Crisis at South Africa’s universities – what are the implications for future cooperation with Norway?

Abstract

South Africa’s universities have witnessed unprecedented student revolts over the past two years. It began as protests against a rise in tuition fees and calls for removals of symbols of the apartheid past. It rapidly gained momentum and turned into a national student uprising with demands for free access and decolonisation of higher education. Many universities were forced to suspend academic activities, the riots caused hundreds of millions of rand in damage, and led to violent confrontations between students, police and private security guards, as well as to arrests of many students. In January 2017, protests began at training colleges. What does this imply for the future of South Africa’s higher education system? What are the challenges for future cooperation in education and research between Norway and South Africa?