| Summary: | Thesis (MEd (Education Policy Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis explores the role and responsibility of the university in educating students to be democratic citizens in a cosmopolitan world, with specific reference to South African higher education, and Stellenbosch University in particular. Recent changes in the world, such as globalisation and the rise of the knowledge economy, has brought into question the role of the university, and some argue that the university in the 21st century is no more than another bureaucratic corporation with its business being providing the necessary knowledge and skills for students to become adequately equipped professionals. However, this thesis argues that universities in the 21st century do not only have the responsibility of training students to be competent professionals, but also of equipping them with the necessary skills to be responsible citizens in a democratic society.
In this thesis, a theoretical framework is constructed in order to better understand the concept of democratic citizenship for a cosmopolitan world, and what such an education would entail, where after the South African Higher Education landscape is explored to gain an understanding of the institutional landscape and legislative and policy framework within which South African universities are situated. The final part of the thesis focuses on Stellenbosch University and the extent to which democratic citizenship education for a cosmopolitan world is encouraged and supported at an institutional level.
The ultimate conclusion that Stellenbosch University is committed to the education of students towards democratic citizenship for a cosmopolitan world, at least as far as policy and planning documents are concerned, however raises further questions - amongst others about the transformation of the institutional culture. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek die rol en verantwoordelikheid van die universiteit in die opvoeding van studente tot demokratiese burgerskap in 'n kosmopolitiese wêreld, met spesifieke verwysing na Suid-Afrikaanse hoër onderwys en meer bepaald studente aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch. Onlangse wêreldwye tendense soos globalisering en die opkoms van 'n kennis-ekonomie plaas noodwendig die rol van die universiteit onder die soeklig. Daar is diegene wat argumenteer dat die universiteit van die 21ste eeu niks anders is as nog 'n burokratiese korporatiewe instelling nie. Die besigheid van so 'n instelling, word geargumenteer, is die voorsiening van die nodige kennis en vaardighede ten einde studente voldoende toe te rus as professionele persone. Daarteenoor is die argument van hierdie tesis dat universiteite in die 21ste eeu nie net die verantwoordelikheid het om studente op te lei tot bevoegde professionele persone nie, maar ook om hulle toe te rus met die nodige vaardighede om verantwoordelike burgers te wees in 'n demokratiese samelewing.
'n Teoretiese raamwerk is ontwikkel ten einde die konsep 'demokratiese burgerskap' in 'n kosmopolitiese wêreld en wat dit behels, beter toe te lig. Vervolgens is die Suid Afrikaanse hoëronderwyslandskap ondersoek ten einde 'n begrip te verkry van die institusionele landskap sowel as die wetgewende en beleidsraamwerke waarbinne Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite hul bevind. Ten slotte fokus die tesis op die Universiteit Stellenbosch en die mate waartoe die instelling opvoeding tot demokratiese burgerskap vir 'n kosmopolitiese wêreld op 'n institusionele vlak aanmoedig en ondersteun.
Die uiteindelike gevolgtrekking dat die Universiteit Stellenbosch wel verbind is tot die opleiding van studente tot demokratiese burgerskap in 'n kosmopolitiese wêreld, ten minste soos vervat in beleids- en beplanningsdokumente, lei egter tot verdere vrae oor onder meer die transformasie van die institusionele kultuur.
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