April 15, 2025

Community engagement in higher education: From conversation to action

Often seen as the “stepchild” of higher education, community engagement (CE) took centre stage during SAPHE’s Faranani session held on 10 April.

Dr Sanele Nene, Director: National Standards and Reviews and Acting Director: Institutional Audits at the Council on Higher Education (CHE), led an engaging and thought-provoking session. While community engagement tends to receive less attention than teaching and research, Dr Nene reaffirmed that it remains a core pillar of higher education. Encouragingly, more institutions are now working toward formal integration of CE within their frameworks.


Drawing from insights gathered during institutional audits of public higher education institutions, Dr Nene unpacked some of the persistent challenges CE faces — including the difficulty of balancing CE with the demands of teaching and research, limited funding, capacity constraints, and the absence of robust quality assurance mechanisms.

The session was particularly valuable for private institutions, many of which are preparing for upcoming institutional audits. Dr Nene outlined a series of recommendations to strengthen CE practice such as sustainable, formalised resource allocation, policy and strategic integration of CE, incentives and recognition for CE, alignment with transformation and context, and building meaningful community partnerships.


SAPHE Chair, Dr Carin Stoltz-Urban, closed the session by reaffirming SAPHE’s commitment to taking these insights forward — a commitment echoed by many in attendance.

Together, we reach further

October 30, 2026
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” — African proverb The proverb speaks to the value of collaboration and shared purpose. SAPHE’s sponsors for its 2026 Conference, Private Higher Education: Academic Excellence in an Evolving Society, represent a range of organisations whose expertise and services contribute to the higher education ecosystem

SAPHE Conference 2026: Private Higher Education in an Evolving Society

October 27, 2026
Time and tide wait for no one. The same is true of higher education. For private higher education to contribute meaningfully to society, it must keep pace with changing needs and respond to the demands of an evolving world. The SAPHE Conference 2026 will explore this under the theme Private Higher Education: Academic Excellence in an Evolving Society, taking place on 11 and 12 November 2026 at IMM Graduate School, Parktown . The two-day programme will bring together colleagues from across the higher education sector to explore its future direction, consider emerging challenges and opportunities, exchange ideas and celebrate excellence. Day 1 | 11 November The Conference opens with a keynote address by Prof Ahmed Bawa of the Johannesburg Business School, University of Johannesburg, titled Private Higher Education, Being Higher Education. This will be followed by a CEO/Owner panel discussion, What Kind of Private Higher Education Sector Do We Want to Be?, exploring the future direction, role and aspirations of private higher education in South Africa. Day 2 | 12 November Prof Stephanie Burton of the University of Pretoria will deliver a keynote address titled The Role of Higher Education Institutions in Developing Talent for This Changing World. Delegates will also participate in an interactive Institutional AI Decision-Making Lab , providing an opportunity to exchange perspectives and consider how private higher education institutions can approach AI adoption and implementation. The programme also includes a dedicated workshop on the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF), presentations on a range of relevant topics, and opportunities to engage with colleagues from across the sector. A highlight of the Conference will be the SAPHE Excellence Awards Cocktail , celebrating the outstanding achievements and contributions of individuals and institutions in private higher education. Thank you to our sponsors SAPHE gratefully acknowledges the generous support of our sponsors, whose contributions help make the Conference possible. Gold Sponsor OpenCollab Silver Sponsors Clarivate EBSCO South Africa Bronze Sponsors Juta Ontech Solutions Oxford University Press Southern Africa  We would also like to thank IMM Graduate School for generously providing the conference venue at no charge. Be part of the conversation shaping the future of private higher education in South Africa. We look forward to welcoming delegates for two days of engagement, knowledge-sharing and celebration as we consider the role of private higher education in an evolving society.

SAPHE Conference 2026: Exploring the future of higher education

October 12, 2026
With the SAPHE Conference fast approaching, SAPHE looks forward to welcoming delegates on 11-12 November 2026 at the IMM Graduate School in Parktown, Johannesburg. Held under the theme Private Higher Education: Academic Excellence in an Evolving Society, the Conference will feature engaging, interactive sessions and opportunities for discussion and exchange. Two distinguished keynote speakers, Prof Ahmed Bawa and Prof Stephanie Burton , will share their perspectives on the nature and purpose of higher education and its role in a rapidly changing world.