Translating academic work into societal value

• South Africa is not failing to educate – it is failing to convert education into outcomes. A growing disconnect between knowledge and capability risks leaving graduates behind.
• The problem is not access to education. It is what happens after. That is why universities must shift from teaching content to designing capability.
• As artificial intelligence reshapes the world of work, universities face a blunt reality: preparing students for jobs is no longer enough. They must prepare them for change.

South Africa does not suffer from a knowledge deficit. It suffers from a translation deficit. The country produces knowledge at scale as universities generate research, publishing extensively and graduating thousands of students each year. Yet, despite this intellectual productivity, graduate unemployment remains high, critical skills shortages persist and a divide remains between what graduates know and what they are able to do.

The contradiction is stark. There is a clear and systemic gap between access and success, as well as between qualification and employability. Universities do not create value by producing knowledge alone; they create value by translating it into meaning –competence, capability, adaptability and societal contribution. At the North-West University (NWU), the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) is designed to do exactly that.

As Prof Mpho Chaka, chief director for the Centre for Teaching and Learning, explains, the challenge is not simply to teach. This reality necessitates a decisive shift in how we conceptualise and enact teaching in a changing landscape.

“Centres for teaching and learning are becoming essential because the system is under pressure on multiple fronts,” he says. “Access has expanded, but success has not kept pace. The role of the centres is becoming critical in this regard, not merely as a support structure, but as a strategic driver of pedagogical transformation. Academics are appointed for their disciplinary expertise, yet they are expected to teach increasingly diverse student cohorts. Without deliberate intervention, the system cannot translate access into meaningful outcomes.”

This is where the CTL intervenes. It moves academics beyond content delivery towards intentional learning design, evidence-based teaching and continuous improvement, addressing the disconnect between what is taught and what is realised in society.

Prof Chaka states that this shift is both deliberate and necessary: “CTL must enable the redesign of the curricula, the integration of innovative and digitally enabled teaching practices and the alignment of learning outcomes with real world competencies. The traditional one-size-fits-all lecture model is no longer adequate. What is required is a shift from content expertise to pedagogical expertise, and ultimately to a scholarly approach to teaching itself.”

The consequences of failing to make this shift are visible across the system. “Dropout rates, particularly in the first year, remain persistently high,” Prof Chaka explains. “Students who fail core modules are often unable to progress, leading to extended study periods, increased debt and significant psychological strain. For many, access does not translate into success.”

This is why the role of the CTL extends far beyond the classroom. “The Centre for Teaching and Learning contributes to shaping a higher education system that responds meaningfully to social and economic development in South Africa,” says Prof Chaka. “It ensures that graduates are not only academically competent, but equipped with critical thinking, problem-solving and adaptability skills.”

If the challenge is translation, then the solution lies in how learning itself is designed. At the NWU, the CTL operates on a simple premise: teaching does not automatically produce learning; learning must be intentionally designed.

This begins with academics. “Academics are appointed for their disciplinary expertise, not their teaching ability. Yet they are expected to teach increasingly diverse student cohorts, many of whom are first-generation students from disadvantaged backgrounds,” says Prof Chaka.

The implication is clear. Content expertise alone is no longer sufficient. “What is needed is a move from content expertise to pedagogical expertise, and ultimately to a scholarly approach to teaching and learning,” he adds.

This shift is structured and deliberate. Through development pathways and faculty-embedded support, the CTL enables academics to design learning experiences that are intentional, responsive and evidence-based.

Translation must also extend to the student experience to lower dropout rates from students who fail core modules, says Prof Chaka. This underscores a critical truth that student success should not be incidental, but must be intentionally designed, systematically supported and continuously monitored.

To address this, the CTL has developed a layered system of support. “Our First-Year Experience programme extends far beyond orientation,” he explains. “It provides support to help students develop skills and resilience to succeed.” This includes equipping academics to identify at-risk students early, embedding support in the curriculum rather than treating it as an add-on, and fostering learning environments that are inclusive, responsive and enabling.

This is reinforced through peer-led learning structures. “We manage a comprehensive suite of peer support programmes, including tutoring, supplemental instruction and mentoring,” says Prof Chaka. “These create communities that strengthen academic success and student leadership.” For students, this means a more coherent and supportive learning journey, one that recognises their diverse backgrounds and actively supports their transition, progression and success. For the institution it means improved retention, throughput and ultimately the realisation of our mandate to produce capable confident graduates.

These interventions are driven by evidence. “Our approach is informed by student data, teaching evaluations and continuous feedback,” he adds. “This ensures that strategies respond to real challenges and are refined.”

The translation of knowledge into capability is becoming more urgent as the nature of work shifts. Advances in artificial intelligence are reshaping required skills.

Universities can no longer prepare students for fixed careers. They must prepare them for change. “Graduate capability is linked to employability, not just employment,” says Prof Chaka. “It is about developing critical thinking, problem-solving, digital literacy and adaptability skills.”

This is where the CTL finds its broader significance. By aligning curriculum, teaching and student support with the demands of a changing world, it ensures that academic work translates into a meaningful societal and economic contribution.

The real measure of a university is not only what it teaches, but what its graduates are able to do. In a country where the stakes are high, higher education cannot afford to produce knowledge without impact. The task is no longer simply to teach, but to translate.