Research on Quality Assurance at the Regional Learning Centre Kimberley, Central University of Technology, Free State

Abstract

Due to the new Higher Education landscape in South Africa, Universities of Technology will have to adapt to the changing socio-political scene on and off their campuses. This implies that public accountability is becoming the most significant vehicle of government policy and an integrated part of decision-making models. Subsequently, it also imp lies part time services to distance campuses or at regional learning centres too. In 2004, the Higher Education Quality Assurance Committee (HEQC), audited the Kimberley Regional Learning Centre of the CUT exactly according to the universal standards related to quality assurance for part time or so called distance learners. These universal concepts entail self-evaluation practices, selection approaches, efficiency and performance and of course, public accountability. In follow up reports to the HEQC what has been done to ensure better services to part time distance learners, the manager of the Regional Learning Centre and the director for distance learning launched an ongoing research project on quality assurance to find answers to problems that the HEQC audit has revealed. The following article contains the very first phase of an ongoing process to research universal standards that implies universal standards for other universities of technology as well.