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Item Open Access Future, change and choices(Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of the Free State, 2010) Nel, VernaAbstract not availableItem Open Access Re-thinking the role of regional development funds in South Africa: reflections on international experience(Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of the Free State, 2010) Rogerson, ChristianEnglish: In 2010 the national government actively considered the introduction of a regional development fund to support the objectives of regional development in South Africa. Against this backdrop, this article critically reviews the historical application of regional incentives under apartheid and the recent international application of regional development funds. It is argued that a narrow focus on regional incentive funds represents an element of the 'old' paradigm of regional theory and regional development practices. In addressing the widening imbalances that exist in the space economy of contemporary South Africa it is prudent to link the application of 'regional development funds' to the modern paradigm of regional development planning. Within this framework, the regional development fund is no longer simply an enterprise-oriented fund centred on manufacturing. Instead, the regional fund is re-defined as a channel for supporting wider comprehensive interventions across multiple sectors and targeted to build regional competitiveness.Item Open Access The dilemma of Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) in South African higher education - the case of Town and Regional Planning at the University of Johannesburg(Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of the Free State, 2010) Lewis, Martin; Holtzhausen, Natasja; Taylor, SusanneEnglish: The South African Higher Education Qualifications Framework (HEQF) gazetted in 2007 sets a revised qualifications framework that necessitates the re-evaluation and redesign of programmes to align with the new framework. For the first time the HEQF introduced the term 'Work-Integrated Learning' (WIL) into a Department of Education document with possible legal consequences for institutions of higher education, as the framework document provides that higher education institutions offering qualifications with a WIL component must place the students. This has led to a dilemma as placements are not always readily available. In addition, there is 'pressure' within institutions and from certain faculty members to eliminate the WIL component from curricula. This article aims to answer the following questions: - Is it worth retaining WIL in the Town and Regional Planning academic programme? - If it is found that WIL should remain part of the qualification, when should the students engage with this component? - If it is found that WIL should remain part of the qualification, for how long should this component be offered? This article presents the findings of the qualitative study aimed at finding a solution to the dilemma relating to WIL, with students from industry being surveyed for their input. It, therefore, forms part of what is an ongoing dialogue concerning all aspects relating to appropriate education.