INTUTHUKO Official UJ Development and Fundraising Magazine
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INTUTHUKO O f f i c i a l U J D e v e l o p m e n t a n d Fu n d r a i s i n g M a g a z i n e
2
CONTENTS
2
2 From the desk of the Chief Financial Officer:
Ms Nolwazi Mamorare
3 Foreword Director: Development and Fundraising
Ms Daphney Nemakhavhani
5 #Inthistogether multi university collaboration responds
to COVID-19
6 Getting primary schools ready for 4IR technology
8 Curbing food insecurities on campuses
8
11 UJ’S introduces a new School of Management set to elevate
commercial professions in South Africa
12 Prof Tshilidzi Marwala: Vice-Chancellor and Principal
USA Alumni Engagement
13 Equipping our donor partners to be 4IR ready
14 HWSETA bursary donation gives hope to 125 Podiatry Students
15 Being the solution to current student financial challenges
16 Prof Saurabh Sinha and Prof Angina Parekh: UJ’s top executives
explain how the institution steered the 2020 academic year
11
Editorial Team
Ms Daphney Ms Thuli Hlabahlaba
Nemakhavhani
1
At the start of the 2021 academic and Training in the exploration of support will forge forward in
year, Prof Marwala, Vice-Chancellor policy around the funding of tertiary fostering new collaborations with
and Principal shared news that students and possible funding businesses and also continue to
made me proud to be part of options for the country. nurture existing partnership with
this incredible UJ community. our current donors.
UJ is one of the few institutions I firmly believe that the solutions
in the country that successfully around student funding and the This will help us as an institution
completed the 2020 academic year total eradication of existing student come up with sustainable solutions
on time. The ability for us as an debt lay in the collaborative, to the challenges around student
institution to attain such a great transdisciplinary approach and funding moving forward.
accomplishment was only possible partnerships with Corporate South
Africa. The UJ leadership team As we continue to fight COVID-19
through the coming together of and adjust to the new normal this
every stakeholder, both internally is continuously deliberating on
possible and practical measures pandemic has brought, I urge you to
and externally, every UJ employee stay safe and adhere to all COVID-19
unwaveringly taking up arms during that could contribute towards the
University’s business sustainability safety protocols.
the most challenging times our
University has expe- in the current year and beyond. Chief Financial Officer
rienced and ensuring that Having said that, we are mindful Ms Nolwazi Mamorare
operations continued. that we can never do what we do
without the continuous support
And for that, I Thank You! from all our donors.
Student debt for University Lastly, as we head full throttle
students, among other challenges, into the 2021 academic year,
has been one encounter that has implementing the valuable lessons
engulfed higher education in South gained in 2020, the Development
Africa. Early this year, Minister Tito and Fundraising Office with my
Mboweni during his budget speech
alluded to the planned partnership
between the National Treasury and
the Department of Higher Education
From the desk
of the Chief
Financial Officer
University of Johannesburg Chief
Financial Officer:
2 Ms Nolwazi Mamorare
Foreword
Director: The amazing positive responses With that said, I would like to
Development and Fundraising Ms that our executive leadership team introduce you our reader to the
Daphney Nemakhavhani received from our external donor first edition of the UJ Development
in all types of industry are and will and Fundraising Newsletter. With
As the first term of the 2021
always be the highlight of our fight this newsletter we aim to showcase
academic year has successfully
with this pandemic. Our industry all the outstanding partnerships,
ended, and we take stock of the
partners came together with us to projects and collaborations that
past year, I am in awe of the great
reimagine the future! UJ has with external stakeholders
support that the University of
and donors. Above that, we want to
Johannesburg has from all its
As we continue with our fight with celebrate how each initiative goes a
external stakeholders and donors.
this pandemic, I would like to thank long way at changing each and every
When President Cyril Ramaphosa
all our donors and partners that one of our beneficiaries lives.
announced that the country would
rose up and took on the challenge
go into lockdown in March 2020, Stay Safe
UJ had to implement strategic to ensure that our students who
processes to ensure that the may not have had the necessary Director: Development and
teaching and learning continued. resources to continue with their Fundraising
The move to remote teaching and studies as we moved to remote Ms Daphney Nemakhavhani
learning meant that more resources teaching and learning were not left
had to be streamlined to ensure behind. Your support was and still is
that none of our students was a powerful driver of socioeconomic
left behind as we moved all development and this is where we at
classes online. UJ find our passion.
