Welcome to SAUT

Background

The National Framework for Enhancing Academics as University Teachers (NFfEAUT) was developed by representatives from universities across South Africa. The Framework was approved in 2018 by the Minister of Higher Education and Training (Naledi Pandor) and is implemented as part of the University Capacity Development Programme (UCDP).

To oversee the implementation of the Framework, a National Coordinating Committee (NCC) was established in 2019. The NCC comprises representatives from all public universities, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), Council on Higher Education (CHE), Universities South Africa (USAF) and the Higher Education Learning and Teaching Association of South Africa (HELTASA). In 2020 the NCC discussed the possible projects that it could lead at a national level to strengthen university teaching across the sector. The projects were submitted and approved by DHET.

Guiding Philosophy

Good teaching is a vital contributor to student learning and success

Universities that place students at the centre of their work are characterised by a pedagogy of care, and are underpinned by a strong social justice agenda

Work of an academic involves being a teacher and a researcher

Good teaching is grounded in a deep understanding of a discipline
Improving university teaching and learning must take into account the needs of academics at all levels, of teacher leaders and of professional support staff

Professional development activities for university teachers and the professionals who support teaching development need to be available across the career continuum

Adequate resources are essential, the greatest barrier to good teaching is ideology

Teaching role is often more fully embodied in a team than in an individual

Teaching can be advanced when the discipline and the people involved identify and address their own teaching development needs

Professional development cannot be imposed but must be undertaken by the person concerned

Recognition and reward system can contribute positively to teaching development

Time needs to be allocated to professional development activities

Teaching development professionals need to be able to develop their own capacity and careers