Only one day to go before the Durban University of Technology (DUT) Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Thandwa Mthembu delivers the anticipated State of the University Address (SOUA) 2023 at the Indumiso Campus Hall in Pietermaritzburg on Friday, 10 March 2023 at 16h30.

The SOUA organising committee led by the Vice-Chancellor’s Office has been working around the clock to ensure that the second physical SOUA becomes a success. In the past two years, Prof Mthembu delivered the State of the University Address online due to the COVID-19 restrictions. The first SOUA was established and held at the Steve Biko campus, in Durban in 2019. The SOUA organising committee is planning to alternate the hosting of this prestigious annual event between the Durban and Midlands campuses.

DUT Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Thandwa Mthembu.

The Vice-Chancellor, in his address, is expected to highlight DUT’s accomplishments and accolades from the previous year (2022). He will also make reference to the university strategy, ENVISION2030 and how it will impact the lives of students, staff and society at large. Prof Mthembu will speak on the current state of affairs in 2023 and outline the future prospects of the university.
The media and other university stakeholders will get an opportunity to engage with Prof Mthembu, immediately after the State of the University Address, during the Question-and-Answer session.

Prior to the DUT SOUA 2023 on the day at 14h00, the media will be taken on a media tour around Indumiso Campus to view the progress of the state-of-the-art infrastructure currently under construction. Three specific areas will be targeted namely the Engineering building, the innobiz DUT Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the new Library. The media will be taken through these projects as this will highlight the university strategy, ENVISION2030 and DUT tagline: Creative. Distinctive. Impactful.

The Midlands Campus Director: Dr Joe Molete will then conduct a 30-minute presentation on the Midlands projects, unpacking their impact on the DUT community and the society at large. After the presentation, Dr Molete and Mr Khulekani Shabalala, Project Manager: Physical Planning at DUT will engage with the media on these exciting projects.

The DUT Community is also encouraged to tune in to SAfm during the Jet Set Breakfast show on Sunday morning, 13 March 2023 at 08h20 where Prof Mthembu will be interviewed on the State of the University Address. On the same day, Sunday midday from 12h00 to 13h00, Prof Mthembu will be interviewed on Ukhozi FM, on the show, Ezingasoze Zabuna. Besides sharing the highlights of the State of the University Address, Prof Mthembu will also be sharing ten of his favourite local and international old school songs. Do not miss out on both of these exciting interviews.

The event will be broadcast live on Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/@MultiMediaDeptLive

Pictured: All is set for the State of the University Address.

Photographer: Vusi Dlamini

Simangele Zuma