The first cycle of quality assurance (QA) was conceptualised and developed between 2001 and 2004 as reflected in the policy documents of the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC). The HEQC as the national QA agency was created as the permanent sub-committee of the Council on Higher Education (CHE) to take care of the QA responsibility in 2001. The national QA agency had to operate within the divisions created in higher education under apartheid, which often created perceptions based on prejudice about the distribution of quality. The South African higher education landscape has been exposed to the first cycle of the Higher Education Quality Committee QA cycle during which conducted 34 institutional audits, accredited approximately 5000 new programmes, subjected 85 programmes to national reviews, trained approximately 550 institutional auditors and 1500 programme evaluators and conducted many workshops and training opportunities for higher education institutions (HEIs). The main aim posed by this study was to determine the response of HEIs to the recommendations in the HEQC audit reports. The sub-questions of the research are (i) What process was followed to develop the quality improvement plan? (ii) Who were the role-players in the development of the quality improvement plan? (iii) What influenced their actions in the development of the quality improvement plan? (iv) What value did the quality improvement plan development have for the institution? (v) How does the quality improvement plan fit into the comprehensive quality management system of the institution? To answer the research questions, interviews were carried out on six participants. The findings were that the primary research question has been addressed conclusively by the three institutions through the experience of participants. The responses indicate how they have embraced improvement at the respective institutions which in turn have grown as a result of the HEQC audit process. The conclusion was an in depth response to the recommendations in the audit reports, illustrating ownership of quality improvement plan processes within the institutions. From the results of the secondary research questions it is concluded that the participants’ responses provided the richness of the quality improvement plan process in the audit process. The responses reflected and confirmed the processes followed in developing the quality improvement plans and the role and influence of role- players in the quality improvement plan process. The responses reflected the value of this process and revealed how it had been incorporated into the comprehensive annual planning processes of the institutions. The study concludes that the participating institutions responded differently and effectively to the recommendations in the HEQC audit reports, with the improvement reflected in the manner and approach institutions displayed when responding to recommendations, reflecting systematic processes. Copyright / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / unrestricted

The study focuses on an evaluation of the anti-corruption initiatives in Botswana and their relation to Botswana’s development. An evaluation was needed to find out whether the anti-corruption initiatives were effective and whether there were a correlation between the effectiveness of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crimes (DCEC) and the level of development in Botswana. This study showed that, the DCEC has succeeded to low corruption in Botswana through its most successful public education mandate and debatable good governance. The DCEC has helped to enhance service delivery in the public sector through the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Units (ACUs) within the Ministries aimed at tackling corruption in-house. Consequently, a significant slight improvement was registered in both public health and education sectors. However, that improvement was still minimal to the extent that it has been hampered by the challenging working conditions of the DCEC attributable to the inadequacy of legislation, lack of manpower, shortage of required skills and slow criminal justice system as well as the debatable independence of the DCEC, evidenced by its reporting and appointing lines. This implies that the impact of the DCEC in the development of Botswana has been minimal, as the country is still devastated by socio-economic disparities especially in rural areas. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis is a descriptive and interpretive study into the political economy of intellectual property rights, the conceptual and practical implications for the phenomenon of global governance, and how developing countries experience problems with the implementation of national policies that infringe on international intellectual property rights. The specific area of interest is the generic medicine debate that ensued in South Africa after the alleged violation of patent rights of anti-HIV/Aids drugs by the Department of Health. The research question that is addressed is to what extent has the existing international intellectual property rights regime been influenced and/or undermined by South Africa's intended application of WTO regulations in terms of compulsory licensing and parallel imports of "essential" medicines. In doing so, the paper examines the roles of the important states, international organisations, institutions, and private sector firms within the sphere ofthe political economy of intellectual property and how they impede upon or improve the functioning of the intellectual property rights regime. The methodology entails analytical inquiries into documentary evidence on the nature of the international intellectual property rights regime. Areas that are examined are the agendas of the important actors, namely states and their respective departments; individuals and firms; and international organisations. The concept of intellectual property is examined to determine its dynamic role within the generic medicine debate. The thesis concludes that the agendas of pharmaceutical firms and states are exploiting current political stalemates in the negotiations for a fair intellectual property rights regime. National health agencies, and specifically the South African Department of Health, are under enormous pressure to provide affordable health services. Specifically, the US Government and US pharmaceutical firms are dominating discussions on the architecture of the international intellectual property law regime. By using an analysis incorporating systemic, domestic interest, institutional, and ideational perspectives, it is argued that South Africa's drive for a more distributive intellectual property rights regime has placed the issue of health, Aids and generic medicine firmly within the sphere of the political economy of trade agreements. