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the NDP, dovetails with ‘social inclusion’ as two of the primary signifiers for
transformation; this is a priority underscored by the review of the ITPs and the survey.

26. Despite the slipperiness of the concept, a broad meaning-making frame is emerging
around transformation that hinges on the following operational concepts: institutional
culture; curriculum and research; teaching and learning, equity and redress; diversity,
social cohesion and social inclusion; and social engagement. This meaning-making frame
can be interpreted as having the development of an inclusive narrative of progress and equality in
mind: one that can facilitate the fundamental reconstitution and re-expression of the nature and role of
the university in wider society in pursuit of the goals of social justice, democracy and human solidarity.

27. In general, the principles of transformation, the transformation themes; and the mandate
and roles of the university provide sufficient bases for the development of a heuristic,
definitional framework for higher education transformation borne from the accumulated
experiences of over twenty (20) years of debates, struggles and experiments aimed at the
‘transformation’ of higher education in South Africa.

28. Transformation of higher education is generally conceptualised around the following
principles, as expressed in the White Paper on Higher Education and Training of 1997:
equity and redress; democratisation; development; quality; effectiveness and efficiency;
academic freedom; institutional autonomy; and public accountability.

29. It is possible to combine the transformation themes with the transformation principles;
but, for conceptual clarity, we need to differentiate the layers along the following lines:

a. The mandates of universities (research, teaching and learning, community
engagement).
b. Principles of transformation (equity and redress; democratisation; development;
quality; effectiveness and efficiency; academic freedom; institutional autonomy;
and public accountability).
c. Themes of transformation (institutional culture; curriculum and research; teaching
and learning; equity and redress; diversity; social cohesion and social inclusion;
and community engagement).

30. The overlaps between mandate and themes can be tolerated conceptually given the
predisposition to interpret the principles from the standpoint of preservationist ideologies;
this is something higher education transformation practitioners should be mindful of.
Further, the mandates, principles and themes have to be situated within the mission, role,
objectives, tensions and contexts of higher education in South Africa, aptly captured in
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Badat’s writings (2006; 2007; 2010; 2013) . He further articulates five roles for higher
education (Badat, 2013:5-6):

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See Badat, 2007: The role of higher education must necessarily intersect and effectively engage with the economic and social
challenges of local, national, regional, continental and global contexts. These challenges include the imperatives of economic
growth and development; the ability to compete globally; job creation and the reduction/elimination of unemployment and
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NelsoN MaNdela UNiversity • traNsforMatioN iNdaba • 2022 91