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Mail & Guardian
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Mail & Guardian
Advance academic excellence through transformation and internationalisation at SA universities
The brain circulation among academics is an international phenomenon that must be celebrated instead of being despised. In recent public discourse, questions have been raised about South African universities prioritising hiring foreign academics over local talent. These claims, though understandable in the broader context of our country's unemployment problem, require deeper interrogation and a nuanced understanding of the higher education landscape, history and its purpose. The little-understood or even misunderstood concept of internationalisation of higher education in South Africa also needs to be clarified. As context for our higher education system, South Africa is an open economy and an integral part of the global academic community. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, our universities must remain at the cutting-edge of international developments to maintain their relevance in society, and to foster their excellence, globally, and general sustainability. In today's knowledge-driven economy, learning is no longer bound by geographical borders. Institutions of higher learning must therefore actively work with global scholarly pursuits to ensure South Africa remains locally relevant while retaining competitiveness in global research, innovation and intellectual contributions. Data from the Higher Education Management Information System shows that foreign nationals constitute just over 12% of academic staff at South Africa's 26 public universities, with higher concentrations in science, engineering and health faculties. Data on international mobility of European researchers in higher education in 2019 shows a decrease in the share of internationally mobile researchers from 2012 to 2019. For those mobile for three or more months, the share fell from 31% in 2012 to 27% in 2019. For short-term mobility, the decrease has been more dramatic, from 41% to 32% in the same period. Excellence in academia transcends national boundaries. Talented people from all backgrounds drive innovative research, scientific progress and interdisciplinary knowledge. This global collaboration is at the heart of what is known as the internationalisation of higher education — an intentional effort to integrate global perspectives into higher education. Such efforts aim to enhance the quality, goals, and delivery of higher education and research. Neglecting this international dimension risks stagnation and missed opportunities for growth. Cross-border partnerships offer access to cutting-edge expertise, diverse viewpoints, and varied learning methods, fostering the cross-pollination of ideas essential for advancing knowledge. South Africa has long embraced internationalisation as a mechanism to enrich its academic content and environment. Our institutions benefit from global networks that facilitate funding opportunities, research partnerships which seek to advance new knowledge and innovations, and scholarly exchange programmes — all critical components of a thriving higher education ecosystem. These international connections are not a luxury but a necessity in ensuring that South African universities maintain their standing in global competitiveness and intellectual discourse. The modern academic landscape is shaped by the seamless exchange of ideas, facilitated by technology and international collaborations. No country can develop its knowledge economy in isolation, and South Africa is no exception. Higher education must occur within an environment where leading experts share discoveries and emerging trends without geographical constraints. Transformation an imperative Several factors contribute to the current staffing situation within our institutions. First, under apartheid, the majority of South Africans were systematically excluded from pursuing qualifications and careers in fields such as science, engineering and medicine. The legacy of these discriminatory policies persists today, making it necessary for universities to rely on foreign nationals to fill critical academic roles. As a result, the importation of advanced skills remains an ongoing reality for South African higher education, notwithstanding the need for internationalisation to enhance quality higher education and development of local skills. Second, academic careers have not always appealed to local professionals, particularly when the private sector offers significantly higher salaries for roles requiring fewer qualifications. Additionally, the widespread use of temporary contracts — accounting for about half of universities' staff — creates uncertainty that discourages those seeking long-term job security for themselves and their families. These conditions have contributed to the fact that only just over half of academics at South African universities hold PhD qualifications, which is a necessity for development of new knowledge, growth of higher education and also still falling short of the National Development Plan's goal of 75% by 2030. The historical exclusion of the majority population led to legislation promoting employment equity and workplace transformation to which our universities remain compliant. While universities strive to attract and retain local academics in pursuit of diversity, equity, and excellence, the scarcity of qualified local candidates often makes international recruitment a necessary strategy. Benefits of internationalisation Internationalisation and the development of local academic talent are not opposing goals. Rather, they are mutually reinforcing: each enhances the other's value and effectiveness. Prioritising opportunities for local scholars should go hand in hand with recognising that their growth is strengthened through international expertise. The presence of foreign academics in our institutions fosters mentorship, collaborative research and skills