3
Reimagine
the future
by investing
in the future
To Give to UJ visit: www.uj.ac.za/give2uj
4
#Inthistogether
multi university collaboration
responds to COVID-19
No hashtag resonates with 2020 towards the rapid development advanced manufacturing.”
like #Inthistogther. In August 2020, and manufacturing of non-invasive
the Manufacturing, Engineering and ventilators. Our students are The merSETA Viro-Vent Skills
Related Services SETA (merSETA), also set to benefit greatly from Innovation Challenge Consortium
announced its funding support to the essential future skills for the comprises the following institutions:
the University of Johannesburg design, prototyping, testing and UJ’s Process, Energy and
(UJ) and its consortium partners certification of bi-level positive Environmental Technology Station
to fortify the research, innovation airway pressure (BiPAP) ventilators, (UJ-PEETS), TUT´s Technology
and advancement capacity of rapid and support future industrialisation Station in Electronics (TSE), CUT´s
technology towards delivering efforts through continuous Product Development Technology
a response to the COVID-19 professional development (CPD) Station (PDTS) and Centre for Rapid
pandemic. in the manufacturing sector. The Prototyping and Manufacturing
merSETA funding supported 125 (CRPM), and VUT´s Southern
The innovative collaboration students across four universities in Gauteng Science and Technology
came to fruition with the signing this initiative. Parks. These institutions are
of a Memorandum of Agreement members of the Technology Stations
(MoA) between the University’s “Of great interest to the merSETA is Network Programme implemented
Faculty of Engineering and the Built how new support programmes and though the Technology Innovation
Environment and merSETA. qualifications will emerge to define Agency, a DSI initiative and
the support required to rapidly supported by North-West University
According to Prof Tshilidzi Marwala, localise and sustain the manufacture (NWU).
Vice-Chancellor and Principal at the of new products in emerging sectors
University of Johannesburg (UJ): of the economy,” said Mr Wayne This article was published on www.
“This collaboration aims to assist Adams, acting CEO of the merSETA. uj.ac.za/newsandevents
the health care industry with critical
care technology development in In his conclusion, Prof Marwala
response to the COVID-19 crisis”. noted that “this MoA was an
As the entire globe was dealing indication that we are committed
with the pandemic, it became quite to the industry. It is encouraging
evident how our public institutions, to see the merSETA investing in
particularly in the healthcare sectors the nation’s development as this
faced major challenges when it came will translate our advances into
to rapid response to the COVID-19 gains for the country, particularly
crisis. Given the vast shortage of as we seek out ways to reverse the
ventilators worldwide, part of deindustrialisation of our economy
this collaboration aimed to work by emphasising platforms for
5
Getting primary
schools ready for
4IR technology
We have never depended on computer or smart device and/or and resource management, and
technology more than we did in the internet connection. supporting schools in forming
past year and that says a lot about robotics clubs at the school level.
the need and speed at which we Towards the end of 2019 and
beginning of 2020, the UJ Faculty With this project, UJ and Standard
need to introduce Fourth Industrial
of Engineering and the Built Bank are “reimagining the future”
Revolution (4IR) technologies to
Environment (FEBE), confirmed of teaching and learning at schools
schools and EDCs. For decades, and
a partnership with Standard by coming together to train and
increasingly with every passing year,
Bank that would see both these develop teachers and learners
computers and connectivity have
organisations collaborate to in skills necessary for the Fourth
been essential to how we teach,
bring 4IR technologies to 20 Industrial Revolution and the
how we learn, how we work, and
dynamic digital age.
