Prof Dan Kgwadi

Message from

the vice-chancellor

Dear alumni,

 

Greetings to you all for this winter edition of the NWU & U.

 

You will read in this edition about the three honorary doctoral degrees that were recently awarded at NWU graduation ceremonies.

 

Adv Thuli Madonsela, Dr Imtiaz Ismail Sooliman and Prof Monica Ferreira received these honorary doctorates on 22 and 23 May.

 

Adv Thuli Madonsela was awarded the honorary doctorate for her role in promoting democracy in South Africa, while founder of non-profit organisation Gift of the Givers, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, was recognised for his cross-border and international cooperation in providing disaster relief. Prof Monica Ferreira was honoured for being Africa’s most prominent first-generation exponent of research in the development of policy on aging.

 

Another highlight that needs mentioning is our culture change project which has made good progress this year.

 

We are undertaking this change initiative to ensure that our broad institutional culture fully supports the implementation of our strategy. In order to fulfil our dream to be “an internationally recognised university in Africa, distinguished for engaged scholarship, social responsiveness and an ethic of care”, we need to ensure that our organisational culture promotes and supports this ideal.

 

We have come a long way towards ridding our student residence life of the self-destructive initiation rites that had captured some aspects of residence life, but across the university, we need constantly to nurture the culture which will deliver excellence in innovative learning and teaching and cutting-edge research.

 

Social inclusion and cohesion are essential aspects of the culture we want to grow. Our diversity is a positive strength in delivering on innovative outcomes at the NWU.

 

Finally, I invite you as important NWU stakeholders to participate actively in engaging with us.

 

Warm regards,

 

 

 

​

Prof Dan Kgwadi

Vice-Chancellor