Cover Story - Professor Thoko Mayekiso, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Mpumalanga

Celebrating a Decade of Excellence

The University of Mpumalanga’s academic journey started on 19 February 2014 when the first cohort of students registered in 3 programmes - Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching; Bachelor of Agriculture in Agricultural Extension and Rural Resource Management; and Diploma in Hospitality Management. Ten years later, with Professor Thoko Mayekiso at the helm as Vice Chancellor, the University has achieved the following:

• The student numbers have increased from 169 in 2014 to 10 137.

• Since 2017 the University has nurtured and produced 6000 graduates.

• True to its typology as a comprehensive institution, academic offerings have increased from 3 in 2014 to 75 in 2024 - ranging from Higher Certificates to Doctoral Degrees (2 x Higher Certificates; 6 x Diplomas; 7 x Advanced Diplomas; 4 x Postgraduate Diplomas; 13 x Bachelors Degrees; 13 Honours Degrees; 16 x Masters Degrees and; 4 Doctoral Degrees).

• Partnerships have been established with 35 universities internationally; 11 in Europe; 4 in North America; 2 in Australia; 9 in Asia and; 9 in Africa.

• UMP received the National Research Foundation Excelleration Award in 2022 which recognises the most improved institution in research performance; and in 2023, was awarded the National Research Foundation CEO’s Special Recognition Award as a South African institution which has previously won the NRF Excelleration Award and has continued its progress and commitment to excellence in research performance as measured against a selection of critical indicators.

• Again in 2023 the University received the Built Environment Award from the Council for the Built Environment, in the Category of State Owned Entity that implemented an infrastructure project timeously,.

• The number of rated researchers has increased from 1 in 2014 to 16 in 2024.

• The number of academic staff with Doctoral degrees has increased from 5% in 2014 to 55%.

• The overall number of staff has increased from 12 in 2014 to 630.

• The Centre for Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubator nurtures and fosters an entrepreneurial mindset in students, staff, alumni and members of the community.

• The state-of-the-art, 4 Star Tfokomala Hotel and Conference Centre at the Mbombela Campus provides experiential learning opportunities for students enrolled for the Diploma in Hospitality Management and the Diploma in Culinary Arts.

• The University has achieved unqualified (clean) audit opinions every year since 2014.

• UMP students have excelled in the competitions they have participated in nationally and internationally. This includes the Choir and the ENACTUS Team which has won 40 trophies since participating in the national competition in 2017.

Public Sector Leaders asked Prof Thoko Mayekiso to share her journey and her success story with our readers.

Career Trajectory

I assumed office as the First ViceChancellor of the University of Mpumalanga with effect from 1 November 2014.

I obtained a BA, BA Honours, and MA in Psychology, from the University of Fort Hare and furthered my studies at the Free University Berlin, in Germany, where I obtained a D Phil (cum laude) in Psychology. I also hold a Higher Education Diploma (Postgraduate) from the University of South Africa. I am a registered Clinical Psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).

I have held positions of Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor, Professor, Head of Department of Psychology and Vice Dean at the then University of Transkei. I practiced as an Honorary Clinical Fellow at the Greenwood Institute of Child Health, University of Leicester and simultaneously served as a Clinical Psychologist in the Department of Medical Psychology, Leicester General Hospital in the United Kingdom. The South African University ViceChancellors Association and the American Council on Education awarded me a fellowship which was tenable at the University of Washington, Seattle.

I then joined the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in 2001 where I served as Head of School of Human and Community Development, Deputy Dean, Chair of Psychology and Acting Executive Dean in the Faculty of Humanities. I proceeded to Nelson Mandela University in 2007, as an Executive Dean in the Faculty of Arts, and then Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Engagement) in 2009, a position I held until joining UMP.

I am a member of the Academy of Science South Africa (ASSAf) and a C3 rated Scientist by the National Research Foundation.

Being a distinguished scholar, and an accomplished academic, I attracted several scholarships and fellowships. Notable among these are the German Academic Exchange Scholarship (DAAD) and the Commonwealth Fellowship tenable in the United Kingdom. Furthermore, I was awarded a certificate by the Psychological Society of South Africa (PsySSA) in acknowledgement of the contribution I made to the Profession of Psychology in South Africa.

