The Council on Higher Education (CHE) was established as an independent statutory body in May 1998 in terms of the 'Higher Education Act, No 101 of 1997' (reference: The Higher Education Act and Education White Paper 3 of 1997 ) explicate the mandate and responsibilities of the CHE. The Secretariat of the CHE began to be established after June 1999 when the first CHE Chief Executive Officer took office. 

This CHE 2006 - 2009 Programme (Goals, Strategy and Plan) sets out the overall direction to be adopted by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) in pursuance of its statutory mandate and responsibilities as outlined in the Higher Education Act, No 101 of 1997 and given further expression in the Education White Paper 3, A Programme for the Transformation of Higher Education, of 1997. 

The CHE 2006 - 2009 Programme is regarded as a dynamic framework of activities that can be further developed in accordance with changing conditions and through interaction with key higher education stakeholders.