University of Fort Hare, South Africa, become HEA Strategic Partner
University of Fort Hare has become an HEA Strategic Partner - the first university in South Africa to do so. In the first steps of the partnership, staff from University of Fort Hare’s Teaching and Learning Centre are applying for HEA Fellowship. This phase of work will build capacity in the University, enabling them to submit their staff development programmes, including their Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education and Training, for HEA Accreditation. Once accredited the University will be able to confer HEA Fellowship on staff who successfully complete these courses.
The work is fully aligned to the Professional Standards Framework (PSF), the only international framework to benchmark learning and teaching in higher education.
Dr Vuyisile Nkonki, Manager of the Alice Campus, said: “We are very pleased to be working with the HEA in this initiative to reward and recognise the great work of our teaching staff through HEA Fellowship. Implicit in HEA accreditation and Fellowship are an institutional and individual commitment to relentlessly work to improve the student academic experience; this promise admirably reflects the University’s strapline, “Together in Excellence’”
Ian Hall, HEA Partnership Development Manager, said,” We are very pleased to be working with the University of Fort Hare, supporting their staff development programmes. We look forward to the relationship with the University deepening and strengthening through our Strategic Partnership.”
University of Fort Hare is a public university with its main campus in Alice, Eastern Cape of South Africa. It was established in 1916 and the University has played a key part in educating African leaders, and its alumni include Nelson Mandela.