Themed review on modes of learning and teaching provision

Dear colleagues and students

I am writing to inform you that the University of Cape Town (UCT) will be participating in a forthcoming themed review by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) on Modes of Learning and Teaching Provision.

The CHE is the statutory body responsible for quality assurance in South African higher education, established under the Higher Education Act of 1997.

This themed review responds to the sector-wide shift in teaching and learning modalities since the COVID-19 pandemic, when higher education institutions were permitted to offer contact mode programmes through blended or online modes under a special concession. This concession will end in 2026. From 2027, only institutions that successfully participate in this review will be able to continue offering these programmes in alternative modes of provision without resubmitting each individual programme for re-accreditation.

The themed review process

The review will take place during 2025 and has a focused desktop review format. This means the CHE panel will base its evaluation on UCT’s Self-Evaluation Report (SER) and portfolio of evidence, without conducting an on-site visit. It will assess UCT’s capacity, quality assurance and strategic approach to delivering programmes through different modes of provision, including contact, blended and online learning.

UCT’s approach to the themed review

A Themed Review Steering Committee has been established by me to oversee the preparation of the SER. The steering committee will organise the work to develop the SER around clusters of CHE criteria, supported by thematic evidence mapping and case studies that illustrate innovation, adaptability and good practice in our teaching and learning provision.

The review will incorporate both existing institutional data and targeted feedback from staff and students through surveys and focus groups. As this is a quality assurance process and not research, no formal ethics clearance is required.

UCT will submit its institutional SER and portfolio of evidence to the CHE by 22 December 2025.

Why this matters for UCT

This review is a chance to critically evaluate how UCT’s teaching and learning modalities align with the university’s strategy. It will help us decide how best to balance our identity as a residential university with the flexibility and reach that digitally-enabled education offers.

I encourage all members of our community to contribute actively when approached by the steering committee for insights and experiences. Your participation will help shape UCT’s future provision of teaching and learning in a rapidly evolving higher education landscape.

We will keep the community updated on progress throughout the process.

For more information, you can consult the CHE’s Manual for the Themed Review on Modes of Learning and Teaching Provision, available on the CHE website.

For any questions about the review, please contact Amanda Barratt.

Sincerely

Professor Brandon Collier-Reed
Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning

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