CHEC develops and administers support initiatives at the request of the member universities. Current institutional support consists of two sub-focus areas:
Shared facilities and services and Higher Education Leadership Academy (HELA).
Copyright clearance management
Publishing Liaison Office (PLO)
The PLO functions as a one-stop copyright clearance management and related services solution for access to teaching and learning materials on behalf of the four universities in the Western Cape. The PLO is authorised to clear and manage the reproduction of copyright-protected materials for non-commercial, educational purposes under the respective universities’ blanket or transactional licence agreements in deliberation with the Dramatic, Artistic and Literary Rights Organisation (DALRO).
The PLO also clears copyright with various other rights holders when required, while also directing the proper use and clearance of materials under Open Access, public domain, GNU General Public Licences or Creative Commons licence agreements. Lecturers and administrative staff can register and submit copyright permission requests directly on the PLO’s management system.

Other activities of the PLO include:
- Creating an awareness of the copyright laws of South Africa
- Facilitating compliance with copyright laws and relevant authorities
- Negotiating reasonable fees for the use of materials from various copyright holders
- Participating in institutional forums and training that shape copyright policies and guidelines
Higher Education Leadership Academy (HELA)
CHEC is proud to present to you the CHEC Higher Education Leadership Academy (HELA). Going forward, the HELA, will design and present a range of different HE capacity development activities, ranging from professional development programmes, to Masterclasses and Critical Conversations, amongst others.
Please follow the links to register for any of the programmes and activities.
Masterclasses
Purpose: CHEC acknowledges that there are emerging trends and events that require our collective understanding. Towards this, CHEC hosts masterclasses with expert facilitators to guide and discuss important issues in HE.
Cost: Attendance of the Masterclasses are R2000 per event per person. Please follow the registration link.
CHEC certificate: A CHEC certificate of successful completion will be issued upon completion.
Topic of masterclass | Facilitator | Date | To register |
---|---|---|---|
Identifying and overcoming barriers to effective communication | Dr Phumzile Mmope | Date: 10 August 2023 Time: 14:00-16:00 |
Register |
Navigating the Complex and Uncertain Future with Triarchic Leadership | Dr Cobus Oosthuizen | Date: 24 August 2023 Time: 14:00-16:00 |
Register |
Innovation Management Essentials: How to effectively manage innovation | Ms Henra Mayer | Date: 7 September 2023 Time: 14:00-16:00 |
Register |
In search of Mode x.y knowledge co-production approaches | Prof René Pellissier | Date: 14 September 2023 Time: 14:00-16:00 |
Register |
Know When to Coach, When to Lead and When to Manage | Dr Phumzile Mmope | Date: 21 September 2023 Time: 14:00-16:00 |
Register |
Innovation Management Essentials: Innovation and creativity – popular techniques and tools | Ms Henra Mayer | Date: 5 October 2023 Time: 14:00-16:00 |
Register |
Quantum leadership to deal with complexity | Prof René Pellissier | Date: 12 October 2023 Time: 14:00-16:00 |
Register |
Resilience and wellness in a time of turbulence | Mr Anwar van der Schyff | Date: 19 October 2023 Time: 14:00-16:00 |
Register |
Achieving operational excellence in a HE setting | Prof René Pellissier | Date: 9 November 2023 Time: 14:00-16:00 |
Register |
Towards human-centricity in HE | Prof René Pellissier | Date: 16 November 2023 Time: 14:00-16:00 |
Register |
Critical conversations
Purpose: The CHEC Critical Conversations is designed as a forum for engagement across the four universities and our strategic partners in the Western Cape on critical issues and discourses in SA HEIs. We recognize that the academic landscape has become increasingly complex and that answers need to be found for problems that previously did not exist. In this way, the CHEC Critical Conversations will provide our regional universities with an opportunity to share ideas and contribute to regional higher education innovation by discussing our strategies and lessons learnt through our business continuity, risk, and other applications.
Cost: Attendance of the Critical Conversations are free.
