A SADC regional response to the SDGs Regional Collaboration Case - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

A SADC regional response to the SDGs Regional Collaboration Case Study:

Master’s Programme in Climate Change and Sustainable Development

Piyushi Kotecha

Chief Executive Officer: SARUA

Presented by Prof Ihron Rensburg

Vice-Chancellor, University of Johannesburg 21 March 2017

Introduction

• The Southern African Regional Universities Association

(SARUA) launched a Programme for Climate Change Capacity Development in 2010. The intent was to address climate change’s impact on southern Africa as a shared threat and knowledge gap to which universities need to respond in a coordinated way.

• Between 2012 and 2017 the programme progressed

through multiple phases which culminated in the launch

• f an open access Master’s curriculum in climate change

and sustainable development in 2016.

• The programme has become a regional flagship and a

replicable model for collaboration, aimed at revitalising higher education in the SADC community.

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About SARUA

The Southern African Regional Universities Association (SARUA) is a membership-based organisation of Vice-Chancellors of public and private universities in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). SARUA’s purpose is: 1. To promote, strengthen and increase higher education, training and research through institutional collaboration and capacity-building initiatives across the SADC region. 2. To promote SADC universities as major contributors towards national and regional socio-economic development.

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SARUA’s purpose responds directly to the SADC Protocol on Education and Training (2000)

SADC at a glance

• 15 countries, including two Small Island

Developing States (SIDS) and the world’s 4th largest island

• 277 million people
• 33% of Africa’s land area
• 25% of Africa’s population
• 109 public universities and 515 technical

universities/colleges (2012*)

• Fast-growing private university sector:

467 accredited institutions (2012*)

• Three major university languages of

tertiary instruction and research:

• English
• Portuguese
• French

* SARUA. 2012. A Profile of Higher Education in Southern Africa. Vol 1: A Regional Perspective

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Impact of climate change on SADC

• Southern Africa is highly vulnerable to climate change due to

the severity of projected changes, structural problems e.g. poverty, and relatively low levels of adaptive capacity.

• Water availability, land degradation, loss of biodiversity and

health threats constrain food security, development and poverty reduction.

• Climate change will compound many of these interlinked

problems for regional livelihoods and economies, many of which are natural resource based.

• Observed temperature changes for

southern Africa are higher than global increases , and projections show a 3.4°C increase in annual temperature (up to 3.7°C in spring).

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2080 – 2099 with increased greenhouse gas scenario

SARUA PCCCD: Long term vision

• In 2010, SARUA member Vice-Chancellors initiated the SARUA

Programme for Climate Change Capacity Development with the following vision:

“To significantly enhance the climate adaptive capacity and resilience of the SADC region through the development

• f a collaborative network of higher

education institutions capable of pooling resources, maximising the value of its intellectual capital and attracting significant investment into the region.”

SARUA Programme for Climate Change Capacity Development across the SADC Higher Education Sector - PROGRAMME

• DOCUMENT. Validated at the 2nd meeting of the DVC Working Group on 17th November 2011

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2010: Framework for action

• The 2010 Framework for Action on Climate Change and

Adaptation in Higher Education in SADC acted upon the real challenge of climate change as a shared threat and knowledge gap which required a regional response:

• to create awareness and to sensitise communities, governments

and the private sector about the risks of climate variability and change for development prospects in the region;

• to significantly improve research and knowledge generation on

climate change, adaptation measures and the associated costs and benefits;

• to better disseminate information and knowledge amongst all

stakeholders;

• to strengthen regional scientific policy development and

implementation as well as institutional capacity; and

• to improve regional capacity for active participation in

international policy networks.

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2013-2014: Regional mapping study

• In 2013, SARUA with the funding support of the Climate and

Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) conducted a regional Climate Change Counts mapping study to verify and define regional climate change knowledge and research gaps.

• The study was a bottom-up process of engagement to define a

regional knowledge production agenda.

