President’s Pretoria ‘crime detection university’ plan on track
The “crime detection university” situated in the Capital City was announced in 2020 and would look into improving the training of SAPS officers.
The higher education department has moved into the fourth year of the establishment of a crime detection university in Pretoria.
It is not yet known when the university will open since the plan was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in his 2020 State of the Nation Address (Sona) but it is hoped it will bolster crime detection.
The plan remains to situate the university in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, according to higher education, science and innovation.
The university, which is yet to finalise the curriculum for crime and policing studies, would look into improving the quality of education and training for South Africa’s policing and criminal justice services.
During his post-school education and training (PSET) sector state of readiness for the 2024 academic year briefing on January 23, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Blade Nzimande said technical planning on the university was underway.
“Technical planning work is currently underway to provide the government with detailed plans to enable the long-term development of the new academic institutions and it is expected this work would be completed in 2024.
“To further enhance the responsiveness of our PSET, we continue to refine our programmes in all our institutions to be responsive to the needs of the labour market, particularly to provide skills in science, engineering and technology (SET) fields of study.”
He said through technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges, the government would continue to increase learning programmes required for occupations in high demand.
In 2020, Nzimande said the crime detection institution in terms of the Higher Education Act, could not be established as a university immediately.
But in 2022, he said the development of the new institution north of Pretoria had begun unfolding.
He said the study was funded through the infrastructure and efficiency grant (IEG) to the value of R6-million which aimed to advise on the size and shape of two institutions.
“The decision on whether this institution will be established as a university, college or a higher education college will depend on the outcome of a feasibility study that must still be undertaken,” Nzimande said.
He said the institution would possibly have a relatively small student population of not more than 5 000 and offer a range of qualifications and skills programmes.
Students will be able to study for higher certificates, advanced certificates, diplomas, advanced diplomas, undergraduate degrees and postgraduate diplomas accredited through the Council on Higher Education (CHE).
The institution would enhance investigative capacity, including the use of forensic methodologies and technology, data analytics, criminal and evidentiary law and investigative practice.
“The feasibility study should guide how this public higher education institution would be differentiated.”
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