Welcome to the Institutional Planning Directorate
First Floor, Administration Building, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Bellville Campus
Email: ipd@cput.ac.za
Who are we?
The Institutional Planning Directorate at CPUT falls under the Vice-Chancellor’s Office. Our goal is to maintain a robust history of institutional and comparative data, provide strong analytical support for evidence-based decision making, and strengthening the integrity and governance of information for use by the university community.
What do we do?
Guide and support university-wide decision-making and strategic planning processes through enhanced analytics/MI capabilities and ensuring we meet statutory reporting needs for student data. The broader functions within the Group which support this activity institution-wide including strategic planning and academic planning processes, providing Management Information institution-wide, promoting the standard of Data Quality within the institution, co-ordinating the University’s reporting to the Department of Higher Education & Training (DHET) via HEMIS (the Higher Education Management Information System), managing the updating of CPUT’s Academic Structure, maintaining the University’s programme and qualification mix (PQM), and conducting institutional research. The Directorate also has responsibility for the submission of reports as part of the University’s statutory requirements.
Academic Planning
Academic Planning supports the University’s academic planning activities. It provides assistance to the Academic Planning Committee and advice to the University community on general academic planning issues.
Key external agencies involved in the approval of new qualifications aligned with the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF) are the Department of Higher Education & Training (DHET), the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) of the Council on Higher Education (CHE), and the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).
Strategic Planning
The ultimate responsibility for the strategic planning and direction-setting rests with the Vice-Chancellor and Executive Management. However, this office is regularly involved in facilitating strategic planning events and making contributions in terms of information and the consolidation and development of planning documents.
HEMIS
A HEMIS (Higher Education Management Information Systems) Office is responsible for maintaining and updating a university's academic structure, ensuring compliance with regulations, and preparing HEMIS submissions for reporting purposes, including liaising with relevant stakeholders.
Here's a more detailed breakdown of the role:
Key Responsibilities
Academic Structure Maintenance:
The HEMIS and MIS Office ensures the university's academic structure is accurate and up-to-date, adhering to compliance requirements and statutory obligations.
HEMIS Submissions:
We prepare and validate HEMIS submissions for Department of Higher Education and Training on a regular basis to enable CPUT to submit valid claims for its state subsidy, analyse errors, and distribute them to relevant custodians for correction. We also assist with various other statutory reporting required throughout the Institution.
Data Extraction and Reporting:
The office extracts data for internal and external reporting purposes and liaises with stakeholders to ensure the accuracy of the information.
Compliance and Regulations:
We stay informed about relevant regulations, policies, and frameworks, such as the Higher Education Qualification Sub-Framework (HEQSF) and the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) amongst others.
Support for Institutional Planning:
The HEMIS and MIS Office supports institutional planning by providing management information input.
Data Management:
We manage and monitor data related to academic programs, residence space utilization, ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the data.
Stakeholder Communication:
We communicate with various internal and external stakeholders to address inquiries and provide information.
Analytics & Business Intelligence
Analytics and Business Intelligence function supports the university to take an evidence-based approach to planning and decision-making. Therefore, data and analysis underpins much of IPD’s work through a Business Intelligence solution. IPD undertakes strategic evaluation of the university’s performance against set targets, through analysis and benchmarking of performance, the production of annual performance plan reports and midterm review performance reports, and provision of faculty and departmental performance profiles to inform the annual planning process. This function also has the capabilities to model future performance trajectories, such as student enrolment projections, and complete impact assessments. Provides evidence to support programme reviews and strategic projects and produce other analyses on an ad-hoc basis as projects and initiatives arise.
The Analytics dashboard is available to the general public and may be accessed via the following link:
http://bi.cput.ac.za/PowerHEDA/dashboard.aspx
Institutional Research
This function carries out regular surveys among staff and students in order to produce useful information about the institution, aiding planning and pointing to areas where there is a need for action. In addition, the Research Officer conducts ad hoc surveys to investigate specific issues that require analysis. The section offers advice and expertise to a wide range of staff in the field of institutional research, and in the application and interpretation of surveys in particular.
Why?
Good quality, clearly presented data and management information – when properly contextualised – can significantly enhance decision-making processes and strategic planning. When leveraged effectively, management information can help identify and drive strategic interventions. This is essential for any agile organisation which seeks to maintain excellence whilst remaining competitive and innovative.
How can you get involved?
Please contact Quanita Behardien at ipd@cput.ac.za. We are here to support the wider CPUT strategic objectives so welcome input and requests from across the institution.
