Vice-Chancellor

CENTRE FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO ACADEMIA AS A CAREER PATH?

I come from a long tradition of teachers in our family: my paternal grandmother and maternal grandmother and grandfather and both my parents were teachers. Together, my grandparents and parents laid a fi rm foundation and instilled in me the importance of education. They encouraged me to focus on the tasks at hand and stay disciplined in all that I do. Therefore, joining academia was a logical step for me.

WHAT MAKES THE UNIVERSITY OF MPUMALANGA ATTRACTIVE TO STUDENTS AS A PLACE TO STUDY?

The University of Mpumalanga enrolled the fi rst cohort of students in 2014. It is situated in the scenic Mpumalanga Province and is close to a number of tourist attractions. The University is committed to off ering its students a life-changing experience through high quality curricula and co-curricula programmes that promote the principles of excellence, free enquiry and academic integrity. We endeavour to promote the holistic development of students to realise their potential in the full spectrum of cognitive, social, aesthetic, physical and person dimensions in pursuit of democratic citizenship. It is a relatively new university, and therefore, off ers students a number of opportunities to contribute to the development of the institution. The strategic direction of the University is informed by it vision to be “An African University leading in creating opportunities for sustainable development through innovation”. Students are introduced to diverse knowledge traditions, world views and cultural values, including indigenous knowledge grounded in the African context. The University off ers a number of opportunities for students to be innovative and entrepreneurial.

WHAT PLANS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY?

My plans for the future of the University as a comprehensive institution are to continue to lay a solid foundation for the development of the institution as a Centre for Academic Excellence. We will continue to add to the programmes off ered by the University and include programmes that will contribute to the employability of our graduates. We also plan to continue establishing partnerships with industry, government and higher education institutions nationally and internationally to enhance the experience of our students. At present, the University off ers a total of 53 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes from higher certifi cates to doctoral degrees. As a new institution, we plan to continue with the construction of new iconic and state-of-the-art infrastructure. The University currently has three faculties: the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Sciences; Faculty of Economics, Development and Business Sciences; and Faculty of Education. There are plans to introduce the Faculty of Health Sciences.

YOUR TOP 5 TIPS ON MAKING IT IN THE WORLD?

In order to make it in the world, it is important to (1) be willing to take risks and embrace change, (2) be comfortable in your own skin, with who you are, (3) be able to think outside of the box, (4) be innovative and creative, and (5) have the ability to listen and engage.

DOES THE UNIVERSITY OFFER ANY COUNSELLING SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS?

The University understands the importance of addressing the mental health needs of students for them to succeed in their studies. As a result, the University has a full-time Student Counsellor, who is a registered Clinical Psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa. Two sessional psychologists provide additional services to students at the Siyabuswa Campus. The University has contracted the services of a service provider, SYKED, to provide Student Wellness Support Services in the form of online support services, an emergency support line and wellness days.

WHAT KIND OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT DOES THE UNIVERSITY OFFER?

The University off ers the Vice-Chancellor Scholarship to 30 academically high performing new students annually. These are students with an APS score of 40 and above. The scholarship covers tuition fees, residence fees, a laptop, a monthly stipend of R1 100 and a personal development programme. The University also assists the students by soliciting bursaries and scholarships for them from a wide range of funders such as the various SETAs.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN ACADEMIA?

Women have an important role to play in academia, as members of academic staff , support staff and in leadership and management. They play a critical role as role models for other women and girls to PROF THOKO MAYEKISO

VICE-CHANCELLOR UNIVERSITY OF MPUMALANGA

“The University is committed to offering its students a life-changing experience through high quality curricula”

aspire to occupy such positions themselves. UMP is proud to have a number of women associated with it, such as the Chancellor, Justice Mandisa Maya; Vice-Chancellor, Prof Thoko Mayekiso; Deputy ViceChancellor: Teaching and Learning, Prof Shirley Sommers; Executive Director: Human Resources, Dr Loshni Govender; and Dean: Faculty of Education, Prof Hilda Israel. We have put in place a number of development programmes targeting emerging staff at UMP. This includes study abroad opportunities for both staff and students. Ms Vuyelwa Magagula, former SRC President, is currently on a six-month study abroad at the JH JOANNEUM University of Applied Sciences, Graz, Austria.

DOES THE UNIVERSITY OFFER ONLINE LEARNING?

The University of Mpumalanga is a contact university. Due to Covid-19, in 2020, the University embarked on online teaching and learning. From the beginning of 2022, we have been off ering hybrid tuition, which is a combination of online and in-person teaching and learning. In future, we will explore the possibility of introducing some online modules, especially at the postgraduate level.