Key challenges facing the South African academic profession at the interfaces of management, interaction with the international academic community and service for society

The recent spate of changes in university management worldwide should be carefully considered, interrogated and assessed against its impact on the capacity of the university fulfilling its unique role in society. For various justifiable reasons, South African higher education has been finding itself under the spotlight of the international community since 1994. The article surveys the South African academic profession vis à vis the changes that have been taking place regarding university governance and management. It is concluded that the South African academic profession, as far as (de jure and de facto) governance and management are concerned, find themselves sandwiched between two forces: from national and institutional governance on top, and the student corps from the bottom. This threatens the very survival of the university. A new exercise surveying the South African academic profession, as provided for by the Academic Profession in Knowledge Society (APIKS) international survey of the academic profession currently taking place, appears both timous and promising.

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The South African Academic Profession: Personal Characteristics, Career Trajectories, Identities and Sense of Commitment

Biographies and Careers throughout Academic Life ◽

10.1007/978-3-319-27493-5_6 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 89-102

Author(s):

Charl C. Wolhuter ◽

Philip Higgs ◽

Leonie G. Higgs

Keyword(s):

South African ◽

Personal Characteristics ◽

Academic Profession ◽

The South ◽

Career Trajectories

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How affluent is the South African higher education sector and how strong is the South African academic profession in the changing international academic landscape?

South African Journal of Higher Education ◽

10.4314/sajhe.v24i1.63437 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

Author(s):

CC Wolhuter ◽

P Higgs ◽

LG Higgs ◽

I Ntshoe

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

South African ◽

Academic Profession ◽

Education Sector ◽

The South ◽

African Higher Education ◽

South African Higher Education

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A review of biodiversity reporting by the South African seafood industry

South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences ◽

10.4102/sajems.v21i1.1959 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kieran Usher ◽

Warren Maroun

Keyword(s):

South African ◽

Reporting Quality ◽

Academic Community ◽

Habitat Destruction ◽

The South ◽

Corporate Reporting ◽

Seafood Industry ◽

African Context ◽

Financial Disclosures

Background: Biodiversity reporting is an area of sustainability accounting research that has received comparatively little attention from the academic community. This is despite the growing scientific concern about climate change, habitat destruction and extinction of species and mounting evidence on the implications of these environmental issues for our current way of life. This necessitates additional research on biodiversity reporting, especially in a South African context given that the country is home to some of the richest biodiversity regions on earth. Aim: This research examines what information companies in the South African seafood industry are reporting on biodiversity. This includes the development and application of an easy-to-use disclosure scorecard to track the quality of biodiversity-related disclosures. Setting: The study focuses on South African biodiversity reporting. The choice of region is informed by the country’s significant marine resources and mature corporate reporting environment, where non-financial disclosures are expected to be well developed. Methods: Content analysis was used to collect data from a sample of companies’ integrated and sustainability reports. The data were analysed interpretively to determine what biodiversity disclosures companies provide and the quality of those disclosures. Conclusion: The study shows that while the quantum of biodiversity reporting is relatively low, some companies are starting to provide more detailed accounts of their biodiversity impact, pointing to higher levels of reporting quality. There is still room for improvement, but these findings suggest that reporting on non-financial sustainability issues is maturing and that companies are beginning to appreciate the importance of preserving biodiversity for ensuring long-term sustainability.

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