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Climate Change Counts mapping study

• Volume 1, Number 1:

Knowledge Co-Production Framework

• Full Report [English / French

/ Portuguese]

• Volume 2: Country Reports
• Number 1: Angola

[Portuguese version available]

• Number 2: Botswana
• Number 3: Malawi
• Number 4: Mauritius
• Number 5: Mozambique

[Portuguese version available]

• Number 6: Namibia
• Number 7: Seychelles
• Number 8: South Africa
• Number 9: Swaziland
• Number 10: Tanzania
• Number 11: Zambia
• Number 12: Zimbabwe

12 countries 1654 stakeholders 563 workshop attendees 349 survey responses 1595 pages of analysis

Needs analysis of SADC stakeholder priorities on climate change Institutional assessment of SADC university capacity to address needs identified

+

1 2

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Available at www.sarua.org

Key implications for regional knowledge co-production from the mapping study

Strengthen the role and status of Climate Compatible Development science and technology Strengthen university / stakeholder partnerships for Climate Compatible Development at national and sub-regional levels Expand the role that researchers in Africa are playing in the area of Climate Compatible Development Strengthen Higher Education sector and university leadership commitment to Climate Compatible Development Invest in a pro-active approach to institutional development pathways to create ‘critical mass’ Implement policy interventions at national level which facilitate international co-operation in Climate Compatible Development research Review university policies and campus management practices to include Climate Compatible Development ‘modelling’ and more student participation Initiate a process of staff capacity development across the region

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Recommended networks to establish

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Curriculum Innovation Network: to develop shared curricula and courseware with an emphasis on the inter-disciplinary study of climate change issues Macro Research Network: comprising up to seven transdisciplinary research clusters, to collaboratively produce new climate change knowledge relevant to the region Capacity Development Network: to build human capacity within SADC universities related to teaching and learning, research, community engagement and institutional management Policy and Institutional Development Network: to strengthen institutional leadership and networks in order to better inform and influence regional climate change policy A Regional Knowledge Co-Production Framework was published in 2014 which recommended the establishment of four collaborative networks:

Knowledge Co-production Framework

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2015: Prioritisation required

• The mapping study identified research, capacity development,

curriculum innovation, institutional development and policy advocacy as the key collaboration areas for universities, each linked to a recommended network.

• Funding was secured for one network to be established and a

choice had to be made where to start.

• SARUA decided to prioritise the SARUA Curriculum Innovation

Network (SCIN) to be a catalyst for change.

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HE enrolments in SADC are lagging

“If SADC countries continue along their current higher education trajectory without making significant changes, the region is projected to achieve a 16,3 per cent higher education enrolment rate by 2050. This progress is insufficient when compared to the current global gross tertiary enrolment ratio of 30 per cent, and will erode the future of higher education institutions in the region.”

Piyushi Kotecha, CEO: SARUA

Presentation to Extraordinary Meeting of SADC Ministers of Higher Education and Training, 2012

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A dearth of post-graduate degrees

• Southern African universities are not producing enough

PhDs to become a next generation of knowledge producers and policy-makers.

* SARUA. 2012. A Profile of Higher Education in Southern Africa. Vol 1: A Regional Perspective

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A regional need for CC & SD specialists

“We need specialists trained on climate change issues, adaptation and mitigation in each and every Ministry or organisation. Universities need to introduce programmes on climate change, long term or short term, in

• rder to capacitate communities. Communities

must be well informed on issues of climate change and survival skills.”

Spokesperson from the Ministry of Agriculture, Swaziland

Climate Change Counts workshop, June 2013

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Rationale for a SCIN Master’s degree

• A key area for climate change curriculum innovation was

identified in the mapping study at the Master’s degree level.

• A Master’s degree is an innovation point which can address

the challenges faced by SADC universities:

• It will create a feeder mechanism for more PhD enrolments

and research on climate change.

• It will produce employable graduates with an inter- and

transdisciplinary view on the issues of climate change and sustainable development and lead to more informed policy responses over time.

• SCIN as a network can create the impetus for the

establishment of the research, capacity building and policy networks.

• SARUA. Climate Change Counts. Vol 1: Knowledge Co-production Framework

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2015: Appointment of a University Delivery Consortium

A University Delivery Consortium (UDC) was appointed to develop a new Master’s curriculum for SADC after an open call among SARUA

• members. It comprised 20 specialists from seven universities across

five countries

Rhodes University Universidade Eduardo Mondlane University of Mauritius The Open University

• f Tanzania

Sokoine University of Agriculture University of Namibia University of Cape Town (coordinating university)

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Principles guiding SCIN

The Master’s curriculum is guided by four inter-linked principles:

• Inter- and transdisciplinarity: An emphasis on inter- and

transdisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning.

• Relevance: Responding to and guided by regional climate

change and development concerns, policy and research in SADC (not donor-driven agendas).

• New knowledge: Emphasis on research-informed curriculum

development with pathways for further research.

• Innovation: New approaches to thinking included in the

curriculum, e.g. equity and social justice, a futures orientation, care and concern and sustainability.

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An open process of SCIN participation

• Open participation allowed institutions and individuals across

all sectors to become part of the curriculum development process.