how we engage with the world. schools in Limpopo and the North
With the onslaught of COVID-19, West provinces. This outreach A total of 200 learners, ranging from
this dependency has become even programme aims to make science Grade R to Grade 9, were selected
more. Today, there is barely a single real and relevant through learner as the first cohort for this project
educational or economic activity engagement in projects, while also and with a second cohort selected in
that can be completed without a improving classroom management 2021/2022.
6
UJ IN THE RANKINGS
Latest Rank in Rank in Rank in
World Rankings Edition the World Africa South Africa
QS World University Rankings (QS WUR) 2021 439 4th 3rd
Times Higher Education (THE) World University
2021 706 7th 6th
Rankings (THE WUR)
University Ranking by Academic
2020 - 2021 822 7th 6th
Performance (URAP)
U.S. News and World Report’s Best Global
2021 378 5th 5th
Universities Rankings (BGUR)
Impact Rankings
Times Higher Education (THE) University
2020 75 1st 1st
Impact Rankings (THE UIR):
Overall Ranking
Regional Rankings
QS BRICS University Rankings (QS BRICS) 2019 61 - 5th
Times Higher Education (THE) Emerging
2020 118 12th 7th
Economies University Rankings (THE EEUR)
Young Rankings
QS Under 50 University Rankings
2021 61-70 1st 1st
Times Higher Education (THE) Young
University Rankings (THE YUR)
2020 151-200 Joint 7th 3rd
Employability Rankings
QS Graduate Employability Rankings
2020 301-500 Joint 7th Joint 5th
Stay Connected
www.uj.ac.za/alumni
7
Curbing
food insecurities
on campuses
About 30% of tertiary students Since its establishment in 2008, To date, Tiger Brands has spent
have to face the phenomenon of Plates4days has substantially grown more than R100 million on the
‘silent hunger’ on campuses. These to a point that it now supports project and currently provides
students are constantly concerned as many as 4 500 students with meals to students at UJ and the
about where their next meal will monthly food parcels designed to universities of Wits, Western
come from. A lack of regular access last for 30 days. The monthly food Cape, North West, Free State and
to food is an issue that plagues parcel contains sufficient non- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan.
today’s university students. In perishable food for healthy and “Plastes4days is already helping to
addition to negatively affecting balanced meals. meet the nutritional needs of many
students’ health, food insecurity
students,” said Morifi.
and a lack of food impact students’ “We are proud to be able to support
ability to succeed academically. the next generation of South African The bigger conversation needs to be
To alleviate this problem, Tiger leaders,” said Tiger Brands Chief about a comprehensive approach to
Brands has partnered with the UJ Corporate Affairs Officer Mary-Jane food security at tertiary institutions
to assist needy students with free Morifi. “Plates4days is a nutritional and it is through such collaborations
healthy meals. The Food Support support programme for students, with Corporate South Africa that
Programme, which was launched empowering them to focus their effective solutions can be found.
on the UJ Soweto Campus in early energy where it’s needed, on their
2020, is titled ‘Plates4days’ and studies. We help them to grow their Plastes4days has received accolades
supports university students by knowledge, so they can help South from students who are current
providing for their dietary needs. Africa grow.” beneficiaries. “Plate4days is a very
From Left to Right: Zakhele Mtsali (Bachelor of Education); Ndumiso Ngwenya (BSc Mathematical Sciences and Applied
Maths) and Sihle Jingilisi (Diploma in Logistics).
