South African universities worth almost as much as gold

Apart from contributing to knowledge and skills in the workforce, South African universities may almost be worth their weight in gold.

An article in the March/April issue of the South African Journal of Science makes the case for more public investment in universities because of their economic impacts.

‘The contribution of higher education institutions to the South African economy’, authored by Anastassios Pouris and Roula Inglesi-Lotz from the University of Pretoria, estimates that the higher education sector contributed almost as much as the gold industry in value added to the economy.