HESA needs to keep a long term perspective and cohere around a shared long term vision in order to effectively play its role as a unified leadership voice for higher education, especially with regard to determining and influencing national policy to be benefit of the sector. This is even more important for the Exco given its roles of constantly steering the strategic direction of HESA and of frequently engaging with other high-level higher education stakeholders on behalf of the Board.

The 3-year Business Plan of the Council on Higher Education submitted to the Minister of Education has prioritised, among other issues, to give advice to the Minister on the internationalisation of South African higher education and a vision for an optimal size and shape of the system in the next 20 years.

For 2009, the following objectives have been prioritised:

• To define the key factors that influence and contribute towards the higher education long-term vision;
• Strategic and principled engagement with shifts and changes in the environment; and
• Collaboration on national initiatives to respond to national imperatives and sector needs
• To engage with the key stakeholders in higher education to promote the HESA vision.

HESA needs to engage with key strategic challenges facing higher education and which add value to the sector. To be able to do that, HESA needs to be flexible whilst remaining strategically focused both at Board level and at the Executive Office level. To achieve this flexibility the Executive office plans to commit upfront 60% of its budget to confirmed projects and programmes. The remaining 40% will be used for emerging priorities. The Board and Executive committee will be expected to guide and assist in prioritising these emerging priorities. To achieve this effectiveness and efficiency for 2009, HESA plans to:

• Ensure that the Executive Office's vision, mission, objectives are aligned with the external environment and internal strengths beyond 2009;
• Regularly scan the environment to identify opportunities and threats to the sector (Policy Briefs, engagements);
• Ensure that the organisational structures, systems and processes are appropriate for effective and efficient delivery;
• Ensure that other funding streams are identified for the appropriate HESA activities;
• Have appropriate communication and information sharing strategies;

Strategic Objectives and outcomes:

To coordinate the sector's contribution to the national effort of addressing the national skills shortage problem, thereby enhancing the sector's contribution to the growth of the South African economy. The sector's effort is to be channelled largely through the following national structures:

• The Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA) initiative initiated in 2006 as an urgent and short term response to the skills needs in the country as part of the Accelerated Strategy for Growth for South Africa (ASGISA);
• The Department of Education's National Human Resource Development Strategy (HRDS-SA)

The JIPSA initiative was a short term response to the skills needs of the country and is expected to come to an end in March 2010. Some of the key lessons learnt from the JIPSA Initiative will be incorporated into a more permanent and comprehensive national human resource development strategy which is expected to be launched in 2009. The incorporation into the HRDS-SA will ensure that there is a permanent structure and responsible Minister responsible for planning and monitoring the skill needs of the country.

For 2009, HESA will have to coordinate the sector's response to the HRD Strategy (HRDS-SA).

To achieve the above strategic objectives in 2009, HESA will focus on:

• HESA will partner with DBSA through the Siyenza Manje Project to identify sector's contribution in strengthening municipality capabilities;
• Position sector's contribution to skills development through the engagement of appropriate policies, bills and national strategies and initiatives; and
• Profile the sector's contribution to the national imperative (skills) and highlighting opportunities and challenges to relevant stakeholders (at conference, and through the media)

HESA will continue to support the sector through partnerships and initiatives like

• the Umsobomvu Youth Fund partnership to make information available about higher education through UYF funded graduate centres; and
• SASCE: a plan for work integrated learning.