The Durban University of Technology (DUT) approved the ENVISION2030 Living Values Framework. The five values are identified as transparency, honesty, integrity, respect and accountability. The principles espoused are fairness, professionalism, commitment, compassion and excellence. DUT’s Communications team, Sibahle Ngcobo spoke to Obed Chauke, Lecturer at the Department of Public Relations Management.

Q: Kindly tell me about your role at DUT?

A: “I am a lecturer at the Department of Public Relations Management where I teach communication, public relations-related modules and entrepreneurship. I am also part of an entrepreneurship programme where I have been afforded the opportunity to develop within my students as an entrepreneurial mindset using the design thinking process and shaping the module to be in line with the ENVISION2030.”

Q: How long have you been a member of the DUT family?

A: “I have been with DUT for years, I started as a student and later became a staff member in late 2019.”

Q: Amongst the mentioned ENVISION2030 Living Values and Principles, which one do you mostly associate with and why?

A: “I associate myself with all of the living values and principles. They are not random, there is a link somehow. However, accountability stands out for me. It is one attribute that I want my students to embody and I advocate that in all my classes. I am able to do what I am supposed to do and when I am supposed to do it because I understand that I am accountable for my actions. This is the main reason I advocate for this value. The rest of the values and principles allow me to work well with direct stakeholders, students and staff.”

Q: What are your views on the new DUT tagline: Creative. Distinctive. Impactful?

A: “I like it. I think it resonates with what I do in all my classes. I try to encourage my students to use what they are learning in class to solve real-life challenges that they are facing or ones that are faced by their communities. We evoked creativity through the design thinking process that we teach in entrepreneurship, allowing them to create distinctive businesses that do not copy what already exists in the market and make sure that it positively impacts people’s lives.”

Q: How are you planning to keep abreast with the ENVISION2030 Living Values Framework?

A: “I constantly remind myself of ENVISION2030 and also it is embedded in my performance management agreement, which allows me to work towards achieving its aspirations.”

Q: What is the one thing that most people do not know about you?

A: “I am an open book, people know everything that I want them to know about me. The rest are my secrets that I intend to keep.”

Q: In your opinion, how will the ENVISION2030 Living Values Framework benefit DUT?

A: “A lot has changed at DUT since the inception of ENVISION2030. The way students and the community see us has improved and the ranking of the university has amplified the brand positioning of our university.”

Q: What do you like to do in your spare time?

A: “I like going out with friends to catch up, beach walks, going to the movies and keeping up with the pop culture. I also like to go to church on Sundays to build my spiritual self.”

Q: How do you plan to make a positive Impact at DUT?

A: “I am working with different departments that make a positive impact at DUT and outside. I have been working with the Enactus DUT team since 2016. We also put the DUT name on the map when we won the Enactus national competition and represented South Africa in Silicon Valley in 2018 and 2019. I work closely with the entrepreneurship team at the Faculty of Management Sciences to host Entrepreneurship Week, as one of the facilitators of the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp and the Intra-Africa Competition with the Pharos University in Alexandria. A lot is being done to shape our students to be global contributing citizens.”

Q: What is your daily motivation?

A: “To fight for human dignity, which I believe is something that a lot of rural South Africans have been deprived of, through poverty and unemployment.”

Q: What are your future goals at DUT?

A: “To keep on pushing for greatness and producing accountable graduates that will contribute to the development of our country.”

Q: If you were granted one wish, what would it be?

A: “To have unlimited wishes and end corruption in our country.