APPENDIX 3: DESCRIPTION OF INDICATORS AND BENCHMARKS

SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES AND TECHNIKONS:
SUMMARY OF EXPECTED FEATURES, INDICATORS AND BENCHMARKS

EXPECTED FEATURES

INDICATORS

BENCHMARKS

DATA
A SA university or technikon should have at least the following features      

EQUITY
[1] Its student body should reflect the equity requirement that the participation in higher education of previously disadvantaged groups should increase

[1] The % of students by race group and by gender in the institution's enrolment

[1] At least 40% of on-campus students are African;
each gender has 50% share of contact student enrolment

 [1] Based on average contact heads for 1999-2000

[2] Its staff body should reflect the equity requirement that the participation in higher education of previously disadvantaged groups should increase

[2] The % of professional staff by race group and gender

[2] At least 40% of professional staff are African;
each gender has 50% share of professional staff total

[2] Based on permanent staff data for 2000
STUDENTS

[3] Its student enrolment should be stable, and not subject to major increases and/or declines in intakes and outflows of students.

[3] Institution's combined student retention and replacement rates

[3] Retention plus replacement rate = 100%

 [3] Based on averages for 1997-2000
[4] Its total enrolment should be large enough to ensure that it has reasonable spreads of students across a range of fields of study [4] Unweighted FTE enrolment total [4] Unweighted enrolment total = 8000

[4] Based on averages for 1999-2000

[5] It should be a comprehensive institution which has a balanced enrolment shape across the broad fields of SET, business and management and humanities.

[5] Unweighted FTE enrolments by CESM category groupings of SET, business or management and humanities

For technikons: at least 70% of FTE enrolment in SET+ business/ management[5] 

For universities: at least 50% of FTE enrolment in SET + business/ management;
with at least 20% in SET and 20% in humanities

 [5] Based on averages for 1999-2000
 

EXPECTED FEATURES

INDICATORS

BENCHMARKS

DATA

A SA university or technikon should have at least the following features

ACADEMIC STAFF

[6] It should have student to academic staff ratios which ensure that adequate numbers of full-time staff are available to serve the needs of its students

[6] Ratio of FTE students to full-time equivalent academics

[6] Ratios of FTE students to FTE academic staff:

(a) universities: 20 unweighted FTE students : 1
(b) technikons: 25 unweighted FTE students : 1

{6} Based on FTE student and FTE academic staff data for 2000

[7] It should have a well-qualified academic staff

[7] % of permanent academic staff with masters or doctoral qualifications

[7] For universities: at least 50% of permanent academics with doctorates

For technikons: at least 35% of permanent academics with either masters or doctorates

[7] Based on permanent staff data for 2000

STUDENT OUTPUTS

[8] Its output of undergraduates should satisfy the norms set by the NPHE.

[8] Graduates/enrolments as % for 3-year undergraduate qualifications

[8] Graduates/enrolments as % meets the NPHE benchmark of 25%

[8] Based on enrolment and graduate totals for 1999 & 2000

[9] Its output of postgraduates should satisfy the norms set by the NPHE.

[9] Graduates/enrolments as % for masters and doctoral qualifications

[9] Graduates/enrolments as % meets the NPHE benchmarks: 33% masters and 20% doctorates

[9] Based on enrolment and graduate totals for 1999 & 2000

STAFF OUTPUTS

Its academic staff should produce reasonable numbers of research outputs in the form of:

(10) research publications;

[10] Ratio of subsidy publication units to permanent academic staff members

[10] For universities: at least 1 subsidy publication unit per permanent academic per annum

For technikons: at least 0.5 weighted research units per permanent academic per annum

[10] Average subsidy publication units for 1998-1999 and permanent academics for 2000
 

EXPECTED FEATURES

INDICATORS

BENCHMARKS

DATA

A SA university or technikon should have at least the following features:

(11) masters and doctors graduates.

[11] Ratio of weighted total of masters plus doctoral graduates to permanent academic staff members

[11] For universities: 
at least 1 weighted masters plus doctoral graduates per permanent academic pa

For technikons: 
at least 0.5weighted masters plus doctoral graduates per full-time academic pa

[11] Average masters and doctors graduates for 1999-2000 and permanent academics for 2000

INSTITUTIONAL FEATURES

[12] It should be financially stable and sustainable.

[12] Assessment prepared by professional DoE consultant

[12] Assessment as a 'going concern' of at least 4 on 5-point scale:
5 = certain
4 = probable
3 = likely
2 = risky
1 = high risk

[12] Institutional financial tables for 2000