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Gough IslandIt is not o!en that Gough Island comes up as a subject of discussion, but it does ring a bell associated with weather forecasts. It was the subject of discussion at a local study group meeting recently and the book Gough Island: A Natural History was used as reference."e beautifully illustrated text covers this South Atlantic island’s history, plant life, abundance of fresh water, extraordinary bird life, its early occupation by sealers and its current status. Gough Island is a British territory and by agreement South Africa operates the meteorological station, home to the island’s only human inhabitants.

www.africansunmedia.co.za

As a reward for their outstanding marks and excellent aptitude for wine-making, three oenology and viticulture students at Stellenbosch University have been awarded study bursaries by the Cape Winemakers Guild. Tsholofelo Segone, Rudger van Wyk and Natasha Williams are this year’s bright sparks. Once these aspirant winemakers have graduated they are eligible for the guild’s protégé programme involving a three-year internship with top winemakers.

Bright future for bright students

When pencilling in Food and Wine on a Stellenbosch itinerary, leave room for o#-road cycling on the same page. You’ll need to be a group of at least four cyclists and don’t need your own bikes. "e guided outride starts at Clos Malverne and follows a twenty-kilometre trail through Devon Valley. At the $nish back at Clos Malverne a three-course lunch with a glass of wine awaits. "ere’s a co#ee break during the ride and you are free to stop and stare at any point. Trips can be adapted to suit all levels of experience and $tness.

www.bikeandsaddle.com 021 813 6433

Vineyard cycling

20

SUN M DIAs t e l l e n b o s c h

In every era there is a need for higher education to be the voice of reason, democracy and wisdom. In every era there is a need for higher education to provide the youth with skills and knowledge required by our society. In the twenty-first century the need for reason and wisdom might be due to global warming and the erosion of civil liberties, or it might be due to the threat posed by new diseases such as HIV/AIDS.

There is a need for a view from the South. Firstly because there have been so many books and scholarly publications on higher

Good BooksHigher Education for the Public Good: A view from the South

Published by SUN MeDIA Stellenbosch, under the imprint SUN PReSS

www.africansunmedia.co.za

ReADINg

education penned in the North, that the voices of writers and thinkers from Africa or other continents referred to as the South are conspicuous by their absence. Secondly, writers from South Africa have a particular view and a special contribution to make, in the light of the transition to democracy and the remaining challenges facing transformation in this country.

But what might “higher education” as a public good mean? There are various possible answers: it is a good that is offered to participating individuals, who by becoming professionals, researchers and innovators, offer back to society; it is a public resource that teaches thinking skills; and it is a place where experimentation, innovation and creativity are fostered amongst researchers and writers. The novelty of this volume is its message that a university cannot simply administer its medicine to society ‘out there’, without changing the way it teaches and manages itself, so that it models the very criticality and wisdom it seeks to impart. The book has four focus areas: the purpose of higher education; how these institutions are managed and their curriculums; teaching for the public good; and what all of this might mean for the professional development of academics.

The book comprises thoughtful pieces by prominent South African writers such as Professor Mala Singh, previously CEO of the Council on Higher Education, Professor Crain Soudien, Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Town and Professor Yusef Waghid, previous Dean of the Education Faculty at Stellenbosch University. The foreword is by the Vice Rector of Stellenbosch University, Professor Russel Botman, a champion of the idea of education as a pedagogy for hope.

Text: Prof Brenda Leibowitz Centre for Teaching and LearningStellenbosch University