April 25, 2025

New SAPHE CoP Focuses on Quality Assurance

The launch meeting of SAPHE’s Community of Practice (CoP) for Quality Assurance on 15 April was an explosion of ideas and energy. The value of a dedicated platform for members to engage on quality assurance (QA) matters was immediately evident, as participants enthusiastically identified key topics for discussion, knowledge sharing, and the exchange of best practices.


The vital thread of QA


Quality Assurance is a cornerstone of higher education, underpinning the integrity and effectiveness of academic offerings and institutional operations. From marketing and student recruitment to graduation, the QA thread is tightly woven through every stage of the student journey.


Engaging questions, meaningful conversations


“How do we measure quality, and how do we evidence quality?” These thought-provoking questions, posed by the session facilitator Dr Franzel du Plooy-Cilliers—SAPHE Vice-Chair and responsible for liaison with regulatory bodies—sparked dynamic and insightful discussions. Attendees shared their experiences and explored ways to support one another in preparing for institutional audits, benchmarking across institutions, and embedding quality throughout institutional processes.


Looking ahead



The conversation has laid the foundation for what promises to be a series of meaningful engagements as the CoP continues to grow and evolve. 

Community engagement in higher education: From conversation to action

April 15, 2025
Often seen as the “stepchild” of higher education, community engagement (CE) took centre stage during SAPHE’s Faranani session held on 10 April.

Excellence in action: SAPHE Faranani session inspires!

March 25, 2025
Faranani means "working together," and that’s exactly what SAPHE’s Faranani session on 20 March was all about! The session started with a brief discussion on the 2025 SAPHE Excellence Awards categories and evaluation criteria. This was followed by an inspiring presentation from TSIBA, the 2024 winner of the Excellence Award for Community Engagement. TSIBA didn’t just showcase what a winning entry looks like—they demonstrated what education with real social impact truly means.  TSIBA’s John Durr and Earl-Djehuti Erasmus took attendees through their Social Entrepreneurship and Leadership Development experiential learning programmes. Designed to drive social, economic, and educational impact, these programmes highlight the transformative power of education. By providing meaningful, applied learning experiences, these programmes empower students while making a tangible difference in the communities they come from or will serve in the future. The results? Well-rounded graduates, thriving start-ups, and a ripple effect of positive change. Kudos to TSIBA! The Faranani session illustrated the power of collaboration, offering SAPHE members valuable insights from TSIBA’s award-winning approach. Together, we continue to shape a sector that makes a real difference through education!

First SAPHE Community of Practice Launched!

February 21, 2025
“Let’s work together, share, and learn from one another!”—This spirit of collaboration set the tone for the launch of SAPHE’s first Community of Practice (CoP) on 12 February. Dedicated to professionals in Library and Information Services (LIS) at SAPHE member institutions, the CoP kicked off with an engaging event attended by around 60 participants. When the idea of establishing CoPs was discussed at the SAPHE member meeting, it was no surprise that LIS staff led the way. Their dynamic and interactive workshop in 2024 laid the groundwork for what is now a formal platform for discussions, knowledge-sharing, workshops, and collective problem-solving. The LIS CoP will be led by Lianda Coetzer (Akademia), supported by team members Irvine Kadzenga (The IIE), Michelle Coates (IMM Graduate School), Unathi Solora (The IIE), and Nqobile Ndlovu (Cornerstone).  We look forward to the impact this CoP will have in fostering collaboration and innovation in LIS!
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