The SARCHI-funded higher education and human development research programme is a unique opportunity to understand the impact of higher education in contributing to reducing poverty and inequalities, and in social transformation, from an inter-disciplinary, comparative, multi-project perspective, and to ask ‘whose freedoms’? It innovatively considers how the widest capabilities and functionings can be formed directly and indirectly in and through higher education in South Africa and internationally, and has a special but not exclusive concern and focus on the UFS, the region, and the province. Building systematically on relevant higher research to date, this programme will develop theory, generate new empirical narratives, and foster beneficial linkages between researchers and diverse publics, including practitioners, policy makers, and other potential users of the research.

The programme has three common strands:

• critical theory building
• policy
• diversity

And three research themes:

• Access, achievement, and equity as human development.
• Creating capabilities (undergraduate and postgraduate students).
• Producing public good professionals.