I also served as an Executive member of the South African National Committee for the International Union of Psychological Science (IUPsyS) and Board member of the International Council for the Science Union (ICSU).

I have published extensively in accredited journals both nationally and internationally and have written five book chapters. I have supervised twenty-five Masters students and twelve Doctoral students.

Board and Council Membership

At all the universities where I have served as an academic, an academic leader and manager, I participated actively, in key committees.

Beyond university management, I have been involved in many Boards and Science Councils such as, Founder Member of the Child and Family Unit at the Umtata General Hospital; Board Member of the National Development Agency (NDA); Founder Advisory Board Member of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls –South Africa; Member of the Council of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC); South African Advisory Board Member of the Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Fellowships for Journalism; Member of the Advisory Board of the Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town; Founder Member of the Emthonjeni Centre Advisory Board; Editor in Chief of the SAHARA Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS; Associate Editor, Journal of Psychology in Africa; Member of the Board of the Institute for Cooperatives Development at the University of Fort Hare and; Member of the Board of the Eastern Cape Economic Consultative Council.

I currently serve on several Boards and advisory structures within the higher education sector. I am the Chairperson of the Universities South Africa (USAf) Research and Innovation Strategy Group. I serve as a Board member of Higher Health, Universities South Africa, Technological Higher Education Network South Africa (THENSA) and a member of Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) Forum on Just Transition – Steering Committee. I am the Chairperson of the Advisory Board of the UMP Centre for Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubator.

Key Responsobilities

My key responsibilities are to provide strategic leadership and management of the University in relation to its core missions of teaching and learning, research and innovation, and engagement. In addition, as a new institution, I have the responsibility to put in place a post-apartheid institution would look like. We are lucky that we are not encumbered by the legacy of apartheid. Creating a new society would require new institutions that would inculcate different habits and a new consciousness.

During my inauguration address, I made the following commitment, “Pioneers have to build a firm foundation, mindful that what they are creating should be durable, marketable, sustainable and enduring. Generations yet unborn must find a thriving University, one they will be proud to join because we who pioneered it, laid a firm foundation, and got into this immense project with body, mind and soul”.

As pioneers, we had to find the path ourselves. We had to stay the course through turbulence, storms and rough seas during our pioneering journey, “Luhambo lwemhlahlandlela”. The biggest reward is the success achieved by the University in the first 10 years of existence, in all its core missions, accompanied by the numbers of students who have graduated and some of them “cum laude” (with distinction).

The other biggest reward is the realization that we succeeded in providing our students with lifechanging experiences through highquality curricula and co-curricula programmes which promote the principles of excellence, free enquiry and academic integrity.

An Academy of Rated Researchers

Having rated researchers is an indication of the research standing of an institution in terms of productivity, quality and impact of the research.

This is important to attract research funding, the establishment of research-related collaborative relationships as well as postgraduate students who are interested in pursuing research degrees at the Masters and Doctoral levels. It contributes to the development of a research culture at the university and an increase in the number of research active staff. C rated researchers, for example, are established researchers with a sustained recent record of productivity in the field and who are recognised by their peers as having produced a body of quality work, the core of which has coherence and attests to ongoing engagement with the field.

Leadership Style

My leadership style is situational leadership. This style enables me to adapt my style to each situation. Based on each situation, I lead from the front, from the middle or from behind. At the same time, I draw from my professional background of Psychology as a Registered Clinical Psychologist, in my leadership journey. I believe in principled leadership that is informed by one’s values and ethics.

The principles of listening, engagement, communicating effectively, teamwork, appreciating connectedness, trustworthiness, self-acceptance, caring deeply for all staff, leading with integrity, leading by example, practicing fairness and never leaving conflict unresolved, have guided my leadership journey.

An African University

UMP is fulfilling its commitment to develop as an African University in a number of ways. We are positioning ourselves as an African University that recognizes, affirms and entrenches the African experience and context in the academic project and leadership and management processes. There is a concerted effort to ensure the relevance of the curriculum.

This is achieved through the incorporation of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) into the curriculum. Whilst students are introduced to different world-views and epistemologies, there is concerted effort to introduce them to African epistemologies and African worldviews and philosophies.

