For a family whose formal education previously ended at primary school level, the upcoming Durban University of Technology (DUT) Spring Graduation will be significant milestone.
In September, Ellen Mzwakhe Shange became the first person in his family to graduate with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), marking an important moment in his family’s educational journey.
Shange, who graduated with a PhD in Business and Information Management, hopes his achievement will show what is possible through education and encourage others to pursue their academic goals. “Becoming the first PhD graduate in my family has shown me that education can transform what an entire family believes is impossible. I hope to use this achievement to create similar possibilities for others,” he says.
Originally from Saint Faiths, Ndlovuzulu, and now living in Eluphepheni Location in Highflats, KwaZulu-Natal, the 35 year old’s academic journey has been shaped by determination and perseverance.
His higher education journey began at Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) in 2011, where he completed a National Diploma in Office Technology in 2013. He later continued his studies at DUT, earning a BTech in Office Management and Technology in 2017, followed by a Master of Management Sciences in Administration and Information Management in 2022.
It was during his master’s studies that Dr Shange began to develop an interest in research. This led him to pursue PhD in Business and Information Management at DUT, which he completed in approximately two years. His doctoral thesis, titled “An Integrated Business Process Management Framework for Job Improvement and Satisfaction of Academics at the Selected Universities of Technology,” looks at how universities can improve them processes and use digital technologies to make academic work more efficient while improving job satisfaction. His research found that while business process management practices exist within Universities of Technology, they are not always implemented consistently. Continuous process improvement was identified as an important factor in improving academic productivity and job satisfaction, while digital innovation and automation could help reduce repetitive administrative work. The study resulted in an integrated business process management framework aimed at supporting more efficient and digitally enabled academic operations.
For Shange, the research is also connected to his own experience of working in higher education. He currently works full time as a Departmental Administrator at MUT while also lecturing part time. His work has given him an understanding of the demands placed on academics as they balance teaching, research, supervision and administrative responsibilities.
“Technology should simplify academic work rather than create additional administrative burdens,” he says.
Completing a doctorate while working was not easy. Shange had to balance his studies with full-time employment, part-time lecturing and family responsibilities. His journey was also marked by personal loss, including the death of two of his brothers.
Despite these challenges, he remained committed to completing his studies. He says the experience reinforced the importance of excellence, integrity, accountability and continuous learning. “For me, the PhD represents possibility, perseverance and responsibility. It proves that one’s starting point does not have to determine one’s destination,” he says.
“For me, the PhD represents possibility, perseverance and responsibility. It proves that one’s starting point does not have to determine one’s destination,” he says.
Dr Shange is already looking ahead. He hopes to move fully into academia, where he wants to teach undergraduate students, supervise and mentor postgraduate researchers, publish and present research, and contribute to the development of higher education.
His advice to young people who dream of pursuing a PhD is simple. “Never allow where you started to determine where you believe you can finish.”
For Shange and his family, the Spring Graduation represented more than receiving a doctoral qualification. It marked a new chapter in their educational journey and demonstrate how one person’s determination can create new possibilities for those who come after them.
From a family where, formal education previously ended at primary school level to becoming its first PhD graduate, Dr Shange’s story is one of determination, perseverance, and the power of education.
Pictured: Dr Ellen Shange
Phootgraphy: Sifundo Thwala
Sinamile Sithole
