Dear UMP community,
On behalf of the University of Mpumalanga (UMP), I would like to extend a warm welcome and best wishes for the 2026 academic year. I believe you are fully rested and revitalised for the exciting and enriching year ahead. “As the old African proverb reminds us, ‘The dawn does not come twice to wake a person.’ A new beginning calls us to rise with intention, courage, and collective resolve.” As we commence the 2026 academic year, I extend a warm welcome to every member of the UMP community. This year offers us a renewed opportunity to raise the bar - academically, institutionally, with our partners, and in our service to society.
Pleasant and intellectually rewarding journey for our first-year students
We officially reopened on 05 January 2026, marking the start of the academic year. We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of a new cohort of students who will join us as first-year students. As a student-centred University, we are committed to offering a life-changing experience through high-quality curricula and co-curricular programmes. May your journey at UMP be pleasant and intellectually rewarding.
Commitment and excellence of our returning students
I would also like to welcome our returning students and congratulate you on the outstanding academic achievements you attained in the previous academic year. Your presence, hard work, resilience, and commitment are the cornerstones of this thriving University. In this rapidly changing world, I trust that by the time you graduate, you will truly embody our graduate attributes of being resourceful, responsive, responsible, innovative, entrepreneurial, confident, effective communicators, ethically and socially aware change agents, adaptable, and possess sound disciplinary knowledge.
Our staff members drive academic and administrative excellence
I would also like to welcome back our diligent, hard-working, and committed staff members. You are the foundation of building this great institution. Your well-being is essential for the continued growth, academic and administrative excellence at UMP. Our institutional values are integral to our identity and vision. It is through living out our values that we will enable us to be truly an African University leading in creating opportunities for sustainable development through innovation.
Our partners in advancing socio-economic development.
As an engaged institution, we are actively seeking out opportunities for collaboration with strategic stakeholders to maximise the development of human potential and socio-economic development. Social impact is a crucial measure of our teaching and learning endeavours, research and innovation, as well as engagement. The academic year 2026 provides us with an opportunity to strengthen our partnerships and work collaboratively with you to address some of the pressing challenges that have plagued our society and communities.
Focusing on our future, UMP Vision 2030
Our strategic plan, UMP Vision 2030, challenges us to be a high-performing university in pursuit of achieving our vision and mission, while remaining mindful of the opportunities and constraints presented by the external environment. We should remain grounded in our approach to the academic project, which combines the creation and transfer of knowledge and skills, as well as the development of students into independent and critical thinkers with a passion for knowledge and its application.
I implore all of you, as the UMP community, to join hands as we embark on the journey to actualise the UMP Vision 2030. In doing so, we will all make a positive contribution to take UMP to greater heights and ensure that the future becomes the reality we dream of.
Let us begin 2026 with unity, confidence, and ambition. Together, we will raise the bar and write the next chapter of UMP’s journey, one defined by excellence, relevance, and transformative impact.
Warm regards,
Professor Thenjiwe Meyiwa
Vice-Chancellor & Principal
University of Mpumalanga