• A voluntary Peer Review Group (PRG) was established

which attracted more than 100 regional specialists who reviewed drafts of the curriculum.

• Quality was assured via a

technical review team and a SARUA mandated Curriculum Innovation Working Group selected through a regional nominations process.

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SCIN Master’s curriculum structure

• After a 12 month regional collaborative curriculum

development process, a Master’s curriculum and courseware was published in English, French and Portuguese.

• The curriculum allows

any university in SADC to adapt and use its content to strengthen existing programmes

• r to develop new

Master’s programmes.

• A toolkit for new

module development is provided, including guidelines on teaching and assessment.

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2016: Curriculum capacity development

• In September and November 2016, two curriculum capacity

development workshops were held involving 100 pre-selected delegates and curriculum development team members.

• The workshops introduced the curriculum to participating

universities and each university team could work

• n an implementation plan

for introducing it in part or full at their institutions.

• Ongoing mentoring support

is provided to participants.

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SCIN publishing approach

• The curriculum was produced to facilitate different modes of

delivery: face-to-face, blended and online.

• The publishing model supports Open Access to ensure the widest

possible impact.

• Participating universities not only have access to the knowledge

base, but are welcome to contribute new electives or variations on the modules back to the network.

• An online platform was custom developed and launched in March

2017 to grow the network participation.

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Online registration: http://www.sarua-online.org/

Summary: SCIN features

• It is a first attempt at co-creating an open access Master’s

curriculum and courseware across the SADC region, informed by the stakeholders in the region, for use in the SADC region.

• The knowledge themes which make up the curriculum address

southern Africa’s unique climate zones, challenges and knowledge gaps, to contribute to a southern African scientific base.

• Local customisation and delivery across 15 countries

acknowledge the need for localised capacity development and knowledge production.

• A core set of modules, accompanied by the opportunity to

develop and contribute elective modules provide for knowledge co-production opportunities in the SADC region not yet foreseen.

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PCCCD lessons for regional collaboration

• The successful regional projects in SADC have been the ones

built on strong, multi-year partnerships.

• In the SADC region, different programmes with similar
• bjectives should harness each other’s strengths and build on

the capacity already developed.

• To foster long-term collaboration becomes an issue of
• planning. Funders, beneficiaries and delivery partners have a

responsibility of planning long term for the sustainability of programmes, irrespective of future involvement.

• A programme should not proceed if a suitable and committed

funding partner is not fully on board.

• A clear roadmap should be attached to funding cycles, so that

funding can always cover a complete set of deliverables, or a completed phase. This ensures that follow-up funding is easier to secure and contributes to the sustainability of programmes.

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PCCCD lessons for engagement

1. Build a sound evidence base for change

• To catalyse change, action must be based on a broad as possible

evidence base, which is confirmed with those stakeholders who contributed to it.

2. Prioritise and implement what can become a next regional building block

• On a programme level tangible deliverables must be delivered that can

form the basis of future projects or a next funded phase

3. Remain flexible to what comes next

• The PCCCD reflected after each major phase to reassess the next course
• f action within the overall vision and programme objectives

4. Put effort into mapping and involving stakeholders

• By mapping emerging expertise a future list of regional contributors is

identified

5. Address structural barriers to change

• In the case of SADC colonial legacies influence contemporary

collaboration and needs to be addressed

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Alignment with SDGs

Regional collaboration by universities strengthens the SADC response to the achievement of the Global Goals 4 and 13 for Sustainable Development

Global Goals for Sustainable Development

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Invitation to collaborate

• The Executive Committee of SARUA has identified the PCCCD model

as a blueprint for future regional engagement:

• It is an open process of participation for members and other

stakeholders

• It uses local expertise to address the higher education challenges of the

region

• It builds capacity in the delivery teams by requiring gender balance,

emerging researcher representation and regional representation

• The SARUA Executive Committee therefore invites interested

potential partners to engage with it as the coordinating hub of southern African university interests on its programmes.

• For the 2017 – 2020 strategic cycle, SARUA focuses on capacity

development for QUALITY and LEADERSHIP in the SADC region.

• The PCCCD remains a cornerstone of its activities and the

establishment of other networks a priority and opportunity for wider collaboration.

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THANK YOU

Contacts and information:

SARUA CEO: Piyushi Kotecha [piyushi@sarua.org] PCCCD Coordinator: Botha Kruger [scin@sarua.org]

SCIN online platform: http://www.sarua-online.org/ @SARUAOnline

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