UMP recognises the importance of culture and language. The curriculum offers reflective discourse in the African experience. In our B ED Foundation Phase Teaching programme at the Siyabuswa Campus, provision is made for SiSwati, IsiNdebele and SePedi. At the Mbombela Campus, SiSwati and IsiNdebele are offered up to postgraduate levels. We are in the process of developing a Language Policy for the University.

As a University, we embrace, celebrate and uphold African values. The African life ethos of Ubuntu forms the broad and overarching framework for our values. The mural at the main entrance to the University at the Mbombela Campus, is a symbol of our African identity, our Africanness. It is a reminder to everyone entering the University that they are entering an African University.

We have taken a conscious decision to celebrate Africa Day in a manner that promotes the knowledge of African countries to both staff and students every year. Public lectures by renowned African scholars are arranged as part of inculcating the sense of being African. Through these efforts UMP has been able to deepen and heighten African consciousness among staff and students. This includes appreciation of African culture, history, art, cuisine and traditions.

We have established partnerships with institutions across the continent and UMP has supported student and staff visits to a number of African countries. The University is home to students from neighbouring countries such as Mozambique, eSwatini and Zimbabwe.

Winning The UNIIC Ideathon Competition

UMP is a member of the University Incubator Consortium (UNIIC) which comprises 17 universities from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, India and South Africa. UMP students from the Centre for Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubator participated in the 2024 UNIIC Ideathon Competition jointly hosted by the Palawan State University, Western Philippines University and the Mindoro State University, in Puerto Princesa, Philippines from 27-28 May 2024. The UNIIC Ideathon was attended by myself, Prof Kanayo Ogujuiba, Prof Estelle Boshoff and Dr Mazanai Musara.

The UMP Team that participated in the competition which was represented by Ms Masedi Gwashana, Ms Melody Chiume, Ms Bongiwe Nkosi, Ms Innocentia Nkosi and Ms Kholofelo Makhubupetsi, won the vertical on Health and Wellness. They presented on the idea of converting mangoes to compost and mango chips that would support rural communities in Mpumalanga province towards food security and sustainability. This was a follow-up to the last competition by UNIIC members in 2022 hosted by the Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where the UMP Team won the Best Pitch Award.

The UNIIC 2024 Ideathon which was attended by 156 students, provided the students with the unique opportunity to enhance their visibility, expand their networks, and engage with potential partners, accelerators and forge meaningful relationships with participants from other universities.

Thoko Mayekiso Library and Information Services

The naming of the UMP Academic Library as the Thoko Mayekiso Library and Information Services was part of the 10 Year Celebrations since the establishment of the University under the theme, “Decade of Excellence”. This accolade reflects the acknowledgement and appreciation by the UMP community of my contribution, as the Founding Vice-Chancellor of the University, to the establishment of a solid foundation for the institution. The general tendency out there is for leaders to find established institutions.

To start a university from scratch is an experience we will always cherish. The privilege of starting a new university has been a source of positive energy and motivation for me as the Vice-Chancellor. We celebrated the decade of excellence with evidence on the ground that the opportunity to pioneer was fully embraced and optimally embarked upon. The University is buzzing with intellectual energy and an inquisitive spirit. It has made significant strides under my leadership and the naming of the Library Building, which is at the heart of knowledge generation and dissemination, was a form of recognition and affirmation.

Famous Alumni

UMP graduated the first cohort of graduates in 2017. Therefore, we have a number of emerging alumni who are establishing themselves in their various careers. Some of them are entrepreneurs who are establishing their own business ventures which is an indication that they are on their way to becoming famous alumni one day

Looking Forward

We have celebrated a decade of excellence and creating opportunities at UMP. I am looking forward to continuing to embed excellence in all the activities including the continued growth of the University in terms of student numbers, academic programmes and new infrastructure. We are working towards the introduction of health sciences qualifications at UMP.

A Message of Inspiration

Leadership requires courage and humility. It requires resoluteness and unwavering tenacity. Staying humble with the feet on the ground as one leads will always stand one in good stead. Leadership is service and a singular privilege. It is never to be taken for granted.

Address: Cnr R40 and D725 Roads, Mbombela 1200

Tel: 013 002 0001

Email Address: info@ump.ac.za

Website: www.ump.ac.za