STATE OF HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING IN SOUTH AFRICA: POLICY IMPLICATIONS FOR INSTITUTIONAL AUTONOMY AND ACADEMIC FREEDOM

Higher education in South Africa appears to be confronted with diminishing \nstate funding and at the same time, more interference by government in \nits management and administration. Government’s policies on increased \naccess and participation rates and meeting the developmental needs of the country \nmay be in jeopardy as a result of the steady decline in the funding of higher education. \nThe extent of government involvement in higher education’s autonomy and \nacademic freedom may also lead to the loss of universities’ identity and ability to \ndetermine their directions, roles and functions. \nThis article focuses on the funding framework for higher education institutions, \nas well as on the planning process for new funding of tertiary education. Apart from \nexplaining the categories of government grants to higher education institutions, this \narticle also explores current funding problems and the implications thereof, as well \nas investigates the practical problems associated with the interference by government \nin the institutional autonomy and academic freedom of tertiary institutions.