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis is 'n deskriptiewe en 'n interpretiewe studie oor die politieke ekonomie van intellektuele eiendomsregte, die konseptuele en praktiese implikasies vir die verskynsel van globale regering, en hoe ontwikkelende lande probleme ervaar met die implimentering van nasionale beleid wat internasionale intellektuele eiendomsregte aantas. Die spesifieke area van belang is die generiese medisyne debat wat onstaan het na die beweerde skending van patentregte van anti-HIVNigs medisyne deur die Departement van Gesondheid. Die navorsingsvraag wat beantwoord word behels die omvang van die impak van Suid- Afrika se voorgenome toepassing van WTO bepalinge, met betrekking tot die verpligte lisensiering en parallelle invoer van "essensiele" medisyne, op die bestaande internasionale intellektuele eiedomsreg regime. Hierdie tesis ondersoek vervolgens die rol van state, internasionale organisasies, instellings, en privaat sector firmas binne die sfeer van die politieke ekonomie van intellektuele eiendom en hoe hulle afsonderlik die funksionaliteit van die intellektuele eiendomsregte regime beïnvloed. Die metodologie behels 'n analitiese ondersoek van die literatuur oor die aard van internasionale intellektuele eiendomsreg regimes. Areas wat ondersoek word, is die agendas van belangrike akteurs, naamlik die staat en sy onderskeie departemente; individue en firmas; asook internasionale organisasies en instellings. Die konsep van intellektuele eiendom word ondersoek om die dinamiese uitwerking daarvan op die generiese medisyne debat te verstaan. Hierdie tesis voer aan dat die agendas van firmas, spesifiek farmaseutiese firmas en state die huidige politieke dooiepunt in die onderhandeling rondom 'n regverdige intellektuele iendomsregte-regime, uitbuit. Nasionale instellings, soos die Suid-Afrikaanse Departement van Gesondheid, is onder groot druk om bekostigbare gesondheidsdienste te lewer. Die VSA en farmaseutiese firmas domineer onderhandelinge vir 'n nuwe struktuur vir die internasionale eiendomsregte-regime. Deur gebruik te maak van 'n analitiese raamwerk wat sistemiese, interne belange, institusionele, en ideologies perspektiewe inkorporeer, word daar geargumenteer dat Suid-Afrika se pogings om 'n meer distributiewe intellektuele eiendomsregte regime te verseker, die probleem van gesondheid, Vigs, en generiese medisyne binnne die sfeer van die politieke ekonomie van handelsooreenkomste, plaas.

The aim of this diploma thesis is to clarify fundamental principles of activities of police officers of the Regional Directorate of the Police of the South Bohemian Region in the case of radiological emergency at the Temelín Nuclear power station. These principles are concentrated in compact documentation with practical tasks for respective organizational segments of the Regional Directorate of the Police of the South Bohemian Region. This documentation will be consequently used as a methodical guide for concerned police officers. Fundamental terms are defined in the theoretical part of the diploma thesis, concerning and usable in the course of measures in the case of solving radiological emergency at the Temelín Nuclear power station. The analysis of legal standards and technical bibliography is also performed in this part. The External Emergency Plan of the Temelín Nuclear power station is presented in detail, and a comparison of the previous and current atomic law is drawn. Last chapter of this part is devoted to the actual documentation of the Regional Directorate of the Police of the South Bohemian Region to manage the radiological emergency at the Temelín Nuclear power station. Necessary number of legal regulations, agreements and internal acts of management concerning the current topic was used for elaboration of this thesis. Information and findings of employees from the Department of Emergency Management of the Regional Directorate of the Police of the South Bohemian Region are also included. The practical part of the diploma thesis is devoted to the concentration of all materials and previous findings of the Regional Directorate of the Police of the South Bohemian Region in the case of measures for radiological emergency at the Temelín Nuclear power station into individual chapters. Each of these chapters presents particular activities of police officers of the Regional Directorate of the Police of the South Bohemian Region during performation of tasks in connection with managing the radiological emergency at the Temelín Nuclear power station. When listing particular tasks and processes, some of activities of other subjects participating together with members of the Police of the Czech Republic in measures concerning the radiological emergency are also mentioned in this part. The result of this thesis is a focused overview and operative material for police officers of the Police of the Czech Republic, usable for making them acquainted with questions of managing the radiological emergency at the Temelín Nuclear power station. It also serves as a background for regular practices and training courses on this subject.

