The University of Mpumalanga and University of Venda (UNIVEN) have sealed their working relationship with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This will see the two institutions collaborate in areas of Research, Innovation and Technology Transfer, Student Governance, and Agriculture.

Before the signing, University of Mpumalanga Vice-Chancellor Professor Thoko Mayekiso said the two institutions will benefit from the collaboration and that UMP has identified partnerships as drivers and enablers in achieving the institution’s vision.

“We have to empower one another, enhance the image of each other. We have to elevate the sights of each other to be visionary and strategic,” she said adding that new technology has opened many opportunities for students.

"Institutions of higher learning have the responsibility to develop leaders of digital technology and spark creativity and innovation. We have to prepare our institutions to provide education throughout the life cycle of students. These maturing and growing students will need education on demand, with access to highly skilled academic staff and curricular that will help them adapt to an ever-changing workforce,” added Professor Mayekiso.

“Institutions need to complete the shift from learning that is driven by the expertise of academic staff to learning that is tailored to complex students’ needs as well as the world of work. The question is: how can higher education institutions introduce new academic programmes enough to ensure that there is a match between the graduates we are producing and demands from employers?”

In his address the University of Venda Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Dr Bernand Nthambeleni said UNIVEN has identified a few important fronts that will guide strategic planning. These include investing in preparing undergraduate students.

“We want to make sure that our students become competent in whatever they do. We need to make ourselves an entrepreneurial university. Those days where we trained students to apply for jobs are gone. The economy is not doing well. It is time for our students to apply their minds to create jobs. That does not only speak to the students it also speaks to us. How can make sure that the resources entrusted upon us are being used efficiently,” said Dr Nthambeleni adding that there are some things you don’t have to do alone but have to do with like-minded partners.

“We want to make sure that in this collaboration we maximise and use this to our benefit and make sure that the two universities are able to collaborate. There are certain best practices that I believe we should share. I don’t believe I have to struggle in dealing with issues if my colleagues have a model that works. We must take our collaboration to the highest level where we are able to share expertise here and there and make sure that our researchers and staff are able to collaborate.”

Senior Professor and Director: Research and Innovation at UNIVEN, Georges-Ivo Ekosse shared the strides the university has made in relations to research, saying that the institution runs international research conferences.

He further mentioned that UNIVEN has developed good partnerships such as the one with Walter Sisulu University (WSU) in South Africa and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) in Kenya to ensure the UNIVEN is part of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Professor Mayekiso concluded by saying that institutions need to develop leaders at every level of the institution. Leaders that have a high tolerance of ambiguity and the willingness to take creative risks and learn from failures along the way.

“We are particularly excited that the strapline for the University of Venda is creating future leaders, because leadership is really in the centre of what we do as UMP. Therefore, as the University of Mpumalanga we are looking forward to a long-term productive relationship with the University of Venda.

After the signing of the MoU delegates from UNIVEN were taken on a campus tour. They were shown around UMP’s iconic buildings, student residences and the newly launched Library and Information Services.

As a university that focuses on positive student leadership and since we will soon be ushering in new student leadership, it was befitting that we equip learners with a seminar on effective and inspirational leadership. We hope the talk by Professor Abby Mdluli from the Department of Education Psychological Services in Ehlanzeni District, has empowered our students to choose leadership wisely.

UMP and University of Venda have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), where the two institutions collaborate in areas of Research, Innovation and Technology Transfer, Student Governance, and Agriculture. This partnership will also see UMP and UNIVEN prepare our students for the 4th Industrial Revolution and more.

As the country is grappling with the issue of unemployment, especially among the youth, UMP is set to assert students about starting their businesses post university life. We invited the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) to empower soon-to-be graduates with knowledge on how they can start and run a co-operative.

We have finally launched the first UMP alumni chapter in Limpopo, since the province has the highest number of graduates, after Mpumalanga. The leadership of the chapter was voted in and Ms Rejoice Modipa was elected as the convenor. Congratulations.

Professor Thoko Mayekiso
Vice Chancellor

Safety Spaces Project leader, Dr Nonzwakazi Maqubela, who is also a psychology senior lecturer and heads the gender transformation forum, says the institution is vigorous in protecting students and staff against GBV.

“We have different groups within the institution such as Boys to Men, who are actively involved in anti GBV campaigns, we also have Sister Sister, which is an association against GBV. We have invited SAPS and the Department of Justice to come and give workshops on GBV,” she adds.

“We have also signed a pledge together with the Vice-Chancellor and her management team, that we commit to saying No to GBV, and that each and everyone of us is going to be active in creating safe spaces in all our campuses.”