8good initiative to help students gain provide them with groceries. saying “Alone we can do little, but
access to food. I am grateful for this I am happy to be part of this together we can do so much” by
privilege as some universities don’t great initiative.” Helen Keller.
have access to the programme”, said
UJ’s Ndumiso Ngwenya, a second- Beyond taking advantage of on- It is through such partnerships
year BSc Mathematical Sciences and campus resources and initiatives, and collaborations that UJ can
Applied Maths student who was part mutually beneficial partnerships like continuously inspire communities
of the UJenius Club* in the this one are crucial to combating to transform and serve humanity
previous year. food insecurity as well. through innovation and
“What Tiger Brands is doing, is more collaborative pursuit of knowledge.
Sihle Jingilisa, a UJ second-
year Communication Logistics than just food parcels. What they *UJenius club is a Vice-Chancellor’s
student, said as a UJ Community give is hope to change society”. initiative to acknowledge
Engagement Champion, she was To curb this food insecurity among outstanding academic performances
referred to the programme because our country’s brightest and most by undergraduate students and
she faced food scarcity. “There talented young people, Tiger Brands to offer members additional
are many of us on campus who go has committed to supporting opportunities for intellectual and
hungry and I am always advising students across the country through professional development.
everyone, but especially girls, to join Plates4days.
this programme to avoid the issue of The original article appeared on
having ‘sugar daddies or blesses’ to This collaboration bears true to the www.uj.ac.za/newsandevents.
Representatives from Tiger Brands and UJ.
9Get your E-Academic Record at no cost Visit: https://www.uj.ac.za/academic-records 10
UJ’S introduces
a new School of
Management set to
elevate commercial
professions
in South Africa
The University of Johannesburg’s Management. “There is a critical expertise to dive into them. Prof
(UJ) new School of Management, need for management skills across Drotskie brings to UJ an avalanche
within the College of Business all sectors in South Africa”, says Prof of experience, gaining international
and Economics (CBE), is set to Drotskie. exposure as MBA Director and
elevate commerce professions in Head of Research and Faculty
South Africa. The School is under The very uncertain and challenging Development. As an academic, she
the leadership of recognised world we live in asks for strong specialises in Strategy, International
business strategist and UJ alumna, management and leadership Business and Strategic Marketing.
Professor Adri Drotskie. The management within various spheres. She also has years of experience in
School of Management will be It is a specialist field that provides a the corporate world in management
combining the innovation strengths structured approach for supporting and leadership in the areas of
of the Department of Business the set objectives. The School has Strategy and Marketing.
Management, the Department advanced a professional ‘body of
of Financial and Investment knowledge’ for the discipline of The original article appeared on
Management, the Department of management. Through this ‘body of www.uj.ac.za/newsandevents.
Industrial Psychology and People knowledge’ we are set to identify
Management and the Department relevant issues or challenges in
of Transport and Supply Chain South Africa and use our joint
11Prof Tshilidzi Marwala: Vice-Chancellor and Principal USA Alumni Engagement The Vice-Chancellor and Principal world rankings and he emphasised to play a meaningful role in the hosted a virtual USA Alumni the importance of strengthening new normal that is upon us, as Engagement late in 2020. “We never relationships with alumni and the UJ is widely regarded as a model planned to have this engagement University. “Although many of for other universities in leading as such, we were planning to come you have not been students for the Fourth Industrial Revolution to New York to talk to you so some time, you are part of the conversations in South Africa, the that we can see how we can work UJ community, some of you may African continent, and the world. together, but due to the COVID-19 have graduated from our legacy pandemic we will have to do it with institutions, the Randse Afrikaanse To view Prof Tshilidzi Marwala full technology,” said Prof Marwala. Universiteit or Wits Technikon.” address, visit https://www.youtube. In his address, he spoke about the com/watch?v=DjYD4BMpTHU way in which the University had He says the trajectory of the climbed to higher positions in the University is that we are going 12
Equipping our donor
partners to be 4IR ready
It is evident that the disruptive the digital developments and the easy for an organisation to lose
and profound effect of Artificial necessity for adjustments, UJ has sight of its people. It is, however,
Intelligence (AI) and automation on initiated an online course, which important to equip employees with
the world of work is set to intensify will be made available for free to the necessary skills for the digital
in the coming years. Those who interested donor partners and their era. A key success factor during this
are most prepared for the future employees.
