Academic leaders in higher education institutions are vital in leading change to ensure the successful implementation of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). However, change efforts postulated by RPL policies have failed because academic leaders are reluctant to change their strategies and views to accommodate the implementation of RPL. Thus, this study was driven to develop a leadership change model to facilitate the implementation of Recognition of Prior Learning in higher education institutions. Reinholz and Andrews’s theory of change supported and guided this research. Through a case study research design lens, this study used a qualitative approach to collect qualitative data through interview guides, a structured qualitative survey and document analysis. The triangulation of three data collection methods enhanced the trustworthiness of the findings. A total of 28 participants participated in the study comprising Programme Managers, RPL Coordinators, Admission Officers, Quality Assurance Managers, Senior Managers and Managers. The study’s sample was drawn from two public universities, a private higher education institution, the South African Qualifications Authority and the Council for Higher Education. Purposeful sampling was used to select the study’s participants. The qualitative data was analysed using McMillan and Schumacher’s data analysis method and ATLAS.ti 8.0 to generate themes.
The research revealed significant findings for academic leaders to facilitate the implementation of RPL. The study found that it is necessary to understand the contextual factors present in higher education that affect the implementation of RPL. Furthermore, the essential behavioural traits required of academic leaders are awareness, commitment, a pastoral approach and creating an open dialogue. The study found that to measure the impact of a higher education institution’s efforts in implementing change, the academic leaders need to understand the staff’s capacity and be able to plan, organise, influence and lead the implementation of RPL. Although funding is a necessary commodity for the implementation of RPL, it was found that the lack of funding is significantly challenging higher education institutions in establishing the required infrastructure for the implementation of RPL. The study revealed the strategies that academic leaders need to implement, embed, and integrate RPL into the higher education institutions. That included creating coherence, displaying a coordinated engagement, collaboration, evaluation and monitoring. Finally, the findings were used to develop a cogent model for leadership to facilitate the implementation of RPL in higher education institutions.
Based on the findings, the study recommends, among other things, that the Department of Higher Education and Training provides the necessary funding to higher education institutions to facilitate the implementation of RPL.
Akademiese leiers in Hoer Onderwysinstellings (HOIs) is noodsaaklik om verandering te lei om die suksesvolle implementering van Erkenning van Vorige Leer (EVL) te verseker. Veranderingspogings wat deur EVL-beleide gepostuleer word, het egter misluk omdat akademiese leiers huiwerig is om hul strategie en sieninge te verander om die implementering van EVL te akkomodeer.
Hierdie studie is dus gedryf om ‘n leierskapsveranderingsmodel te ontwikkel om die implementering van EVL in Hoër Onderwysinstellings te fasiliteer. Reinholz en Andrews se teorie van verandering het hierdie navorsing ondersteun en gelei. Deur ‘n gevallestudie navorsingsontwerplens het hierdie studie ‘n kwalitatiewe benadering gebruik om kwalitatiewe data in te samel deur middel van ‘n gestruktureerde vraelys, onderhoudsgidse en dokumentanalise. Die triangulasie van drie data- insamelingsmetodes het die betroubaarheid van die bevindinge verbeter. Altesaam 28 deelnemers het aan die studie deelgeneem. Die studie se steekproef is uit twee openbare universiteite, ‘n private hoeronderwysinstelling, die Suid-Afrikaanse Kwalifikasie-owerheid en die Raad van Hoër Onderwys getrek. Doelgerigte steekproefneming is gebruik om die studie se deelnemers te selekteer. Die kwalitatiewe data is ontleed met behulp van McMillan and Schumacher se data-ontledingsmetode en Atlas.ti weergawe 8 om temas te genereer. Die navorsing het betekenisvolle bevindinge vir akademiese leiers aan die lig gebring om die implementering van EVL te fasiliteer. Die studie het bevind dat dit nodig is om die kontekstuele faktore wat teenwoordig is in hoer onderwys wat die implementering van EVL beinvloed, te verstaan. Verder is die noodsaaklike gedragseienskappe wat van akademiese leiers vereis word, bewustheid, toewyding, ‘n pastorale benadering en die skep van ‘n oop dialoog. Die studie het bevind dat om die impak van ‘n instelling se pogings om verandering te implementer te meet, die akademiese leiers die personeel se kapasiteit moet verstaan en in staat moet wees om die implementering van EVL te beplan, organiseer, beinvloed en lei.
Alhoewel befondsing ‘n noodsaaklike kommoditiet is vir die implementering van EVL, is gevind dat die gebrek aan befondsing instellings aansienlik uitdaag om die vereiste infrastruktuur vir die implementering van EVL daar te stel. Die studie het die strategiee aan die lig gebring wat akademiese leiers nodig het om EVL in die instellings te implementeer, vas te le en te integreer, insluitend die skep van samehang, die vertoon van ‘n gekoordineerde betrokkenheid, samewerking, evaluering en monitoring. Laastens is die bevindinge gebruik om ‘n oorkoepelende model vir leierskap te ontwikkel om die implementering van EVL in HOIs te fasiliteer, word beskryf, gesintetiseer en aangebied.
Op grond van die bevindinge beveel die studie onder meer aan dat die Departement van Hoer Onderwys die nodige befondsing aan HOIs moet verskaf om die implementering van EVL te fasiliteer.
