Higher Education Resource Services – South Africa (HERS-SA) is non-profit organisation (NPO) registered with the Department of Social Development in September 2003. Sarah Riordan, Desiree Simons, Penny Franz and the late Lesley Shackleton — established HERS-SA to address the shortage of women in senior positions in higher education. We are the only organisation in South Africa committed to narrowing the gender gap in higher education leadership.

Our mission is to improve the status of women in South African higher education through collaboration with pertinent role-players, research, education, advocacy and an array of appropriate activities and programmes in and outside the higher education spectrum.

HERS-SA is established for the following public benefit objectives:

The advancement and leadership development of women in the Higher Education sector;
1. To advocate for and contribute to women’s career and leadership development in the higher education sector.  This will be achieved by, amongst other things: Challenging institutional cultures which discourage and disable the advancement of women; Facilitating workplace change; Addressing gender inequity and enabling women to participate fully in academia.
2. To work in partnership with Higher Education Institutions and other sectors to contribute to the advancement of their gender equity
3. To seek, research and disseminate information relevant to existing opportunities for the advancement of women in higher education; and
4. To showcase women’s achievements, talents, and experiences at various levels of the higher education sector.

HERS-SA Director Brightness Mangolothi and her team are committed to contributing to gender equality in higher education. Brightness has a wealth of experiences as a former academic and leader in public and private universities. HERS-SA employees and board members are all females. We have a Level 1 BEE rating.