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Balancing acts: Vocational training versus academic education in the context of Media and Communication Studies

Abstract This article reflects on curriculum change in SA Higher Education Institutions, arguing that the transformation of SA Higher Education involves far more than restructuring the institutional landscape in terms of its “size and shape”, or changing the demographics of students and staff at individual institutions. Within the South African context (as elsewhere), curricular change is strongly influenced by political and economic reform, causing resentment among academics that favour gradual change informed by “internal” or discipline-based considerations. The author explores how these “external” forces impact on curriculum transformation, tracing as example the development of the University of Port Elizabeth's BA in Media, Communication and Culture.