Both the university management and council of Univen welcomed the transformation of the University of Venda by the Minister of Education, this past week.

According to a press release issued by the deputy vice chancellor, professor MM Ramogale, Univen and the communities that it serves have good reason to celebrate. "The National Minister of Education, Prof Kader Asmal, has, with the approval of Cabinet, finalised the restructuring of the higher education landscape. He outlined the new higher education landscape on 9 December 2002. The uncertainty about the future of the University of Venda has come to an end, and the University will not be merging with the University of the North and the Medical University of Southern Africa (Medunsa). Instead, the University will be retained as a stand-alone institution with a "new focus as a comprehensive institution offering technikon-type programmes, as well as a range of relevant university-type programmes" (Minister of Education, 9 December 2002).

"As a comprehensive institution, the University will have a dual character, that is, it will function as both a technikon and a university and will offer academic and career-oriented programmes and qualifications. This will enable the University to contribute in a unique way to the higher education provision in the Limpopo Province. The "new organisational form will result in the integration of academic and vocational programmes offered across the full qualification spectrum, allowing increased student access and mobility" (Minister of Education, 9 December 2002).

"The transformation will help to revitalise the University and will benefit people of the Limpopo Province through the provision of technikon education, something that has been an urgent need in the Province. The new organisational form will also enhance the status of the University and will help retain Limpopo Province students who had previously been forced to migrate to other provinces to access technikon education because of its unavailability in the Province."