Network neutrality regulation policy on which South Africa got it right | Prof Petrus Potgieter | Date: 24 February 2023 Time: 14:00-16:00 |
Closed |
How Intelligent is AI these days, and when will it take over? | Dr William J. Malik | Date: 31 March 2023 Time: 14:00-15:00 |
Closed |
Digital transformation in HE | Prof Eugene Cloete | Date: 31 August 2023 Time: 14:00-15:30 |
Register |
Mode 3 knowledge production | Dr David Phaho | TBC | Register |
Professional development
The Creating the Leading-Edge Programme (CLE)
The Creating the Leading-Edge Programme (CLE) has been developed by and for the universities in the Western Cape and is presented under the auspices of the Cape Higher Education Consortium (CHEC). The programme is designed to meet the management capacity development needs of academic and administrative middle managers and to create effective networks of key managers in the Western Cape.
Purpose: “To build and develop human capacity to create a thriving and supportive HE workspace.”
Target market: The programme is specifically designed for academic heads of departments, heads of research entities, and support/professional staff managers. Typically, the selected candidate will have at least a post graduate qualification and more than five years work experience as a new or existing manager in their positions. However, universities are free to select any participant that they believe will benefit from the course.
USAf endorsement: The CLE is endorsed by Universities South Arica for its relevance and responsiveness to developing and supporting the leadership and management knowledge and skills required, for greater efficiency and effectiveness in the systems, processes, people and technology requirements of our universities.
Cost: Costing is per module.
CHEC certificate: A CHEC certificate of successful completion will be issued upon completion.
Creating the Executive-Edge (for senior management)
The Programme is designed to meet the strategic needs of senior and executive management in HEIs in the Western Cape. The value of the CEE lies in the development of strategic leadership who values transformation, communication and performance engagement.
Purpose: “To engage in strategic leadership through people management in HE.”
Target market: The Programme is designed for deans, deputy deans and senior or executive directors appointed to executive positions in HEIs
Cost: Costing is for the entire programme as all courses are compulsory.
CHEC certificate: A CHEC certificate of successful completion will be issued upon completion.
COVID-19 management and responses. Lessons learnt for the future
Editor: Prof René Pellissier
Book DOI: https://doi.org/10.52779/9781991260031
Almost two years ago, CHEC launched the idea of developing a book on Covid-19 management and responses. We received international and national support for the idea. The book deals with teaching and learning and management issues and in an effort to formulate lessons learnt for future discontinuity in the HE domain. We thank all the authors for their efforts to make this valuable to our institutions in providing lessons learnt.
The book is available for download (as soft copy for free) from the following platforms:
Google (e-book): https://bit.ly/43Ng65k
Takealot (printed): https://bit.ly/3KVfIKx (at R380)
ITSI (e-book): https://bit.ly/43EUHeC
Amazon (printed): https://amzn.to/43VwLDH (Amazon does not host free e-books)
ASM (printed): orders@africansunmedia.co.za

Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education in Teaching and Learning
To address this need, CHEC has been offering a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education in Teaching and Learning [(PGDip (HE)(T&L)] since 2014. The programme, which is available to academic staff from the four regional universities, as well as from other South African universities, is implemented through a collaboration agreement between Stellenbosch University (SU), the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and the Cape University of Technology (CPUT).
A Postgraduate Coordinating Committee, consisting of representatives from the three universities, is responsible for the oversight, planning and coordination of the programme. The current Chair of the Committee is Dr Xena Cupido of CPUT (cupidox@cput.ac.za).
The programme, which is offered on a part-time basis over two years, has three compulsory modules of 30 credits each, namely:
- Teaching and learning in higher education,
- Assessment in higher education, and
- Research for enhancing teaching and learning.
In addition, students may choose one elective 30-credit modules from the following four modules:
- ICTs for Teaching and Learning
- Academic Leadership and Management
- Strengthening Postgraduate Supervision
- Recognition of Prior Learning
The most recent cohort of 19 participants enrolled at the start of 2020 and completed the programme at the end of 2021.
The programme will be offered again in 2023, while 2022 is being used for a programme re-curriculation process.