451 / 547
My brief
• The conference theme: ‘Imagining a vision of Student Success in the 21
st
century…’
•
inviting us to think creatively about ‘the big picture’
•
a decisive break with old, unsuccessful patterns of provision and performance?
•
But plans are only as good as their implementability
•
so equally important to confront the challenges frankly and realistically
•
not to discourage but to target developmental actions
•
Key questions
–
around which this presentation is structured
:
1.
What does student success mean, especially in view of South Africa’s
transformation imperatives?
2. Why should it be at the heart of the higher education agenda?
3. What will it take to put it there, at system and institutional level?
4. What will it take to ensure that substantial improvement happens?
2