News and Events > News > UMP RECOGNISES ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
University
31 December 2022

UMP RECOGNISES ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

The awards are considered as an important mechanism to achieve the institution’s engaged vision, strategic goals and objectives, and to give recognition and reward for excellence in the performance of this core function.

The key objective of the awards is to encourage excellence in engagement and an academic/scholarship-based model for engagement amongst emerging and established academics and support staff, and encourage research in engagement, and engaged research.

Speaking at the event, UMP Vice-Chancellor, Professor Thoko Mayekiso said excellence in research, teaching and engagement is crucial towards the advancement of the university’s vision and values.

“Excellence takes a lot of sacrifice. It is, therefore, with a sense of hope and pride that we celebrate those among us who have excelled. It could not have been easy, and the temptation to give up might have been strong, but your persistence has paid off.

There is a ring of truth in the saying that weeds just grow but flowers are cultivated. Those of you receiving awards surely spent time sharpening, honing, and refining your skills, deepening your knowledge, and keeping your desire burning. It is also true that the road to excellence is always under construction”.

Professor Mayekiso further explained that the university is mandated to provide staff and students with the resources needed to conduct quality research. These include journal articles, books, excellent libraries, databases, data analysis software packages, and statisticians based on campus.

“The awardees are further proof that the investment into these academic projects is worth its weight in gold. Even further proof is the NRF Excellence Award UMP received this year for improved research. 

Congratulations on your achievements, and may you stay committed to making excellence a habit. Thank you for giving expression to our value of excellence,” said the Vice-Chancellor.

‘Your excellence is our excellence’

Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning Professor Shirley Sommers reiterated the importance of all the people who contribute to the excellence of the university as a whole.

“Institutions rise and fall because of the people in them. Sometimes when we speak about institutions, we speak about institutions as these abstract entities, when in actuality institutions are about the people.

Your excellence is our excellence and vice versa. It is the daily hard work of academic staff that results in UMP as an institution maintaining a pass rate of over 80% year in and year out.”

She continued that the university has created opportunities and an environment for them to be able to excel in teaching and learning and research and indeed in engagement.

“This highlights our interconnectedness as people and UMP. We can use the analogy of UMP as a vehicle. The Vice-Chancellor and MANCO are the drivers of this vehicle. The staff is our engine. The Vice-Chancellor and MANCO can steer all they want. The car will not move if the engine is not there, or non-functional.

We need the engine for the vehicle to move. Conversely, the engine cannot steer itself. Right. It needs someone to steer the car for it to operate and show us what it can do. We need each other.”

Professor Sommers further concluded: “While we are here to honour individuals, we are also here to honour the institution that created opportunities for individuals to flourish. To our deans, we thank you for making us proud. We hope that winning the awards will further motivate and galvanize you to shine even brighter.”

The University of Mpumalanga congratulates all the academics who were awarded for their excellence and hard work.

The awards went to:

  1. Dr Zakheleni Dube: Emerging Teacher of the Year. In this category, recognition is given to an individual who has made the most significant contribution to teaching and the SoTL in the Faculty during the year.
     
  2. Prof Victor Mlambo: NRF Rated Researcher. This award is given to researchers who during the reporting year receive an NRF rating for the first time, retain their NRF rating through a re-evaluation by the NRF, and improve their NRF rating through a re-evaluation by the NRF.
     
  3. Dr Kanayo Ogujiuba: Faculty Researcher of the Year. In this category recognition is given to an individual who has made the most significant contribution towards research in her/his faculty during the reporting year.
     
  4. Dr Tatenda Dalu: Emerging Faculty Researcher. This award recognizes a young researcher, up to Senior Lecturer level, who is active in research and has made the most significant advancement in the reporting year.
     
  5. Prof Wilfred Otang-Mbeng: UMP Engagement Excellence. This award recognises an individual who has made an outstanding contribution towards advancing engagement as one of the core functions of the institution.

@ Story by Cleopatra Makhaga. Pictures by ChrisplPhoto.