Transforming Universities Through Strategic Plans in South Africa and Zimbabwe: Continuities and Discontinuities

The decade-long strategic planning cycles designed to enhance efficiency in universities have become increasingly significant in higher education. However, their effectiveness has diminished due to evolving educational demands and dynamic contexts. This study analyzed the effectiveness of strategic planning in achieving institutional goals, emphasizing the need for universities to reevaluate their relationships with local communities, businesses, national economies, and other entities. The study employed a multi-case study methodology to analyze the continuities and discontinuities in transformations instigated by the strategic plans of two South African universities, the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the University of South Africa, as well as two Zimbabwean universities, the University of Zimbabwe and Great Zimbabwe University. The research conducted a thematic and content analysis using a desktop examination of examples and evidence related to the execution of strategic plans. To authenticate secondary data, interviews were conducted with important informants, including vice-chancellors, faculty deans, quality assurance directors, and academic and non-academic staff members. The study revealed that although university change necessitates a clearly articulated strategy, the strategic plans of these institutions, primarily project-oriented, serve just as a means to document current activities and projected outcomes. Although Zimbabwean institutions had “effective” strategic plans, their execution was inadequate. To alleviate the challenges now afflicting universities, the research advocates for a shift from strategic plans to the formulation of comprehensive strategic frameworks that correspond to the advancement of national policies. The study offers insights into how strategic plans can serve as proactive instruments of universities’ sustainable transformation in unstable economic and political contexts. Keywords: Policy, Strategic Plans, Transformation, Universities