structure101

Where it started

The Unit for Continuing Education was established in March 2017. This was a result of the Council for Higher Education (CHE) instructing all universities to institute centralised governance and management structures to ensure that the quality of the continuing education programmes they offer is of the highest standard.

At the NWU, various structures were integrated into the new unit. They include the Centre for Continuing Professional Development, the School for Business and Governance short course teams in Mahikeng and Potchefstroom, and the short learning programme teams of the Faculty of Education.

With education universally acknowledged as one of the keys to success, the NWU’s Unit for Continuing Education (UCE) is making sure that all continuing education courses at the institution are of the highest quality.

Continuing education refers to all short courses, short learning programmes and workshops that are not listed on the NWU’s formal programme and qualification mix.

The UCE has a chief director at the helm – a position that is currently vacant – and two directors. Ria Nel is the director for operations and Dr Sazi Kunene the director for business development.

“The UCE is a centralised unit that generates a stable income from non-subsidised sources,” says Ria. “With a presence on every campus, the UCE’s operational teams give administrative and logistical support to all the faculties that develop continuing education courses.”

Sazi adds that the UCE is tasked with the roll-out of a new continuing education business strategy for the NWU by expanding and diversifying the short course portfolio. This entails using differentiated modes of delivery, including online learning and open distance education.

New continuing education services will also be added, such as policy development, curriculum development and co-ordination support for recognition of prior learning implementation.