Inclusive Governance in Higher Education and Women Leadership Development in South Africa

By: Stanley Ehiane, 

Higher education has grown rapidly in the twenty-first century. Its expansion is a global phenomenon experienced by countries in all regions. Higher education in South Africa is through a pivotal phase of radical development. These movements are marked by institutional mergers and restructuring, similar to what has occurred in the Western world during the last 20 years. Over the years, the world of higher education has undergone significant change, which has had a significant impact on how it is governed and led. Many other social systems, including government, encourage and constrain connections between people at the individual, organizational, and global levels.

Governance is inclusive when it effectively serves and engages all people; when gender and other aspects of human identity are considered; and when institutions, policies, processes, and services are accessible, accountable, and responsive to all members of society.  On a global scale, the need for reform in higher education leadership, academic staff development, learning, and teaching has long been recognized.  Higher education administrators must be aware of how knowledge structures are changing, as well as how learning and teaching are organized, in light of the transformational changes taking place in South African society.

Inclusive higher education governance is a critical component of diversity, equity, and inclusiveness at universities with substantial indigenous student populations or stakeholder groups. In this world of diversified accountability, implementing governance mechanisms that properly represent and inclusively draw expertise from many different stakeholders across many domains of influence is a fundamental difficulty for university governance.

Higher education in South Africa is undergoing a revolution and is confronted with considerable challenges as a result of local and global development demands. Following the democratic elections in 1994, South Africans took a progressive stance on education policy, determined to overcome historical injustices and lay the groundwork for an inclusive and globally competitive future. It is vital to recognize that changes in higher education policy and practice occurred as part of a larger cultural transformation. Some argue that most post-apartheid education policymaking has been idealistic and symbolic, and that the new government’s approach has failed to sufficiently address critical concerns of equity, inclusion, and academic achievement.  The government, in particular, still has a lot of work to do to provide inclusive and economically priced education. In South Africa, inclusive education has been presented as a way of education that can help to sustain a democratic society, rather than simply another option for pupils.

Stakeholder participation in the governance of South Africa’s higher education institutions is a complex issue. This is because modern governance systems require stakeholder interaction to form the core of the management chain within firms. Because they are members of organizations, these stakeholders must work together to avoid disputes that can arise from silo operations. It is important to note that South African higher education institutions have never achieved institutional autonomy, in theory, or practice. However, some are of the views that South African colleges are managed using the political idea of cooperative governance. A governing council, academic senate, institutional forum, and student representative council may all be used to some extent.

The complex roles of councils, university leadership, senior administrators, professors, students, policymakers, and external stakeholders are key sources of issues in South Africa’s university governance structure. In South Africa, addressing women’s issues and involving them in politics and other social institutions is a conscious and purposeful political commitment. Women in South Africa have traditionally been considered lower class, regardless of their skin colour. To fight this discriminatory practice, the government created the Affirmative Action Act as part of a national initiative to correct historical imbalances. Women’s issues have to become more important in the corporate sector as well as government institutions. With the help of the Gender Policy Framework (GPF), policies aimed at redressing historical injustices were developed and enacted. This was done to give women equal opportunities in all sectors of the South African economy.

In academia, women are underrepresented in positions of leadership, authority, and decision-making. Women’s underrepresentation in higher education has improved, yet persists, particularly in senior management roles at African universities. Women have always been underrepresented in leadership roles in South African higher education institutions. Despite a slight increase in the number of women in executive roles at 23 South African institutions, the gender gap at this level remains excessive. There is still a significant gender imbalance in top management positions held by women in higher education institutions as compared to their male counterparts. As a result, the underrepresentation of women in executive positions in educational institutions remains a source of concern.  The experiences of women academic leaders in South Africa continue to be problematic in terms of access to senior leadership posts and gender disparities in professional and professorial promotion. Patriarchy, male-dominated institutional hierarchies, and networks, as well as alienating and discriminatory institutional norms and practices, are still prevalent in South Africa and continue to create insurmountable barriers to women’s advancement in leadership. The reform of higher education in South Africa, for example, required universities to create policies that would propel women into leadership positions.

Understanding the experiences of African women in leadership positions, as well as the obstacles and triumphs that affect them, is critical given the need for university restructuring and socioeconomic development. The importance of women’s representation, equity, and equality in management and leadership roles has been underlined as critical to achieving gender equality. Despite tremendous advances, higher education institutions in South Africa continue to be tacitly biased against women. To completely actualize South Africa’s successful transition, barriers to women’s leadership and higher education participation must be removed concurrently. Women’s advancement in South Africa is intimately linked to the country’s development.

In conclusion, the gender component of higher education is critical, and its activities should be designed through a joint consultation process. Higher education institutions must recognize that inclusive behaviours at all organizational levels foster positive, forward-thinking connections. This is because creative ideas aren’t usually the outcome of a specific gender or societal group. The South African government should also speed up the implementation of equality laws, as things have not progressed as expected. As a result, it is challenging to improve knowledge and acceptance of all South African children’s fundamental right to be accommodated in inclusive school communities.

Dr Stanley O. Ehiane is an academician and a researcher. He writes in his personal capacity.