Safety Spaces started as an event idea that was to enable UMP the opportunity to have a dialogue on GBV. Dr Maqubela explains that the idea was then presented to the Vice-Chancellor Professor Thoko Mayekiso who titled it: CREATING SAFE SPACES IN UMP. Ever since then the university has had several GBV awareness initiatives.

Early this year Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela, led a GBV discussion at the institution, with the aim to train students and staff on issues of GBV and to find solutions that will reduce sexual and physical abuse in higher education campuses.

At the time the Deputy Minister said: “We need to find the right platforms to respond to the cries of those who have been violated. We cannot accept the situation where this violence spirals out of control in our universities and in higher technical institutions.”

Meanwhile, UMP students also accepted the decision by the Department of Education and Training to launch a special inquiry into varsity sex offences.

Student Beauty Makgeru weighted in on the topic saying that the policy is a good start. “It must not be on paper only, it has to be implemented. Now we have been given a platform which will ensure that perpetrators are held accountable and students won’t be judged for reporting sexual violence.”

Another student, Sandile Mkhabela, said its mostly women who attend gender based violence programmes. He went on to encourage men to offer support and find ways to help deal with the problem.

“Gender based violence is everyone’s problem. It affects both men and women. This policy should also be implemented in households because it all starts there.”

Dr Maqubela concluded by saying that the institution will continue to host GBV awareness activities such as marches and dialogues. “We aim to be vigorous and raise our voices much louder in the fight against GBV.”

Effective and inspirational leadership is what UMP students learnt at the very first student leadership seminar, held in Mbombela Campus recently. The seminar comes in time when students will be electing new leadership.

Led by Professor Abby Mdluli from the Department of Education Psychological Services in Ehlanzeni District, the leadership talk was to empower learners on how to go about choosing a great leader.

Joseph Mokoatala from UMP Student Governance and Development Department said students will be soon electing new leadership and the seminar was an initiative by the university to prepare learners on how to go about choosing leadership.

“Students should not just vote for a person because they belong to a certain political organisation, but they should choose someone who will lead with integrity. We have realised that mostly students vote for political structures and not for a person that will lead them into the future,” said Mokoatala.

Delivering the talk, Professor Mdluli spoke profoundly about good and poor leadership. He went on to warn students about certain characteristics and leadership styles.

“Be careful of leaders that want to exert their powers on those they lead. A good leader makes people believe in them, but a great leader makes people to believe in themselves,” he added.

“To be humble is not a sign of weakness but a sign of power. As a leader you should never lose your temper because doing that, does not add any value. Again, good leaders are not afraid to make mistakes because they learn from them. Mistakes are not the opposite of success they are a stepping stone to success. Do not be afraid to make mistakes."

Some of the topics covered by Professor Mdluli included: leadership and its effect, developing leadership, changing attitudes and applying ethical values, and principle centred leadership.

“The lose win principle is when you say: ‘what can I lose so that others win and take care of me. You exaggerate your weaknesses. You exaggerate what you don’t know to make sure no one should expect anything from you.”

Speaking about the importance of the leadership seminar, CRC Deputy President Thuso Tshiloane said: “As a leader you can never make everyone happy but the key to good leadership is leading with honesty.”

Mr Mokoatala said the institution hopes that the seminar will change students’ perceptions on leadership. “We believe this empowering talk will leave our students with enough knowledge to know the importance of exercising their vote and what to look for in a leader.”

It was a glorious affair when University of Mpumalanga alumni arrived from all corners of the country to celebrate the launch of the first UMP chapter, which was in Limpopo, the province with the highest number of graduates, after Mpumalanga.

In her opening address Vice-Chancellor Professor Thoko Mayekiso described the event as historical and a ‘first of its kind’ for UMP. She explained that the university is only launching the chapter now because the number of alumni has grown since the first graduation in 2016. At that time the university had one qualification and produced 177 graduates.

“All of you present here today are watching history unfold. Unlike others, you do not have the weight of history on your shoulders, but you have made history. You are pioneers of the university’s remarkable journey. You are ambassadors of the university and you play a very important role in advancing the vision of the institution. The welfare of the university rests on your shoulders.”

Professor Mayekiso said the chapter aims to provide the alumni and the university with a structure through which to engage and collaborate. She further added that the purpose of the alumni is to promote the interests and welfare of the university.

She also shared UMP’s success stories, especially the collaborations and partnership that the university has formed with other local and international universities.

“Having relationships with other universities for instance, the Memorandum of Agreement (MoU) with Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg in Germany is important for UMP as they build and strengthen the integrity of the university.”

“In Africa, UMP has partnered with Muni University in Uganda, University of Swaziland, Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique and Makerere University Business School in Malawi. In other countries UMP is in partnership with the University of Novi Sad in Serbia, the Saratov State Agrarian University in Russia, Central Florida Community College, Harvard University in the US and the Dalhousie in Canada, to name a few.

