There has been growing concern in the higher education sector in South Africa about the high number of students with low academic literacy (AL) levels who are gaining entry into the sector. This influx necessitated the introduction of academic literacy interventions which are aimed at supporting these students in meeting the academic literacy requirements of university education. As a result, the tertiary sector has seen a growing number of AL interventions, each catering for a different context. However, the available literature reports very little substantial evidence on the impact/effectiveness of such interventions regarding the purpose for which they have been designed. The Vaal Triangle Campus (VTC) of the North-West University has also found that the majority of first year students who register at this Campus in order to attain a tertiary qualification, show inadequate levels of academic literacy in English. However, the academic literacy intervention that is currently used at this campus has never been formally assessed for its effectiveness in improving students’ academic literacy levels. The purpose of the current study was therefore to investigate the impact of the academic literacy intervention on students’ academic literacy levels. This intervention, which consists of two complementary semester modules, is offered over a one-year period to new first year students. As a first step, a comprehensive literature survey was conducted on important changes that took place in the tertiary education sector after 1994. The reason for this enquiry is based on the fact that many of these changes, such as the ‘massification’ of tertiary education, had far-reaching consequences for the tertiary sector in terms of more underprepared students who gained access to university education. Furthermore, available literature on the types of academic literacy interventions in South Africa, as well as specific sources on the reported impact of such interventions, were critiqued. The empirical part of the study made use of both a qualitative and quantitative research paradigm in order to investigate the impact of the AL intervention at the VTC. A highly reliable academic literacy test (the TALL – Test of Academic Literacy Levels) was used to determine whether students showed any significant improvement in their levels of academic literacy as a result of the intervention. This study reports positive findings in this regard. The investigation further gathered opinion-based data through the administration of three questionnaires aimed at determining student and lecturer perceptions of the impact of the intervention. The main findings of the two student questionnaires (one administered for each AL module) show that students generally see the value in attending the academic literacy modules because they feel that they derive benefit from them. The findings of the lecturer survey indicate that although mainstream lecturers are acutely aware of the low academic literacy levels of their students, they do not see the impact of the intervention on improving such levels. They are further not very knowledgeable about what the focus of the intervention entails. The main conclusion of this study is, in brief, that the academic literacy intervention has a definite effect on the improvement of students’ academic literacy levels. However, no conclusive data was found to support the idea that the improvement was due only to the influence of the intervention. / MA (Applied Language Studies), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2014

There has been growing concern in the higher education sector in South Africa about the high number of students with low academic literacy (AL) levels who are gaining entry into the sector. This influx necessitated the introduction of academic literacy interventions which are aimed at supporting these students in meeting the academic literacy requirements of university education. As a result, the tertiary sector has seen a growing number of AL interventions, each catering for a different context. However, the available literature reports very little substantial evidence on the impact/effectiveness of such interventions regarding the purpose for which they have been designed. The Vaal Triangle Campus (VTC) of the North-West University has also found that the majority of first year students who register at this Campus in order to attain a tertiary qualification, show inadequate levels of academic literacy in English. However, the academic literacy intervention that is currently used at this campus has never been formally assessed for its effectiveness in improving students’ academic literacy levels. The purpose of the current study was therefore to investigate the impact of the academic literacy intervention on students’ academic literacy levels. This intervention, which consists of two complementary semester modules, is offered over a one-year period to new first year students. As a first step, a comprehensive literature survey was conducted on important changes that took place in the tertiary education sector after 1994. The reason for this enquiry is based on the fact that many of these changes, such as the ‘massification’ of tertiary education, had far-reaching consequences for the tertiary sector in terms of more underprepared students who gained access to university education. Furthermore, available literature on the types of academic literacy interventions in South Africa, as well as specific sources on the reported impact of such interventions, were critiqued. The empirical part of the study made use of both a qualitative and quantitative research paradigm in order to investigate the impact of the AL intervention at the VTC. A highly reliable academic literacy test (the TALL – Test of Academic Literacy Levels) was used to determine whether students showed any significant improvement in their levels of academic literacy as a result of the intervention. This study reports positive findings in this regard. The investigation further gathered opinion-based data through the administration of three questionnaires aimed at determining student and lecturer perceptions of the impact of the intervention. The main findings of the two student questionnaires (one administered for each AL module) show that students generally see the value in attending the academic literacy modules because they feel that they derive benefit from them. The findings of the lecturer survey indicate that although mainstream lecturers are acutely aware of the low academic literacy levels of their students, they do not see the impact of the intervention on improving such levels. They are further not very knowledgeable about what the focus of the intervention entails. The main conclusion of this study is, in brief, that the academic literacy intervention has a definite effect on the improvement of students’ academic literacy levels. However, no conclusive data was found to support the idea that the improvement was due only to the influence of the intervention. / MA (Applied Language Studies), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2014

