Rhodes University Vice-Chancellor's Forum Fosters 'Constructive Dialogue' on Higher Education's Challenges

By: Qiqa Penxa

South Africa’s tertiary education landscape continues to reflect the broader tensions and aspirations of a society still navigating the long shadow of inequality. While access to higher education has expanded significantly since the end of Apartheid, universities across the country continue to grapple with questions of transformation, equity, financial sustainability, and relevance in a rapidly changing world. Within this complex environment, spaces for open, reflective dialogue, especially between students and the people who lead and shape institutions, become valuable and essential.

On Tuesday, 6 August 2025, Rhodes University SRC hosted the Vice Chancellor's Forum as part of its annual Leadership Week programme. Themed “Constructive Dialogue for a Shared Solution,” the forum brought together students, staff, and academic leaders for an honest conversation about the state of higher education in South Africa and the roles each of us plays in shaping it. Held in the GLT auditorium, the event featured a panel of very distinguished speakers: Professor Sizwe Mabizela, Vice-Chancellor of Rhodes University; Professor Yunus Ballim, Emeritus Professor and former Vice-Chancellor of Sol Plaatje University; Dr Nelson Muffuh, Head of the United Nations South Africa; and Dr Irene Mohasoa, senior higher education policy veteran. The forum was facilitated by student leader Putuma Balintulo, who shepherded the evening’s debate with clarity, patience, and a shrewd sense of what was at stake.

What followed was not a one-dimensional debate, but a thoughtful and measured teasing out of the issues facing universities today. Professor Ballim acknowledged that while most South African institutions have achieved a great deal of policy-level change, the daily lives of many students, especially those from historically disadvantaged groups, remain covered by setbacks. He noted that universities must also invest in support, mentorship, and inclusion systems to ensure students can access education and thrive.

Dr Mohasoa added to this by emphasising the importance of institutional culture. She pointed out how issues of inequality and exclusion still dwell in potent forms, through curriculum design, language use, and assumptions about who belongs in specific academic spaces. Her call was unambiguous: universities must open their doors and transform what goes on inside them to work in the public interest.

Responding to an audience question about why some students struggle to adjust to university-level academics, Professor Mabizela offered a sympathetic and practical perspective. Although he stated that he firmly believes in the mission of universities, young people also need to be honest about what kind of educational pathway best suits them. “Sometimes the university environment may not be the right fit,” he said. “That doesn’t mean a student has failed; their strengths and interests may align better elsewhere.” He highlighted the importance of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges as a valuable and often overlooked alternative, encouraging students to familiarise themselves with these institutions. He continued explaining how there is unnecessary pressure for all matriculants to attend university. Students should take away from this that what matters most is not the status of where you go, but whether you are learning the right skills for your desired future. His words were a plea for educational integrity and self-knowledge.

This issue was made even more urgent during the question-and-answer period, when another student in the audience raised a concern regarding financial exclusion at Rhodes University. The question was direct and addressed a frustration felt by many in the sector. Professor Mabizela provided a direct and unequivocal answer: “I do not tolerate financial exclusion, especially for a student doing extremely well academically. We must seek means of cultivating excellence, not punishing it.” While the speakers acknowledged the systemic limitations on universities, such as underfunding, infrastructure backlogs, and national policy inflexibilities, they also saw opportunities for creative problem-solving, shared responsibility, and leadership accountable to the people it serves.

Dr Nelson Muffuh joined virtually and contributed a global perspective on the role of youth leadership in shaping inclusive development encapsulating the spirit of the forum: “We must be guardians of peace and protection.” The quote served as a reminder that leadership, especially in education, is not so much about authority or expertise. It is about empathy, listening and being serious about the proposition that universities exist to protect not only knowledge but also human beings, their futures, aspirations, and dignity.

As the session drew close, it became clear that the Vice Chancellor’s Forum was not designed to provide neat solutions or simplistic answers. Instead, it offered a space for reflective listening, provocative questioning, and collective thinking. It reminded everyone present, from undergraduate students to professors to policymakers, that everyone has a stake in the future of education. Those words will not shape this future but will be shaped by the ongoing practice of dialogue, care, action, and courageous decision-making.

At a time when public trust in institutions is more vulnerable, moments like these remind us of the importance of face-to-face contact between students and those to whom institutional leadership has been given. They start to rebuild the connective tissue of university life, not just by official design, but through open human meetings. The issues in South African universities are deep and long-standing. But if this forum is anything to go by, there remains an openness to listen, reflect, and lead differently within the system. That is a starting point worth holding onto.