The quest for relevance : preliminary thoughts on the issue of relevance in higher education in South Africa

Relevance is an amorphous term used to describe information that is deemed to be useable and useful within a particular context, and which concerns that context. The issue of relevance is pertinent in fields such as Logic, Information Science and Philosophy. Although the term is frequently used in educational policy documents, its dimensions and implications are not necessarily clarified. The paper looks cursively at some of the dimensions of relevance and its implications for higher education. Pertinent to any discussion on the issue of relevance is the background and context of the participants of the discussion. Each participant has a unique "stake " in determining relevance and its implications; and each has a particular understanding of the definition, parameters, and measurability of relevance. In higher education in South Africa it is essential to reflect on relevance, its use in our policy documents and its implications. In the open distance learning environment in which Unisa functions, and against the challenges facing higher education, the debate on relevance is urgent.