Published Article / One of the main tasks of universities is to prepare students for an academic or professional career, and to make them responsible members of society by giving them the motivation and skills to create a better future. Education for Sustainable Development is a core feature of education in a university of the 21th century and in society. In a university, it has two aspects: firstly, to educate students and to help future academics to contribute to sustainable development, secondly, to contribute to sustainability and to spread education for sustainable development in the community. We consider examples of successful cooperation between the university and its stakeholders via projects that are relevant for education for sustainable development. We analyse the success factors and the educational and sustainability impacts of these projects.

Dit is nie oordrewe om te beweer dat die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwyssisteem tans midde-in 'n krisis staan nie. Dat ook die tersiere onderwyssektor ten nouste deur die omvang van hierdie krisis geraak word, kan nie betwis word nie. Die dilemma soos wat dit huidig binne die onderwys manifesteer, is direk herleibaar tot die jarelange apartheidsbeleid van die verlede. Dit is besonderlik die tersiere onderwyssektor wat 'n onvoldoende verrekening van die behoeftes van die gemeenskap weerspieel - veral die onderwysgerigte probleme en uitdagings binne die breer Afrikakonteks. In 'n poging om die onderwysspeelveld gelyk te maak, is indringende veranderings en hervormings besig om plaas te vind aan die bree onderwysfront. Verskeie onderwysimperatiewe tree na vore:Regstellings met betrekking tot die diskrepansie in onderwysstandaarde; Die toekomstige onderwysbehoeftes van die groeiende bevolking wat geakkommodeer moet word; Opgeleide mannekrag wat voorsien moet word ten einde 'n lewensvatbare en progressiewe ekonomie te verseker Die eiesoortige probleme van groot massas individue wat ongeskoold is of wat beskik oor 'n minderwaardige skoolopleiding, wat aangespreek moet word. Een van die grootste struikelblokke wat staan in die weg om die voorgenoemde probleemareas daadwerklik aan te spreek, is dosente aan tersiere onderwysinstansies se oenskynlike gebrek aan toereikende onderrig- en begeleidingsvaardighede. In die literatuurstudie is verskeie navorsingsbevindinge aangehaal wat daarop dui dat die meerderheid dosente vasgevang is in 'n nimmereindigende gejaag na die verwerwing van kwalifikasies en die publisering van navorsingsresultate - ongelukkig ten koste van doeltreffende onderrig en begeleiding van studente. Hierbenewens het dit ook aan die lig gekom dat meer as 80% van alle dosente aan geselekteerde tersiere onderwysinstansies in Suid-Afrika, oor geen vorm van formele onderrigkwalifikasies beskik nie.n Vraelys is ontwikkel ten einde te bepaal tot watter mate bevestiging vir die literatuurbevindinge in die praktyk gevind kon word en ook om dosente se algemene persepsies te toets met betrekking tot die doseerprofessie in sy geheel. Daar is veral klem gele op die onderskeie komponente van dosentskap - begeleiding en onderrig, navorsing, administrasie en gemeenskapsdiens. Drie bree kategoriee dosente is betrek by die studie, naamlik diegene verteenwoordigend van: Histories Afrikaanse Instellings; Histories Engelse Instellings; en Histories Swart Instellings. Uit hoofde van die bevindinge van die empiriese ondersoek, is praktykgerigte riglyne vir onderrig en begeleiding binne andragogiese konteks neergele. / It is not an exaggeration to maintain that the educational system in South Africa finds itself in the midst of a crisis. It can furthermore not be denied that tertiary education in particular is profoundly involved in this crisis. The dilemma which presently manifests in the educational sector is without doubt the result of the prolonged apartheidspolicy of the past. The tertiary sector, in particular, reflects an inadequate consideration of the unique needs of the broader community. In an effort to level the educational playfield, incisive changes and reconstruction are currently taking place in the broader educational sector. Various educational imperatives emerge:Affirmative action with regard to the discrepency in educational standards have to be addressed; The future educational needs of the growing South African population have to be accommodated; Qualified manpower that has to be provided so as to ensure a viable and progressive economy; The unique problems of large numbers of individuals who are unskilled or who are in possession of an inferior school education, have to be considered. A major obstacle in the way of addressing the aforementioned problem areas, is lecturers' apparent lack of sufficient teaching and accompaniment skills. Various research findings are quoted which point to the fact that the majority of lecturers are trapped in a spiral of obtaining qualifications and publishing research findings. This process unfortunately impacts negatively on effective teaching and the accompaniment of students. ·A related finding confirms that more than 80% of all lecturers at selected tertiary institutions in South Africa are not in possession of a professional teaching qualification. A questionnaire was developed in order to establish to which degree confirmation could be found in practice for the literature findings and also to establish lecturers' general perceptions with regard to the teaching profession. Emphasis was placed on the different components of the lecturing task. Three broad categories of lecturers were involved in the study, namely those representing: Historically Afrikaans Institutions; Historically English Institutions; and Historically black institutions. In view of the findings of the empirical study, practice-based guidelines for teaching and accompaniment within andragogical context were put forward. / Educational Studies / D.Ed. (Orthopedagogics)

