HERS-SA hosted its fourth mini academy in Cape Town recently which was attended by Durban University of Technology lecturers such as Dr Delysia Timm and Dr Shirlene Neerputh. The mini academy was also attended by women in leadership from eight universities in South Africa and the University of Mauritius.

The HERS-SA is a non-profit organisation which aims to empower women to take leadership positions in higher education institutions in South Africa, thereby providing much needed leadership role models for women. The recently-held workshop was aimed at providing support to the career development aspirations of HERS-SA alumnae and to strengthen their leadership capacity within the higher education context.

This year’s mini-Academy programme drew from the findings of the HERS-SA 2013 research project on the conflict and cohesion experiences of women working in higher education. The research project identified some of the leadership qualities and attributes that are required to contribute to the personal and social good of women and the sector they work in.

Dr Delysia Timm from DUT said, “I enjoyed the networking opportunities and the interactive nature of the academy. I found the workshop provided me with an array of tools and understandings to improve my leadership.”

The three day mini-academy programme was designed to develop the life orientation skill-sets of delegates to boost their leadership capacity. Other topics that were covered at the workshop were relationship awareness, motivational value system, introduction to conflict and understanding the essence and discourse of leadership. The speakers also presented on reframing vocabulary in leadership, the praxis of leadership and coherence and spirituality in appreciative inquiry.

– Gift Nyamapfene

Pictured: DUT’s Dr Delysia Timm and Dr Shirlene Neerputh with other women in leadership at the HERS-SA academy in Cape Town.