The study focuses on an evaluation of the anti-corruption initiatives in Botswana and their relation to Botswana’s development. An evaluation was needed to find out whether the anti-corruption initiatives were effective and whether there were a correlation between the effectiveness of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crimes (DCEC) and the level of development in Botswana. This study showed that, the DCEC has succeeded to low corruption in Botswana through its most successful public education mandate and debatable good governance. The DCEC has helped to enhance service delivery in the public sector through the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Units (ACUs) within the Ministries aimed at tackling corruption in-house. Consequently, a significant slight improvement was registered in both public health and education sectors. However, that improvement was still minimal to the extent that it has been hampered by the challenging working conditions of the DCEC attributable to the inadequacy of legislation, lack of manpower, shortage of required skills and slow criminal justice system as well as the debatable independence of the DCEC, evidenced by its reporting and appointing lines. This implies that the impact of the DCEC in the development of Botswana has been minimal, as the country is still devastated by socio-economic disparities especially in rural areas. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

Até cerca de vinte anos, o termo Corporate Governance (Governança Corporativa) não existia na língua inglesa. Os códigos de boas práticas de Governança Corporativa começaram a surgir no início dos anos noventa na Inglaterra, nos Estados Unidos e no Canadá, em resposta ao desempenho insatisfatório de companhias líderes, percebido como uma deficiência de efetividade dos conselhos de administração, e em resposta às pressões exercidas pelos investidores institucionais. No Brasil, o termo Governança Corporativa é ainda mais recente, mas já começa a ser preocupação e a merecer a atenção de pesquisadores, Bolsa de Valores e associações. Este estudo objetiva identificar possíveis relações entre variáveis independentes, representativas de mecanismos de Governança Corporativa, e medidas de performance econômica de empresas integrantes do Índice Brasil IBX da Bolsa de Valores de São Paulo BOVESPA, com dados do período de 1997 a 2001.Utilizando a técnica estatística de dados em painel, modelo de componentes de erros, trabalha-se 16 variáveis independentes representando os mecanismos de Governança Corporativa: concentração de propriedade (5 variáveis), características do conselho de administração (3 variáveis), capital votante (1 variável), remuneração da diretoria executiva (2 variáveis), política financeira (3 variáveis), controle interno (1 variável) e mais uma variável de controle representando o tamanho das empresas. Essas variáveis são regredidas contra cada uma das cinco variáveis de medidas de performance econômica estudadas. Tais variáveis mediram o Market Value Added, a razão preço de mercado e valor patrimonial da ação, TOBINS Q, rentabilidade sobre o ativo e rentabilidade sobre o patrimônio líquido. Os resultados indicam que a concentração de propriedade, o capital votante, a remuneração da diretoria executiva e a política financeira são relacionadas à performance econômica. Surpreendentemente, o capital votante e a remuneração da diretoria executiva são negativamente relacionados à performance. Observa-se, também, que a medida de performance econômica utilizada faz diferença no estudo dos mecanismos de Governança Corporativa, pois aquelas puramente contábeis não apresentaram qualquer relação com os mecanismos testados. Este estudo, com esta abrangência de mecanismos, variáveis e período tratado, está dentre os estudos empíricos de Governança Corporativa pioneiros no Brasil. Espera-se oferecer uma contribuição aos acadêmicos interessados no assunto, bem como a acionistas, gestores, analistas de mercado, consultores, administradores de Bolsa de Valores, órgãos reguladores e associações de classe. / Up until twenty years go, the term Corporate Governance didnt exist in the English language. The codes of good practices of Corporate Governance began to arise in the early nineties in England, in the United States and in Canada, as an answer to an unsatisfactory performance of leading companies - recognized as a deficiency of effectiveness in the board of directors and also as an answer to the pressures exerted by institutional investors. In Brazil, the term Corporate Governance is still more recent, but begins to be pondered and to deserve attention of researchers, of Stock Exchanges and associations. This study aims to identify possible relationship among independent variables, representative of Corporate Governance mechanisms, and measures of economic performance of enterprises of the Brazil Index IBX of the São Paulo Stock Exchange BOVESPA, with data referring to the period comprehended between 1997 and 2001. Using the statistic technique of panel data, model of error components, we work with 16 independent variables representing the Corporate Governance mechanisms: concentration of propriety (5 variables), characteristics of the board of directors (3 variables), voting capital (1 variable), remuneration of the executive directorate (2 variables), financial policy (3 variables), internal control (1 variable), and one more control variable, representing the size of the enterprises. These variables are regressed against each one of the five variables of the studied economic performance measures. Such variables have measured up the Market Value Added, the market to book value price ratio, TOBINS Q, profitability over the assets and profitability over the net equity. The results indicate that the property concentration, the voting capital, the remuneration of the executive directorate and the financial policy are related to the economic performance. Surprisingly, the voting capital and the remuneration of the executive directorate are negatively related to performance. We can also observe that the economic performance measure utilized makes difference in the study of the Corporate Governance mechanisms, because that ones purely accountants doesnt have any relation with the mechanisms tested. This study, comprising such diverse mechanisms, variables and also the observed period, is among the leading empiric studies of Corporate Governance in Brazil. We hope to offer a contribution to the academics holding an interest in the matter, as well as to shareholders, managers, market analysts, consultants, Stock Exchange administrators, regulating bodies and class associations.