56. MONEY

https://iono.fm/e/1176910 A World Bank report released on 9 March 2022, re-affirmed South Africa's distressing position of being the most unequal country in the world. Using the Gini coefficient metric which measures income and consumption disparities, South Africa had scored 60% which is considered highly unequal (Stoddard, 2022). While there are many factors that have contributed to this score, the glaring reality of it has been seen within South Africa's higher education sector: financial exclusion, high student debt, pay disparities for higher education staff, limited funding avenues in a fees-centred university ecosystem and scarce funding opportunities for new research projects and innovations. In this episode, three of our guests give their viewpoints of how the sector and government should be addressing these complexities, owing to our pasts of racial and economic inequalities and more recently, student and staff protests for ease […]

The Academic Citizen 25 April 2022

Consciousness

47: Public Intellectuals Revisited

In this episode, we continue our discussion on the role of public intellectuals and thought leaders in societies. Podcasts Hosts, Dr Nosipho Mngomezulu, Kholeka B Shange and guest Athambile Masola , a teacher, and a PhD researcher who blogs about education, feminism and politics, deliberate different forms of knowledge production and what qualifies for them to be accredited. They also engage on how cultures and institutions, through patriarchy and academic journals, for example, have become gatekeepers of knowledge and end up making certain voices privileged over others. This they argue, leaves no room for dissenting views and opinions and difference becomes a crisis normalized by gate keeping. [soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/339172838" params="color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /] Produced, Edited, Scheduled and Researched by: Simbarashe Honde

The Academic Citizen 23 August 2017

Podcast

23: Academic Freedom in Turkey

Prof Serdar Değirmencioğlu joins The Academic Citizen to provide some insight into the state of higher education in Turkey. This conversation follows from systematic and recurring dismissals and suspensions of thousands of academics and other government workers, including Değirmencioğlu, since July 2016. Restrictions on academics' work and international travel have weakened Turkey's higher education system while the Turkish government, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, further entrenches its authoritarian regime. [soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/285068825" params="color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /] We also get some student perspectives on academic freedom and the current situation in Turkey. Read this statement, which was released on Tuesday 27 September 2016. Photo Credit: Trevor Pritchard

The Academic Citizen 28 September 2016

Podcast

22: The Commission of Inquiry into HE

Professor Hlonipha Mokoena joins The Academic Citizen to discuss the fees and funding debates regarding higher education in South Africa. Mokoena explains the work of eight-member Wits Panel that delivered a report titled 'Funding Model(s) for Higher Education in South Africa' to the Commission of Inquiry into Higher Education and Training, chaired by Justice Heher. Some of the the proposed solutions include re-defining the concept of 'fees' and drawing on corporate, government and university revenues in order to fund higher education. The panel also included Professors Roger Gibson, Laetitia Rispel, Christopher Malikane, David Hornsby, Cathi Albertyn, Mtendeweka Mhango and Dr Nthatisi Khatleli. [soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/283942890" params="color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /] We also chat to some students about the work of the panel and the funding crisis in South Africa’s higher education sector. Download the full report. Photo credit: Francois Swanepoel

The Academic Citizen 21 September 2016

Africa

21: Virtual Learning in Uganda

This week, Prof Deirdre Carabine joins the podcast to introduce the Virtual University of Uganda (VUU), Africa's first fully-functional online education platform for postgraduate studies. Carabine discusses the online learning tools, fee structure and how technological advances can create new opportunities for the future of learning in Africa. We also chat to some students about their experiences with online learning and their opinions of VUU. [soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/282836859" params="color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /] Photo credit: Olu Eletu

The Academic Citizen 14 September 2016

Podcast

20: Tensions at British Universities

In this week's episode, Goldsmiths College Professor Natalie Fenton joins The Academic Citizen to discuss the state of higher education in the United Kingdom. Fenton explains the student protests against fees that emerged in 2010, as well as rent strikes that happened this year. She also discusses ongoing industrial action by academic staff and the impact of marketisation and Brexit on the higher education sector. We chat to some students about their knowledge of higher education in the UK and get their opinions of recent events. [soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/281762344" params="color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /] To read more about Fenton's views, read the articles below: Brexit: inequality, the media and the democratic deficit Three-D Issue 26: From Green to Gold: reclaiming our universities Click here to read more about her latest book "Digital Political Radical". Photo credit: Andrew Moss

The Academic Citizen 7 September 2016

Podcast

18: Global University Rankings

The Editor of Times Higher Education World University Rankings, Phil Baty, joins The Academic Citizen to discuss the importance of global university rankings and how they work. Baty says that rankings bodies use different criteria and methodologies to "rate" higher education institutions. Therefore, it is important to look beyond face value and deeper into the details of the data. We also chat to some students about their experiences with and understanding of global university rankings. [soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/279687817" params="color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /] Follow the World University Rankings on Twitter. Photo Credit: Raquel Martínez

The Academic Citizen 24 August 2016

Podcast

15: The Politics of Language in HE

Dr Nomalanga Mkhize joins The Academic Citizen to think through the role of multiple languages in higher education. We explore how language shapes meaning and how assimilation to Anglo-Saxon norms and culture have influenced attitudes towards indigenous languages. She suggests that a multi-idiomatic approach could assist the transformation project in higher education institutions in South Africa. We also get some views from students who question the importance of language in South Africa's democratic era. [soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/275632818" params="color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /] Read more about Nomalanga's views on language, history and education by following the links below: On Language and Disruptive Pedagogy Black social capital should not be wasted Education for the elite lacks local intelligence Learn more about Siyafunda: isiZulu, a children's language education initiative that is crowdfunding via Thundafund by following this link. Photo credit: Thomas Hawk

The Academic Citizen 27 July 2016

Podcast

14: HE and Unemployment – A View from Nigeria

Misan Rewane, the Director of Lagos-based organisation, West Africa Vocational Education (WAVE), joins this week's episode. We reflect on higher education in Nigeria and explore the merits of 'vocational education' as a tool for unemployed youths to gain skills and improve their access to steady employment. We also get some student opinions on whether a vocational or academic education is more relevant for African youths today. [soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/274516599" params="color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /] Read about Misan's work by visiting the links below: University degrees are not the answer for Africa’s unemployed youth Be like Misan Rewane and Move Back to Nigeria to Positively Impact the Lives of Others In Nigeria, university degrees can lead to poverty Photo by Rajmund Dabrowski

The Academic Citizen 20 July 2016

Podcast

13: Student Politics Now

The President of the Student Representative Council (SRC) at the University of Cape Town, Rorisang Moseli, addresses the state of student politics in South Africa today and shares his views on protest, transformation and the student experience in South Africa's public universities. [soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/273474828" params="color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /] Photo by Schalk Van Zuydam

The Academic Citizen 13 July 2016

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higher education

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