The future of distance learning should become more clear as moves to merge the University of South Africa, Technikon South Africa (TSA) and the distance learning campus of Vista University get underway.
Franklin Sonn, former South African ambassador to the United States, is chairing the group of academics exploring the proposed merger between the Unisa, TSA and Vista.
Sonn said last month that the vice-chancellors of the three institutions had expressed support for the merger and committed their institutions to the process.
He said it was acknowledged that a common approach to some matters affecting the institutions concerned was already necessary. “Towards this end, no new infrastructure developments would be undertaken by any of the institutions and no new permanent senior staff appointments (up to the level of dean) would be made. A committee will be established by the institutions to co-ordinate the filling of posts during the transition to a single institution,” he said.
The Ministerial Working Committee, which includes the heads of the three institutions, are expected to start working soon on a vision for the new institution.
In addition, the institutions are expected to table their current profiles, with the Department of Education giving an overview of distance education provisioning by contact universities and technikons, and independent experts making an input on international benchmarks as well as possible structural models. – The Teacher/M&G Media, Johannesburg, September 2001.