exchange, ultimately benefiting both local scholars and students. The cross-pollination of ideas and methodologies enriches academic discourse and drives innovation that serves both South Africa and the global community. Moreover, internationalisation does not equate to sidelining South African academics. On the contrary, many of our brightest minds have flourished through international exposure, and our universities remain committed to nurturing local talent through initiatives such as grants, postdoctoral fellowships, and programmes like the New Generation of Academics Programme, Nurturing Emerging Scholars Programme, and Future Professors Programme. These initiatives specifically support historically under-represented groups. Furthermore, many South African scholars have gone on to contribute meaningfully to global scholarship. Thus, the current public discourse, which seeks to dismiss the importance of links to international academic risks leading the nation down a harmful path. We cannot forget the damaging effects of apartheid-era academic isolation. As we continue to rebuild from that legacy, we must resist being misled by those who, under the guise of protecting national interests, advocate for a narrow and inward-looking approach. Our goal should not be exclusion but integration — creating dynamic universities where diverse, talented minds converge to shape a better future. A collaborative future Instead of viewing internationalisation as a threat to local employment, we should see it as an opportunity for shared progress. South African universities must continue to cultivate local academic talent while embracing global perspectives that drive innovation, research, and thought leadership. The focus should be on merit, strategic value, and academia's role in tackling societal challenges. As South Africa competes in a global knowledge economy, our institutions must stay internationally connected to ensure students and scholars benefit from the best expertise, regardless of national origin. Integrating international knowledge is not a dismissal of local talent but a strategic move to enhance our intellectual capacity. We must remember that true academic progress does not thrive on exclusion; it flourishes through diversity, shared inquiry and an unwavering commitment to excellence. By welcoming global perspectives while fostering homegrown talent, South African higher education will continue to drive effective solutions, groundbreaking discoveries, and transformative leadership that benefit not only our nation but the world. The question is not whether we should work internationally; it is how boldly we will position ourselves as a knowledge powerhouse in the years to come, drawing on both local and international talent. South Africa's universities have a choice: to insulate themselves or to lead. The path forward is clear — leadership through knowledge, collaboration and a global vision. Dr Phethiwe Matutu is the chief executive of Universities South Africa.
Mail & Guardian
21-05-2025
- Business
- Mail & Guardian
Fort Hare University: Lies and xenophobia distract from the jobs crisis
Fort Hare University, along with the Centre University of Technology, Free State, has been subjected to xenophobia accusations spread on social media. Photo: Supplied In the digital age, disinformation spreads faster than truth and when it cloaks itself in nationalism, the results can be toxic. In recent weeks, South Africa has witnessed a troubling convergence of events stoking xenophobic sentiment in the higher education sector. While MPs raised questions about the appointment of a foreign national to a senior position at the Though the two incidents are distinct, their timing has fed into a broader, dangerous narrative that scapegoats foreign academics for the structural failings of South Africa's labour market. This past week, a fabricated list naming supposed 'foreigners' in senior posts at the University of Fort Hare sparked xenophobic outrage online. Despite the university's The jobs crisis: Neoliberalism's legacy since 1996 To understand the current scapegoating of migrants, we must return to the government's 1996 shift to neoliberal economic policy through the Growth, Employment and Redistribution (Gear) strategy. Marketed as a plan to stabilise the economy and attract investment, Gear 1996 effectively abandoned the Reconstruction and Development Programme's (RDP) redistributive ambitions. In practice, Gear slashed public sector employment growth, reduced state intervention in the economy and privatised key assets contributing significantly to the collapse of local industries and job losses. The consequences are plain today. South Africa's unemployment rate as of 2025 sits at about 32.1%, if we go with the narrow official unemployment rate, which looks at people actively looking for work and are available to work. The expanded broad unemployment rate, which includes discouraged job seekers, sits at about 41.1%. The broad unemployment rate reflects the realities of South Africa today. That almost half of South Africans who are able to work, want to work and those who have given up on the hopes of finding work are unemployed. These are not the outcomes of an invasion of foreign workers, they are the legacy of a political class that outsourced development to the market and walked away from industrial planning and job creation. Yet instead of interrogating this economic betrayal, opportunists both in parliament and online have opted for the easier path: scapegoating. Contrary to the narrative that foreigners are 'stealing jobs', the data tells a very different story. According to Statistics South Africa and international estimates, foreign nationals make up only about Even among those in the formal economy, international employees are not the driving force behind job losses. In the higher education sector, where qualifications and global collaboration are critical, foreign nationals are often recruited specifically for their niche skills and research expertise. The University of Fort Hare, for