| (a) | advise the Minister on any aspect of higher education at the request of the Minister; |
| (b) | arrange and co-ordinate conferences; |
| (i) | promote quality assurance in higher education; |
| (iii) | accredit programmed of higher education; |
| (d) | publish information regarding developments in higher education, including reports on the state of higher education, on a regular basis; |
[Section 5(1)(d) amended by section 1 of Act No. 38 of 2003]
| (e) | promote the access of students to higher education institutions; and |
| (f) | perform any other function— |
[Section 5(1)(f)(i) amended by section 2 of Act No. 39 of 2008]
| (ii) | delegated or assigned to it by the Minister by notice in the Gazette. |
| (2) | The advice contemplated in subsection (1)(a) includes advice on— |
| (a) | qualifications, quality promotion and quality assurance; |
[Section 5(2)(a) amended by section 2 of Act No. 39 of 2008]
| (c) | the structure of the higher education system; |
| (d) | the planning of the higher education system; |
| (e) | a mechanism for the allocation of public funds; |
| (f) | student financial aid; |
| (g) | student support services; |
| (h) | governance of higher education institutions and the higher education system; and |
| (a) | consider the advice of the CHE; and |
| (b) | provide reasons in writing to the CHE if the Minister does not accept the advice. |
| (4) | The Minister may act without the advice of the CHE— |
| (a) | if the matter is urgent; or |
| (b) | if the CHE has failed to provide the advice within a reasonable time. |
| (5) | If the Minister acts without the advice of the CHE the Minister must— |
| (a) | notify the CHE of such action; and |
| (b) | provide reasons in writing to the CHE for such action. |
