There is limited evidence of positive incentives to encourage faculty members to engage in regional development and the integration of research, service and teaching. University affiliation can have advantages by extending programmes to a region while maintaining quality controls through the university’s faculty. But affiliation can also result in diminished responsiveness to regional needs, especially when university faculties, already facing several budget constraints, resist diverting resources from the main campus to branches. The CHE process for review and approval of new academic programmes applies primarily national criteria to: i) ensure compliance with national quality standards, ii) encourage colleges to develop distinctive academic programmes that will attract students nationwide, iii) develop nationally recognised centres of excellence (e.g. in educating students with special needs) and iv) avoid unnecessary programme duplication.