global shift is the importance of
will be best prepared for change, We are living in the Fourth Industrial skills and the agility to change.
and best situated to lead change. Revolution (4IR), which brings
The ever-changing landscape about many exciting challenges and The AI in the 4IR course consists
created by 4IR and AI requires opportunities, where all sectors are of eight units, which are aimed at
staff to be reskilled, upskilled and changing at a rapid speed. In pursuit helping students and employees to
trained sufficiently to be ready for of the advanced technologies and develop a basic understanding of
a transformation. In response to the opportunities they bring, it is the world of AI.
13HWSETA bursary
donation gives hope to
125 Podiatry Students
At the start of 2020, the and anxiety for the students bursary donation, she was only left
Department of Podiatry in and their families as they relied with two options: to seek part-time
the Faculty of Health Sciences heavily on NSFAS for the funding employment that would help her
introduced a new four-year of their studies. After months pay for her tuition and deal with the
professional degree, viz BHSc of engagements with various negative effect this may have on her
in Podiatry to replace the old stakeholders in order to resolve this work or completely drop out of the
BTech Podiatry qualification. With challenge, the fate of the students programme.
the implementation of this new was changed by an amazing
qualification about 125 students donation of R14 million from the With the amazing assistance and
in the second- to their final-year HWSETA towards the funding of collaboration between the Faculty
of study were negatively impacted podiatry students. and the Division of Financial
by the NSFAS decision to withdraw Governance and Revenue and
funding for the old BTech According to Zandile Mahlathi, a HWSETA the dreams of 125 students
Podiatry degree. fourth-year student who is one have been restored.
of the students who received
This brought in a lot of pressure assistance from the HWSETA
14Being the solution
to current student
financial challenges
As we grapple with conversations Ahmed Bawa, made the point and targeted initiatives run by our
around student debt, one of the that, “there is much work going on various centres. For more on our
key questions we must answer within the institutions to address initiatives to assist academically
is why only 35% of our students the challenges facing the affected qualifying students and other
entering universities in South Africa students, though it must be said matters, click here.
graduate within the prescribed that the scale of student debt
We continuously strive to
period, as statistics show. The cannot possibly be resolved at the
ensure that we are in constant
Department of Higher Education institutional level”. conversations with external
and Training and Universities South At our University, for instance, we stakeholders as a means to bring
Africa (USAf), the umbrella body have several initiatives to assist forth practical and permanent
for universities in our country, have many of our students who ordinarily solutions to the plight of student
recently expressed their views on would not have been able to access debt and the financial challenges
the challenges surrounding the faced by our students. *Published in
education. Added to this, we have
financing of students at tertiary a multi-layered system that offers the UJ VC Message, 19 March 2021.
institutions. Hinting at the need to students support in the form of
consider alternative funding models, tutorials, providing additional
USAf Chief Executive Officer, Prof classes and asynchronous modules,
15The COVID-19 pandemic has
changed almost every facet of
our society, not least the way
universities operate. Responses
had to be fast, adaptive and
innovative. Prof Angina Parekh, a
clinical psychologist and the Deputy
Vice-Chancellor: Academic at the
University of Johannesburg (UJ),
together with Prof Saurabh Sinha,
an electronic engineer and the
Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research
and Internationalisation (UJ)
penned an opinion piece on how
the University responded. How UJ
steered the academic year through
lockdown and online education
- Prof Saurabh Sinha and Angina
Parekh (Daily Maverick 14 October
2020).
The COVID-19 pandemic has
changed almost every facet of
our society, not least the way
universities operate. Responses had
to be fast, adaptive and innovative.