In this thesis I advocate and evidence ESD through understanding and analysing the ecology of change in educational organisations, in particular Tertiary Education (TE), during the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (UNDESD, 2005-2014). I draw on my portfolio of research that examined various aspects of the efforts to mainstream ESD during this decade. My publications, which are referred to in this thesis, are based on experience of my own practice as lecturer, educational development manager and advocate of ESD at local, national and global level. My research approach is broadly based on action research principles. I argue that, to fully understand this complex change process, it is necessary to appreciate the role of the underpinning, and often conflicting, values in TE and how they influence the adoption of ESD. I further discuss the influence of both ‘top-down’ approaches, that are expressed in policies and frameworks, and ‘bottom-up’ approaches that are instigated by communities and individuals with special interests. The influence of the learning environment itself is also examined. Lastly, I make the case that the employment of appropriate action research methodologies can help with gaining a better understanding of this process as well as play a part in the process itself.

The tertiary education environment has become known for its stressful working conditions. Factors such as high work demands (i.e. work overload, excessive time demands and work pressure) and insufficient resources (i.e. limited developmental possibilities, poor performance feedback, lack of support, etc.) all contribute to these stressful circumstances. As a result, these circumstances can cause employees to experience negative interferences between their work and nonwork roles. In addition, employees do not have adequate time to invest in their nonwork domains, hence nonwork roles are neglected (such as being a parent, being a spouse, spending time on domestic activities and spending time on religious/spiritual activities). To decrease these negative interferences, it is important for employees to recover from strains that were activated at work. The objectives of this study were to determine 1) which demands and resources significantly predicted work-nonwork interference among employees working in a tertiary education institution; and 2) which recovery strategies were significant in dealing with high levels of work-nonwork interference caused by high demands and a lack of resources. A random sample of 366 married parents was taken from a tertiary education institution in the North-West Province. A list was obtained of all the married parents of the institution. All of these employees were given the choice to participate in the research. A measuring battery measuring job demands (i.e. work pressure, emotional demands and cognitive demands), job resources (i.e. autonomy, social support and developmental possibilities), work-nonwork interference (i.e. work-parent, work-spouse, work-domestic and work-religion/spirituality) and recovery strategies (psychological detachment, relaxation, mastery and control) respectively was utilised in this study. Descriptive and inferential statistics, Cronbach alpha coefficients, Pearson product-moment correlations and stepwise multiple regression, using the enter method, were used to analyse the data. The results indicate that work pressure and emotional demands significantly predict interference between all four nonwork roles. Additionally, autonomy and developmental possibilities significantly predicted work-parent and work-religion/spirituality interference respectively. Furthermore, all of the recovery strategies decreased specific worknonwork interference. Psychological detachment decreased the interference between the workspouse relationship and the work-religion/spirituality relationship. Relaxation predicted the decrease of interference between the following relationships: work-parent, work-spouse, and work-domestic. Mastery and control only significantly predicted the decrease of interference between the work-parent relationship and between the work-domestic activities respectively. Various recommendations were made for tertiary education institutions as well as for future research. Tertiary education institutions should manage high job demands by examining employees’ workload and job descriptions. Managers could possibly diminish work pressure and emotional demands by means of courses/workshops pertaining to self-management, time and organisational skills, emotional intelligence and/or coping with emotions. Tertiary education institutions should also focus on supporting employees who experience work-nonwork interferences and manage it effectively. In addition, the awareness of recovery and various recovery strategies should be promoted. Recommendations for future research include expanding the research to other occupational groups, longitudinal research designs, obtaining various opinions and perspectives of individuals also involved in the work-nonwork dyad and the study of the positive interaction between the work and nonwork roles. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011

