On 28 November 2025, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) visited Sol Plaatje University (SPU) as part of a monitoring site visit for the University Capacity Development Programme (UCDP). The programme strengthens the higher education sector by advancing transformation in three key areas, student success, staff development and curriculum renewal.
The session was opened by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Learning, Professor Paul Green, who outlined how capacity development is being scaled even as programmes are rolled out. He described the UCDP at SPU as encompassing national initiatives including the New Generation of Academics Programme (nGAP) the University Staff Doctoral Programme (USDP), Teaching Advancement at Universities (TAU), Higher Education Leadership and Management (HELM) and the Nurturing Emerging Scholars Programme (NESP). He highlighted recent successes such as ten nGAP appointments in language and indigenous studies and three NESP positions as clear indicators of growing academic staffing that complements ongoing teaching.
Turning to teaching and learning infrastructure, Professor Green emphasised real time improvements to digital and pedagogic capacity. He noted the launch of the E-Learning Studio, the rollout of monthly e-pedagogy training across three levels, an Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education workshop, and a regular webinar series, all designed to strengthen teaching practice while courses remain live. Standardised Moodle templates and monthly Moodle Cafe sessions for staff and students were presented as practical measures to embed operational improvements alongside active instruction.
On academic development, Professor Green stressed the University’s commitment to nurturing early career scholars without disrupting existing duties. He pointed to writing workshops, nGAP foundation sessions and approvals for staff doctoral study under the USDP as investments that build research and teaching capacity in parallel with daily responsibilities. He closed his address by sharing the successful outcome and impact of the SPU Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Symposium which was held on 17 November 2025.
Ms Silindile Shabalala, Deputy Director for the UCDP, University Education branch, followed with a presentation outlining SPU’s strengths and areas for improvement. She commended the quality of SPU’s UCDP proposals, describing them as strong and well developed.
Ms Shabalala also urged SPU staff to ensure that UCDP activities remain firmly aligned with national policy frameworks including the National Development Plan 2030, the National Plan for Post School Education and Training 2021 to 2030 and the Ministerial Statement on University Funding. She reminded staff that planning and reporting must meet labour and immigration requirements and emphasised the importance of quality assurance in submissions, higher quality reports, robust new plans where necessary and the completion of outstanding Stellenbosch University’s Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (CREST) monitoring and evaluation training. She closed by highlighting upcoming sector events which include the nGAP induction workshop, the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education Awards, the National University Teaching Awards, a university led colloquium in March 2026 and the Future Professors Programme ceremony and encouraged active SPU participation.
Ms Tshegohatso Chifokoyo, SPU UCDP Manager, provided feedback on the implementation of the institutional UCDP 2024 plan as well as the new cycle institutional plan for 2025. SPU was commended for its sound management of the nGAP which stood out in comparison to the sector.
The DHET monitoring visit highlighted SPU’s clear momentum. The University is growing its academic capacity, rolling out new digital and teaching initiatives and investing in early career scholars while keeping classes running. With continued focus on quality, alignment with national priorities and active participation in sector initiatives, SPU is well placed to turn these gains into lasting impact.
The visit affirms SPU’s strategic commitment to academic excellence, digital innovation and capacity building. The positive feedback received from DHET shows that SPU’s investments in talent development, teaching innovation and institutional capability are being recognised at national level and this strengthens the University’s reputation as a growing center of academic leadership in the Northern Cape and beyond.