“Two of our students doing BSC in Agriculture have just come back from Dalhousie University where they attended summer school. One of our colleagues of our emerging academics has just come back from Harvard University. This shows you that our partnerships actually work.”

The leadership of the chapter was voted in and Ms Rejoice Modipa was elected as the convenor. Following her appointment Bodipa saluted UMP for finally launching the alumni chapter.

“This was a wise move coming from a baby university, and being the first chairperson of the chapter, I will ensure to leave positive footprints. I plan to provide support to the alumni structure and have at least one or two gatherings where our alumni will be able to raise their voices and become ambassadors or contact points for the university. I promise to act responsibly and leave a long-lasting legacy,” said Modipa.

On the day the alumni and guests were also informed about the latest developments at UMP. Director of Library and Information Services Zanele Mathe presented information about the newly established library while Mr Dennis Mokotedi, Senior Director: Infrastructural Developments, shared the progress the institution has made thus far. Director of Housing, Dr Nomvula Twaise spoke about UMP student life.

The five hour ceremony was ended with a light moment: a picture session with the Vice-Chancellor, her management team, alumni and the newly appointed convenor, Rejoice Modipa.

The workshop held at Mbombela Campus was organised by the Students and Graduate Placement Department with the purpose to equip students studying agriculture with tools on how to initiate and run a co-operative.

SEDA workshop facilitator Bheki Shongwe presented the three-hour session, where he taught students the importance of looking out for opportunities that are available if they decide to start their own businesses.

He mainly shared information on what is needed to start a co-operative, how to source funding, the delegating of duties, voting in of members and more.

One of the students who attended the business skills workshop was third year student, Sandile Mkhabela, who is studying Plant Production and has already started a poultry farm around Mbombela.

Outside his poultry farming business, Mkhabela and some of his colleagues (classmates) have started another business as group but were not aware that it could end up functioning as a co-operative.

“The workshop has assisted us with information to understand that what we have started could be made formal. We now have skills on how we can go ahead with things such as putting together the business plan, sourcing finance, delegating duties and mostly how to run the setting as a co-operative,” said Mkhabela.

“The workshop has assisted us with information to understand that what we have started could be made formal. We now have skills on how we can go ahead with things such as putting together the business plan, sourcing finance, delegating duties and mostly how to run the setting as a co-operative,” said Mkhabela.

His colleague Thulani Mkhonto added that the group would definitely consider getting in touch with SEDA to assist them with more knowledge.

“The information we received has given us tools on where to go from here. The reason we formed the co-operative was because we saw that most of the students who graduated before us are still unemployed. So we wanted to improve our situation and possibly employ them through this initiative.“

Shongwe further added that such workshops are beneficial to students, especially now that the youth in South Africa faces serious unemployment challenges. He says it is crucial that the youth is empowered and given the tools on starting their own businesses. Equally the youth too must be willing to grab and make use of all the opportunities presented to them.

“It would do good if young people, especially graduates could consider starting their businesses after they have acquired the necessary knowledge and skills, instead of relying on being employed by companies,” he said.

Closing the workshop, Raymond Mkhwanazi from the Student and Graduate Department said UMP would continue to empower students with information that they will find useful when they graduate.

It was a lovely surprise when UMP students studying Nature Conservation, were out and about doing practical work at the Crocodile River, when they discovered the hard to find and rare fish: the stargazer, not commonly found on this side of the river.

According UMP student facilitator Stacy Gerber catching the the stargazer was a beautiful surprise to catch this breed as the fish is sensitive to pollution and has very specific water velocity requirements. It only exists in fast-growing rivers and will not survive in excessively polluted systems.

“Finding the stargazer was significant as it indicated that the river was still in a relatively healthy state, despite the high land use upstream from industry, agriculture and many other activities,” explained Gerber.

Nature Conservation student Nothando Ngobeni said the group was excited about their discovery. “We learnt different methods of fishing. I can now sample fish without killing it. The practice was good and I would love to do more of these outings because that’s where we get to apply what we learn in class.”

Nature Conservation is a course that requires students to do field work; put the years of learning into good practice, as a way to prepare them for the workplace. On this day the students had a thrilling experience at the upper part of the Crocodile River and the Royal Parkland River exploring and learning.

Gerber further said that practical learning is important for students especially those doing the Nature Conservation course because they have an opportunity to put to practice what they learn in class.

“This helps students to understand different habitats: their physical requirements and how disturbance, pollution and human influence can affect species diversity.”

Student Dion Mebu added that they also assessed the habitat based on the factors impacting the river. “From this we wanted to compare species and the type of habitat the species prefer.”

Another student Nomfundo Mthimunye concluded by saying, “We also did an exciting assessment, which I personally love because for the first time it actually made me confident about my career choice.”