This thesis deals with the recent issue of increased number of university students. It entails the problematic success on the labor market or reduction of quality of the particular studies. This research focuses not only on the Czech Republic region but also on some other chosen countries contending with the very similar issue. This thesis follows the analogous paper of Jan Keller and Lubor Tvrdý: "Vzdělanostní společnost? Chrám, výtah a pojišťovna". Classical statistical research and questionnaire survey were employed as the key methods of answering the main inquiries.

This thesis deals with a training of primary school teachers in the Czech Republic and in the French-speaking part of Belgium. It is a comparative study analyzing corresponding systems of tertiary education. In detail it describes selected examples of education used by the Faculty of Education of Charles University in Prague and the École normale catholique du Brabant Wallon at Haute Ecole Léonard de Vinci in Louvain - la - Neuve. For the purpose of mutual inspiration it presents individual curricula of both universities, the relationship of theory and practice in the studies and, based on author`s own observations and experience, reflections of two specific issues from each institution which are interesting and unique. It also presents problems of professional competence of teachers who apply for teacher training. Because such paper is already valid in Belgium, while in the Czech Republic it is still in progress. Both schools have a lot to offer for its current students, but there is always space for further development.

My diploma thesis deals with key competences, on whose further development should focus not only managers, but primarily universities offering managerial education. The aim was to find out what competences might be required in practice from the graduates of managerial fields of studies on chosen middle management positions, then to compare the established requirements with the content of the curriculum stipulated for Bachelor's Study Programme at the Faculty of Management of the University of Economics, and finally to elaborate a summary of recommendations suitable for the optimal harmonization of this programme with the requirements of established practice.

