Universities have to prove that they are relevant in the modern world which needs a workforce that is self-driven and highly innovative.
This was the fundamental message of a speech by Prof. Wim de Villiers, the new rector of Stellenbosch University, at a business breakfast hosted by Kaapstad Sakekamer (Cape Town Business Chamber) at the FNB Portside building in Cape Town on March 31, 2015.
De Villiers observed: “All eyes are on universities these days as questions are raised about their relevance, the high cost of tuition and the merits of online options. In addition, the question is frequently asked whether a university degree guarantees getting a job. Therefore, consistent transformation is needed if a university is to remain relevant.”
The high esteem which the broader society has had of universities has been consistently waning. “The idea of a university being an ivory tower is becoming increasingly outdated,” commented De Villiers.
As society looks to universities for solutions to problems by means of research and what was needed is innovation – new ways of thinking and doing, said De Villiers. “The bigger the problem, the more innovative we have to think.”
