’s presentation focused on the institutional preparedness necessary for offering new programmes. She detailed the steps involved in the development of new programmes and amendments to existing ones, highlighting key conditions that must be met for a programme to be offered. These include: Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) approval for inclusion in the Programme and Qualification Mix (PQM), Council on Higher Education (CHE) accreditation, South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) registration on the National Qualifications Frame-work (NQF) for professional qualifications, accreditation by the relevant professional body, such as SANC, ECSA, or SACNASP.
Mrs Mulelu-Baloyi also shared policies, guidelines, and templates applicable to assist participants through these processes, emphasising the need for further engagement with colleagues planning to undergo these procedures.
Mr Thagwana’s session focused on the importance of correctly allocating credits and notional hours in line with SAQA guidelines, which stipulate that one credit equals 10 notional hours. He discussed the need for strict adherence to these standards and the implications of accurately naming programmes as approved to avoid potential issues during accreditation and registration. Mr Thagwana also emphasised the role of service modules and the necessity of implementing them as designed by the host department.
The workshop provided a platform for participants to identify both strengths and weaknesses in the university’s Internal and External Quality Assurance processes across various divisions. Attend-ees discussed ways to improve the effectiveness of faculty quality assurance committees, empha-sising the need for robust reporting to the Institutional Quality Assurance Committee (IQAC).
The participants recognised the importance of decentralising quality assurance efforts, acknowl-edging that quality is not solely the responsibility of the IPQA but is shared across the institution. It was agreed that ongoing workshops would be held over the next two years, involving all sections of the university to ensure a comprehensive, institution-wide approach to quality.
In her closing remarks, Prof Tharien van der Walt, Deputy Dean of Teaching and Learning in the Faculty of Management, Commerce, and Law, reinforced the importance of the issues discussed during the workshop. She warned of the potential consequences of neglecting quality assurance processes, including reputational damage and the risk of losing accreditation for programmes. Prof van der Walt encouraged the IPQA to continue hosting awareness workshops, ensuring that all stakeholders recognise the pivotal role they play in upholding the university’s quality standards.
The successful hosting of this workshop marks an important step in strengthening quality assur-ance across the university. By fostering an environment of continuous learning and improvement, the IPQA is committed to ensuring that quality remains at the heart of all academic and institution-al activities.
Mr Zolani Fana (the Hemis Officer), facilitating engagements with the participants
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University of Venda
Tel: 082 868 2218 / 082 868 1811
