Latest Articles

Academic literacy is more than language, it's about critical thinking and analysis: universities should do more to teach these skills

Academic literacy is about far more than just good grammar and sentence structure. 

The debt situation in many African countries has escalated again to a critical juncture. Twenty are in, or at risk of, debt distress.

Three pivotal elements significantly contribute to this.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has given his approval to the Preventing and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill, which criminalises hate crimes and hate speech. 

The law also outlines the prosecution process for individuals who perpetrate these offences.

This Editorial comment arises from three recent personal encounters: my reading of an article on how to persuade others to change their opinion; reflections on a robust interaction I had with a shopper in a queue; and watching an interview with Minister Blade Nzimande on the recent Stellenbosch University Senate decision to

An estimated 23.6 million young Africans (aged 15-35) are unemployed – that’s one in 22 (4.5%).

One of the features of South Africa, currently, is the obsession with formal qualifications. This statement does not in any way deny the critical need to redress the historical exclusion from quality education. There is, however, a need for balance.

In the past four years it’s become increasingly common for part or all of a university student’s learning to happen online. This transition to digital learning platforms has highlighted the digital divide within educational contexts.

All graphics below reproduced with permission of the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO). 

 Academics with disabilities need support to ensure they’re fully included in university life. Very little research has been conducted about academics with disabilities working in South African universities. This means their stories, and the challenges they face in the daily demands of their jobs, are not often told.

In the world of work, the Employment Equity Act works towards equality of race and sex, to redress colonial and apartheid exclusion from quality education and work opportunities.  The democratic values of dignity, equality, and freedom are enshrined in the South African Constitution.