Le taux de scolarisation dans l'enseignement supérieur au Cambodge augmente rapidement dans les deux dernières décennies. Cette augmentation est associée, pourtant, avec des inquiétudes sur la difficulté des diplômés à trouver des emplois correspondant à leur niveau et domaine d'études, ce que l'on appelle les inadéquations verticales et horizontales.Cette thèse vise à examiner les impacts des inadéquations éducatives dans les pays en développement avec un accent particulier sur le Cambodge.Le chapitre 1 examine le lien entre les risques des inadéquations et la durée du chômage. Théoriquement, en supposant que les chercheurs d'emploi ne peuvent accéder qu'à des informations imparfaites sur les offres d'emploi disponibles, les individus font face à deux choix alternatifs : accepter la première offre d'emploi qui pourrait être inadéquate à leur qualification ou rester au chômage pour attendre un emploi plus adéquat. En revanche, si les travailleurs sont hétérogènes et les opportunités d'emplois sont limitées, il est possible que certains travailleurs ne parviennent pas à trouver une position adéquate et restent au chômage pour une durée plus longue.Ce chapitre contribue à la littérature sur trois points. Premièrement, nous étendons la recherche au pays en développement. Deuxièmement, nous tenons compte l’endogénéité des inadéquations éducatives et considérons ces inadéquations dans les deux formes et dans toutes les dimensions. Troisièmement, nous proposons une analyse sous deux angles : un modèle théorique et empirique appliquée sur une enquête en 2011 auprès de dix-neuf universités au Cambodge. Les résultats soulignent que la durée du chômage augmente avec les risques d'inadéquations éducatives.Le chapitre 2 examine si les inadéquations diminuent les salaires. Il existe un consensus théorique sur l’impact négatif des inadéquations sur le salaire. En effet, travailler dans un emploi inadéquat ne permettrait pas les travailleurs d'exploiter leurs compétences potentielles, et par conséquent, ils seraient moins productifs et gagneraient moins (Sattinger, 1993). Pourtant, des limites existent encore dans les études empiriques.Ce chapitre contribue à la littérature en trois points. Premièrement, il analyse un autre cas de pays en développement, alors que les études existantes concernent les pays relativement plus avancés. Deuxièmement, il analyse les effets combinés des inadéquations verticales et horizontales. Troisièmement, nous tenons compte le problème du biais de sélection en proposant un modèle de Heckman ordonné, appliqué sur les données d’enquêtes en 2014 de huit universités au Cambodge. Les résultats économétriques nous permettent de conclure que le salaire diminue avec le niveau des inadéquations.Le chapitre 3 examine les impacts de la suréducation sur la croissance économique au sein de trente-huit pays en développement. D’un point de vue théorique, deux approches s’affrontent. D’abord, la productivité d'un travailleur dépend à la fois des attributs du travail et des caractéristiques individuelles. Ainsi, les travailleurs suréduqués sont plus productifs que leurs collègues dans le même emploi, ce qui est favorable à la croissance économique. Pourtant, les travailleurs suréduqués peuvent être insatisfaits de leur travail, ce qui induit des comportements contre-productifs tels que des taux élevés d'absentéisme et de roulement, et donc négatif pour la croissance.Ce chapitre contribue à la littérature en deux points. Premièrement, ce chapitre contribue en termes de données sur le taux de suréducation dans des différents pays en développement, ce qui permet d’analyser les impacts de la suréducation au niveau macroéconomique sur ces pays. Deuxièmement, ce chapitre traite l'hétérogénéité non observée des pays et l'endogénéité de la suréducation en employant la méthode des moindres carrés en deux étapes avec des effets fixes. Le résultat montre que la suréducation a un effet négatif sur la croissance / The enrollment rate in higher education in Cambodia has risen rapidly in the last two decades. Nevertheless, concerns on the graduates' employability exist: University graduates seem to be more and more struggled to find jobs corresponding to their level and field of education, the so-called vertical and horizontal mismatches.This thesis aims at examining the impacts of educational mismatches among graduates in developing countries with a special attention to the Cambodia's case.Chapter 1 examines the relation between education-job mismatches and unemployment duration among graduates in Cambodia. Theoretically, by assuming that job seekers can only access to limited information about the available job opportunities, they face two alternative choices between accepting the first job offer that can be mismatched to their qualification and staying unemployed to wait for a better suitable job. In contrast, if workers are heterogeneous and the job opportunities are limited, it is possible that some workers may fail to find a matched position and stay unemployed for a longer duration.This chapter contributes to the literature in three points. First, we extend the research into the developing country. Second, we take into account the endogeneity of educational mismatches and consider them in their both forms and all dimensions: Vertical or horizontal, single or double mismatch. Third, we propose an analysis from two angles: A theoretical model and an empirical model applied on a survey data in 2011 from nineteen higher education institutions (HEI) in Cambodia. The results underline that unemployment duration increases with the risks of mismatches.Chapter 2 examines whether education-job mismatches lower individual wages. There exists a theoretical consensus on the negative impact of mismatches on wages. Indeed, working in a mismatched job would not allow workers to exploit their potential skills, and consequently they would be less productive and earn less than if they were employed in a matched occupation. Yet, some limits remain in empirical studies.Hence, this chapter contributes to the literature in three points. First, it analyzes another case of developing country, while the existing studies focus on relatively more advanced countries. Second, it analyzes the combination effects of vertical and horizontal mismatches. Third, we take into account the selection bias problem by proposing an ordered Heckman model applied on a survey data from eight HEI in Cambodia in 2014. The econometric results allow us concluding that wages decrease with the level of mismatches.Chapter 3 examines the impacts of overeducation on economics growth in thirty-eight developing countries. Two theoretical approaches confront each another. First, a worker's productivity depends on both job attributes and individual characteristics. Thus, overeducated workers are more productive than their counterparts in the same job, which is good for the economic growth. In contrast, overeducated workers may be dissatisfied with their jobs, which induces to counterproductive behaviors, such as high rates of absenteeism and turnover, that is bad for the growth outcome.Hence, this chapter contributes to the literature in two points. First, this chapter contributes in terms of data, allowing to analyze the impacts of overeducation on economic growth in developing countries. Second, this chapter deals with unobserved heterogeneity and endogeneity of overeducation by employing two-stage least squares regression with country fixed-effects. The results show that overeducation has a negative impact on economic growth