Admission Policy Changes at UCT and HIV rates in Zimbabwe institutions : News from Southern Africa Higher Education

Cape Town’s new student admission policy sparks debate

the university’s new admissions policy is a hybrid procedure using three mechanisms for selection: one part of the class selected just on marks; a second component selected based on performance and ability, which takes account of school and home background; and a third component driven by achieving demographic targets based on an applicant's race and performance.

(University World News June 2014 Issue No:326)

Campuses hit by high number of HIV infections 

High numbers of new HIV infections are being recorded in tertiary institutions in Zimbabwe. It has become commonplace at graduation ceremonies for students to be awarded degrees or diplomas posthumously, after having succumbed to HIV-Aids.

 (University World News June 2014 Issue No:326)

China tops first BRICS and emerging economies ranking

China has dominated the first BRICS and emerging economies ranking published by Times Higher Education, or THE, taking 23 slots in the top 100 universities followed by Taiwan with 21. Peking and Tsinghua universities came first and second, and the University of Cape Town third.

5 South African universities are included in the listing.

Public universities are under assault

An unholy alliance is slowly forming between traditionalist defenders of the university as an "ivory tower" and market-obsessed modernisers determined to transform higher education into a consumer good. Both have come to the – mistaken – conclusion that the idea of the public university must be abandoned. For very different reasons, of course.