Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education
(for academic developers)
The aim of this Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education for academic developers, registered on the higher education national qualifications sub-framework at honours level (HEQSF level 8), is to enhance the knowledge and competencies of staff in teaching and learning units/centres whose role it is to contribute to the transformation of higher education in a range of ways, including offering professional development for academic staff as educators in higher education institutions. Due to the current low pass rate of the increasingly diverse South African higher education student body it has become crucial to ensure greater success for more students. To achieve this, effective academic development initiatives, including professional development for academic staff, is a priority for the sector. The purpose of of the Diploma is thus to advance academic developers’ knowledge of higher education as a field of study and to enable them to conceptualise, design and implement formal and informal academic development initiatives appropriate to their specific contexts.
The course was first introduced in 2011 and runs over two years with the participants attending week-long block contact sessions on Rhodes campus three times a year. Depending on available funding, participants may attend a writing retreat to conceptualise and design contextually appropriate academic development initiatives. You can click here to view a video on the most recent writing retreat.
CHERTL staff members at Rhodes have developed considerable knowledge and expertise in the field of academic development and particularly academic staff development. The PGDip (HE) for academic developers is designed to share this experience and a range of institutional practices which will enable participants to offer appropriate academic development in their institutions.
Feedback from participants indicates that the course is meeting its objective of impacting on the work of academic developers through enhancing their theoretical knowledge of the field as well as their practical ability to transform teaching and learning at their respective institutions.
Call for new applications (PGDip HE) for Academic Developers 2025-2026.
For more information, please contact the coordinator of the PGDip(HE) for academic developers, Anthea Adams (a.adams@ru.ac.za)
Last Modified: Fri, 04 Oct 2024 14:39:25 SAST