HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Berger, G. Search for Related Content

"Fit for purpose" – towards tracking the quality of university education of entry-level journalists

Debate about the extent to which university education should serve industry is an important consideration for institutions of higher learning in a transforming South Africa, and particularly for those teaching would-be journalists. This issue can also be profitably analysed with reference to the current framework of the South African education authorities who argue that the quality of higher education institutions should be measured in terms of their "fit for purpose" to missions aligned to stakeholder interests in the transformation of the country as a whole. This criterion for quality assessment tends to focus on the educative processes within a university, but it can be argued that it ought to extend into the examination of the output consequences of journalism teaching. This would amount to not just fitness for purpose, but also achievement of purpose – and the latter including a creative and critical impact. Many quality assessment systems in the UK and USA lack this dimension, but a case can be made for South Africa to also assess quality in these terms. Against this background, the "final" fit for purpose should be gauged through tracking the impact of the educational process on the industry and society, drawing on particular mechanisms and methodologies. The results would contribute much to measuring the quality of university education for entry-level journalists.

Keywords: ACEJMC, Aids, HEQC, impact assessment, journalism education, training, quality assurance, transformation