Community Engagement Portfolio

Community Engagement Statement

Community engagement can be described as intentional interactions between communities and public decision-makers. Community engagement is a crucial component in building and uplifting communities. From the recognition of prior learning (RPL) and higher education perspective, community engagement is at the core of its policy development, implementation, practice, and the communities we serve. In this statement, Dr. Rekha Rambharose provides a formal outline of her commitment to actively involve and collaborate with members of the institutional, national, and international communities to achieve the national and institutional goals for widening and supporting access to higher education. 

Purpose: Community engagement with relevant stakeholders within UWC, other higher education institutions, SAQA, CHE, DHET, Umalusi, international institutions and other organizations within the Post-schooling education and training sector is critical to establishing strategies for enabling access, transition and navigation within the national qualifications framework. This would allow for optimal alignment and effective policy refinement and implementation on a national level. The socio-economic divide within South Africa far exceeds that of institutional capacity but we can work collectively to provide opportunities to widen access and support more diverse communities. Foregrounding RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) within the South African higher education context is crucial for fostering inclusivity, diversity, and equity within the education system. RPL is a process that allows individuals to gain recognition for the skills, knowledge, and experience they have acquired through informal learning, work experience, or other non-formal means. In the South African context, RPL holds significant importance due to historical inequalities and disparities in access to education and opportunities.

The core values and principles that guide my approach to community engagement within the context of RPL in Higher education are transparency, inclusivity, respect, and accountability. This e-portfolio for community engagement further elaborates my standing and role as it pertains to evidence of integrating engagement into teaching and learning and research and scholarship; demonstrating excellence in the engagement at an institutional level; a showcase of outstanding contributions to advancing UWC’s strategic engagement priorities and goals over a sustained period (I have joined UWC in August 2018, my first academic cycle of RPL started in 2019) I worked strategically to implement RPL with national imperatives and sustainable development goals at the forefront of all my respective community engagements. Community engagement within the RPL domain is a multi-layered effort, and is closely aligned with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as it contributes to the advancement of education, employment, social inclusion, and economic development. Over the past five years of service at UWC, I have been able to effectively provide novel, innovative and sound examples of best practices in the field of engagement as it relates to RPL policy and implementation for higher education. My main goal is to enable RPL adult mature learners, to actively research and spotlight their experiential attributes that add a rich and diverse knowledge engagement within the University environment. Working with adult learners and understanding their context, strengths and weaknesses, dreams and barriers will allow me to be a better agent of change and transformation in the country and internationally. 

I am committed to contributing to continuity and innovative impactful development within the post-schooling education and training sector of the country. I will ensure that all teaching, learning, policy and professional discipline-based service provision, community engagement and outreach activities are directly aligned to achieving the national imperatives such as equity and social justice, human capital development, skills development and employability, promotion of social cohesion and inclusion, transformation in higher education and lifelong learning. 

I will ensure that engagement practices are based on evidence-based feedback and lessons learned. I will endeavour to serve in my capacity as a member of the UWC academic community, Council of Higher Education community of practice member, engaging with SAQA and DHET, and a researcher in the field of RPL and higher education with vision, purpose and integrity.