Prof. Thierry Luescher
Prof Thierry Luescher is a research director in the HSRC's Inclusive Economic Development division where he leads a group dedicated to research in the fields of post-schooling and work. He holds a PhD in political studies from the University of Cape Town (2009) and a PGDip in higher education studies from the University of the Free State (2018) where he is an affiliated associate professor of higher education. Luescher has expertise in the politics, policies, and governance of higher education and the development of universities in South Africa and Africa. His research niche includes the student experience of higher education, student politics, and student affairs and services in Africa.
Luescher was formerly a senior lecturer in higher education studies and an extra-ordinary senior lecturer in political studies at the University of the Western Cape (2009-2014), and the assistant director for institutional research at the University of the Free State (2014-2017). Since joining the HSRC in 2017, he has participated in a range of projects including the investigation of skills development legislation for the parliamentary high panel ('the Motlanthe Commission') in 2017 with Dr Vijay Reddy and Dr Angelique Wildschut. He has led a range of projects on university-community engagement, innovation policy and skills planning, as well as ongoing work on student leadership in higher education and particularly the #FeesMustFall protests of 2015/16. Luescher is the principal investigator of a research project on the transformation of public universities in South Africa for the ministerial Transformation Oversight Committee (2021/22). He is also the coordinator of the sub-project 'Reimagining the African university' of the HSRC's The Imprint of Education project.
Luescher is a National Research Foundation-rated researcher. He has published over 50 scientific publications in local and international peer-reviewed academic journals and books, and several high-level research and policy reports. Luescher has also co-edited several books, including Reflections of South African Student Leaders, 1994-2017 (co-edited with Denyse Webbstock and Ntokozo Bhengu), published by the Council on Higher Education in 2020; Innovation Policy at the Intersection (co-edited with Mlungisi Cele and Angelina Wilson Fadiji), published by the HSRC Press in 2020; and Student Politics in Africa: Representation and Activism edited with Manja Klemencic and James Otieno Jowi (African Minds, 2016). His recent photovoice project on #FeesMustFall has generated a widely acclaimed photo exhibition entitled 'Aftermath: Violence and Wellbeing in the Context of the Student Movement' (available online at South African History Online). Luescher is an executive editor and co-founder of the Journal of Student Affairs in Africa, an international editor of the Makerere Journal of Higher Education and the Journal of College Student Development, and an editor of the book series African Higher Education Dynamics. His publications can be downloaded at www.thierryluescher.net.
EEE Cape Town Office writing workshop
In our capacities as Head of Office and Deputy Head of Office in the Cape Town branch of EEE, we would like to propose that an amount be applied to fu....
Free Decolonised Education in the Aftermath of Rhodes Must Fall and Fees Must Fall in South Africa Grant
A grant has been awarded to fund items for a collaborative research project....
Writing workshop, IED Cape Town
The purpose of this memo is to seek approval for funding an IED Cap Town Office writing workshop....
ARUA Collaborative PhD Programs in the Natural Sciences and the Humanities and Social Science Disciplines
This research serves as an initial process of developing harmonised collaborative doctoral programs among ARUA member universities and with universiti....
The 2021 Social unrest in South Africa: Future scenarios
In response to the social unrest and following a presentation by the HSRC to the National Intelligence Co-ordinating Committee (NICOC) the Department ....
NMU State of Higher Education Transformation in the Public Higher Education Sector
This concept note has been prepared by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) in response to a request by Ministerial Oversight Committee on Trans....
The Imprint of Education (TIE): A Longitudinal Cohort Study of African Alumni of the MasterCard Foundation Scholars' Programme - Ghana
The proposed research design is a longitudinal cohort study which aims to survey Scholars??? Program Alumni from six African countries (Ethiopia, Ghan....
Tracking of Employed, Unemployed and Underemployed Natural Science Graduates (2007-2017)
Graduate employment continues to be an issue of concern to policy makers, employers, education and training institutions and graduates themselves. Und....
Understanding violence and aggression in the context of the 2015/16 student movement in South Africa. A psychological well-being perspective
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Support the development of an in-depth understanding of contentious student politics in Africa
The NRF's Competitive Programme for Rated Researchers (CPRR) is a funding instrument that invites rated researcher to apply for funding. Dr. Thierry L....
Implementation of the Third Global Forum of National Advisory Councils
The National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI) hosted the third Global Form of National Advisory Councils on 5-6 December 2017. One of the output....
A study of key skills issues and change drivers for the PSETA
This proposal has been prepared in response to a call by the Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority (PSETA) to analyse key skills issu....
Research into recent student movements
With joint funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the National Research Foundation, research into recent student movements has highlighted t....