This is how the University of
Johannesburg responded. In times
Prof Saurabh Sinha and Prof Angina
Parekh: UJ’s top executives explain how the
institution steered the 2020 academic year
of normalcy, at this time as the China, Germany, and other parts of students out of campus residences
year winds down, most students the world. At the time, as is normal or not became a conundrum.
across universities would have been for universities, some staff members
sitting for their final examinations. and students were overseas. There Some universities had sent their
were several uncertainties, and the students packing. A decision needed
However, due to the national
threats loomed large. to be taken. Fast. Whatever the
lockdown necessitated by the
decision, the safety and wellbeing
COVID-19 pandemic, the picture
With less than eight weeks of the of our students took priority over
is different. Extended academic
academic year completed, and other considerations. Management
programmes, with variances across
the lockdowns coinciding with the decided to allow students to remain
universities, are the reality. It was period when the University was in residences if they wished to do
over seven months ago, on Sunday, heading into the autumn recess, so. Yet, this was not a decision
15 March 2020, when President Cyril the odds seemed heavily stacked taken lightly, as we realised the
Ramaphosa declared the national against the University, more so responsibility for the students who
state of disaster. Given what we when UJ has many first generation opted to remain in residences lay
had observed in Asia, Europe, and international students, many with the University.
and other parts of the world, of whom live in university-owned
universities recognised that they student residences or private In hindsight, the decision to keep
were entering a period that could accommodation. For many of them, University , the decision to keep our
have been potentially catastrophic returning home was simply not residences open was the correct
for the academic year. During the an option. Physical distancing was one. With appropriate measures
same month, the University of required, but more than ever before, and controls, the university was able
Johannesburg (UJ) had received social solidarity was needed. The to ensure that none of its students
international delegations from question of whether to order the who remained in residences
16contracted the virus. Beyond the intensified cooperation and online education approach. The
safety issues, ensuring continuity of collaboration. However, practical integration was necessary, as
the academic programme mattered. implementation was another matter. was the collaboration. With the
The University, in its quest for the In a context of increasing financial many logistical aspects for remote
Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), uncertainty, new and rising COVID- teaching still converging, some
had already developed an approach related costs, a second significant students could only access online
to blended learning. Even so, many and uncompromising decision that information through WhatsApp.
students accessed the online the University management took A confluence of technologies had
provision from campus or residences was to connect students and staff to be stitched together, allowing
associated with the university with access to data, among others, for access. While we were initially
system. Our goal was that the by providing laptops to our most unsure of the effectiveness of
academic year must not be lost and vulnerable students. The exercise online education, access variations
that, in our approach, no student in bridging the digital divide would by our students were impressive.
should be left behind. As South prove costly but beneficial to the For many of our students, a
Africa’s reality is one of inequality, students and save the academic discontinued academic year was not
it was vital that we recognise our year. an option. As one student jokingly
vulnerabilities. More than ever
It is worth noting that blended tweeted, lockdown was also meant
before, we required innovation and
collaboration. learning and online education are for the clubs, bars, and other places
two different implementation of distraction – the closure of these
We explored various options, concepts. Not all of our modules avenues allowed for more time to
including zero-rating of websites, could move fully online instantly. focus. The University took a gradual
as well as data accessibility. Data Even so, online education and and considered approach to online
accessibility, however, required pedagogy associated with mobile education, taking into account the
connectedness, which varies learning differ. People engage with contextual issues.
unevenly and patchily throughout mobile devices differently. For
South Africa. Questions had to *The views expressed in this article
example, engagement with mobile
be asked: how do we zero-rate, devices typically has a shorter time are that of the author/s and do
who pays, and could bargaining duration. It would be impossible for not necessarily reflect that of the
be collective? The government all of these changes to be effected University of Johannesburg.
regulations, through gazette simultaneously.
provisions, were issued. At the time,
the universities, through Universities Breaking many hierarchies typical
South Africa and the Department to academia, staff got together
of Higher Education and Training online and developed an integrated
1718
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