example, reported that In 2024, it initiated a comprehensive organisational redesign to strengthen their academic mission. A total of 87 priority academic positions were identified and advertised, and 37 appointment letters were issued, all to South African scholars. For 2025, a further 59 posts were identified and are either currently being filled or advertised. Once filled, the institution said this would bring them closer to a 15% target of international academic staff and 85 South African nationals in line with best practices of establishments of higher education in emerging markets. To claim that this small demographic is blocking South Africans from employment is to confuse anecdote with analysis, and ideology with evidence. A manufactured moral panic What makes the xenophobic attack on Fort Hare so egregious is its complete detachment from institutional reality. The viral list circulated online contained names of people who no longer work at the university, never worked there or had already retired years ago. The university's official response debunked the list entirely, pointing out that its hiring policies follow South African labour law to the letter. Furthermore, the idea that universities are circumventing immigration law or encouraging 'illegal' migration is absurd. Universities are not immigration authorities and must abide by department of home affairs regulations when hiring foreign nationals. Yet this disinformation campaign gained traction, not because it was credible, but because it tapped into an existing undercurrent of resentment and nationalism, fuelled by real economic pain. Populist politicians and influencers exploit this pain not instead of healing it, they weaponise it offering a moral panic as a substitute for a political programme. But the higher education sector is not the enemy. Universities have suffered from austerity, budget cuts and declining public investment. It was at the beginning of the year when the same social media platforms showed the difference between the number of students with bachelor passes from their matric who applied to universities versus the number of applicants the universities across South Africa could actually accept given space constraints. There is a desperate need for the state to invest in more higher education institutions. They are being asked to do more with less: produce world-class research, grow student numbers and maintain international standards, all while salaries are frozen and staff are overburdened. Under such constraints, foreign scholars often take on work that locals avoid because of underpay, relocation or administrative burdens. Moreover, South African academics are increasingly leaving the country for better opportunities abroad particularly in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. Thus, demonising those who stay, or who arrive to contribute to our institutions, is self-defeating and irrational. Solutions: Economic reconstruction, not ethnic blame What we're witnessing is not new. South Africa has a long and violent history of xenophobic scapegoating, from the 2008 riots to the more recent Operation Dudula campaign. What is new is the growing complicity of political elites in fuelling these flames under the guise of 'patriotism' or 'transformation'. This is dangerous. It erodes social cohesion, distracts from the real issues and weakens the working class by dividing it. It also undermines South Africa's standing as a regional leader and progressive democracy. A country that attacks migrants for political gain cannot credibly claim to stand for Pan-Africanism, solidarity or justice. Blaming foreign nationals is not only analytically false it is morally bankrupt. If MPs and social commentators are truly concerned about unemployment, there are better ways to do so. Why isn't there a dedicated parliament committee investigating the Gear promise of 1996, where are the jobs the state is meant to be producing, the state being the biggest employer in the country, biggest landowner in the country? South Africa must reimagine a developmental path that focuses on: public-led job creation through expanded infrastructure, social services and industrial policy. As we speak right now a part of the country is obsessed with the effect of artificial intelligence technologies, and the rush into the fourth industrial revolution, yet the other part of the country is experiencing deindustrialisation, which causes unemployment, and incomplete phases of past industrial revolutions specifically the second and third industrial revolution. Job creation under such economic conditions will not be an easy task even if South Africa only had well wishing politicians. There is a growing need for support for informal workers and small traders, both migrants and locals working side by side. A need for investments in skills training, technical education and green economy industries; worker protections that promote decent work for all, regardless of origin; and a regional migration policy that treats migrants as contributors, not criminals. It is also time to revisit and critique the neoliberal consensus itself. Gear and its successors have failed to produce growth with equity. This was inevitable. New thinking must emerge that places redistribution, democratic planning and solidarity at the centre of economic policy. This is not naive idealism; it is the only path left if we are to avoid further instability, resentment and reaction. South Africa's jobs crisis is not a foreign problem, it is a domestic failure. It is the result of policy decisions that privileged capital over people, profits over livelihoods and market logic over justice. The enemies of progress right now are disinformation, austerity and the political cowardice that refuses to name the real culprits: decades of failed economic policy, elite enrichment and state neglect. Leroy Maisiri is a researcher and educator focused on labour, social movements and emancipatory politics in Southern Africa, with teaching and publishing experience in industrial economic sociology.
