Dr Gary Paul, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Resources and Operations at the Central University of Technology (CUT), participated in an informative online dialogue on 28 August 2020 that formed part of the Division of Student Affairs Dialogue Series at the University of the Free State (UFS). The topic of this conversation was “How COVID-19 is shaping the current and future landscape of the higher education in South Africa.” Co-panellists included Prof. Philippe Burger, UFS and Dr Blandine Manditereza, Motheo TVET.

Dr Paul emphasised that the CUT’s Business Continuity Financial Plan is in place as a means of mapping up possible future financial scenarios related to the academic project at CUT. The CUT also addressed and adapted to the COVID-19 situation along strong collaboration with organised labour and the student community. Tracking through the adjusted education landscape does not only require input from a few universities in the SA Higher Education sector, but will require the pooling of efforts and resources from the entire SA Higher Education community. This approach, he added, resonates with Kwame Gyeke’s notion of communitarianism.

Furthermore, Dr Paul referred to the need for socially-directed technological innovation to future proof communities from economic exclusion, and afford more students the opportunity to participate in blended learning strategies and the mainstream economy for that matter. Current collaborations with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offers CUT the opportunity to learn from their socially-directed technological innovation approaches, and emphasised the need to contextualise these approaches for purposes of harnessing indigenous knowledge resources. Now is the time to mould content and delivery modes that suit our population best.

Much was shared during the hour and a half session, but the message is clear: There is no going back. Blended learning is inevitable but will not become the norm overnight. These migrations take time, resources, and effort. However, regional universities and colleges will become the “craft” institutions of education – personalised, not mass produced, and authentic. Ultimately, the choice will lie with the user – in this case the student – to pick a product that will suit them, and best prepare them for a career.