The impact of the heritage bursary

Overview

Approach

The SA Cultural Observatory (SACO) has commissioned an impact evaluation research report based on the heritage bursaries disbursed by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) between the years 2015 - 2019. In support of SACO’s function as a statistical and research project with research findings that have an influence on policy within the arts, culture and heritage (ACH) and cultural and creative industries (CCIs) in South Africa, this impact evaluation is designed to provide valuable data about the reach and impact of this bursary scheme.

There is a need for a more detailed understanding of ways in which the bursary has affected the lives and career trajectory of bursary recipients within these sectors and the report is the first attempt at gaining such insights. This report has a strong element of qualitative data, which also provides a useful approach towards gaining a deeper understanding of the true impact of the bursaries based on personal experiences as well as exposure to the kinds of skills associated with the heritage sector. This framework has enabled the emergence of more details about the capacity of the bursaries to facilitate access to industry, improve lives in a financial capacity and to support career development.

Methodology

Surveys were distributed to students from a select number of tertiary education institutions from five of the nine provinces nationally, from which two key universities were focused on: the Universities of Limpopo and the Witwatersrand. Key stakeholders within the heritage sector were identified and approached for interviews. The first batch of interviewees selected for this phase of the research were drawn from a pool of students and DSAC heritage bursaries recipients who had completed the survey. The other interviewees included heritage professionals and tertiary education professionals.

Key Findings

• • Heritage education in South Africa has substantial potential for greater integration and networking with the professional sector.
  • The DSAC heritage Bursary scheme is the most visible in South Africa, with regards to funding support for heritage studies.
  • The DSAC Heritage Bursary scheme is well placed to leverage DSAC systems and networks for greater access and professionalisation within the bursary scheme.
  • There are substantial difficulties in data collection, monitoring and evaluation for this programme due to its distributed management.
  • The administration of the bursaries was highly inefficient.

Conclusion and Recommendations

There is substantial need for heritage education to more distinctly integrate into professional heritage practice. In large part this is connected to the need for practical experience within education, as well as connections to the professional work environment. This is also related to a broader spectrum of complex skills aligned with future needs of the workplace, including soft skills. There is potential for the DSAC to enlist the services of some of its entities in order to support the administration process of this bursary scheme. By tapping into existing systems which already perform this service, the department could alleviate existing pressure while ensuring that there is sufficient capacity to meet the demands of administering the bursary. While the bursary scheme has successfully created a footprint nationwide and is at the forefront of funding bodies for students in this sector, there remains some room for improvement. These recommendations compiled following an analysis of data collected throughout the study can be useful for guiding the process of creating vital shifts in the role of the DSAC while ensuring that its mandates are fully met.