Notions of vision, progression, growth and change were expressed by the Durban University of Technology’s Vice- Chancellor and Principal Professor Thandwa Mthembu, during the second annual State of the University Address at Indumiso Campus today, 27 February 2020.
One of the eminent themes addressed during the speech, was one of Stewardship. Professor Mthembu described this quality as the collective desires, capabilities and capacities of the DUT community to advance and guard their vision.
“This address is more about getting us on a flight to greatness, rather than gazing backwards and downwards where we are flying from,” said Prof Mthembu.
The Vice-Chancellor believes that acquiring this quality of Stewardship, requires true selfless value and being principle driven custodians of equipment, facilities, infrastructure, buildings and innovations which will benefit generations to come.
“Our values and principles must be that glue that binds us together. Our institutional culture emanating from them must irradiate our values and principles.,” said Prof Mthembu.
Prof Mthembu believes that the institution must hold itself to a higher standard and divulged into academic issues within the University. He brought into question that 25% of lecturers at DUT are without a Masters’ degree. Speaking to second year Bachelor of Education student in Pietermaritzburg, Nkosivumile Msomi says that this prospective change is a positive for the university.
‘I am very excited about this, as it means it will be easier for us to get distinctions, because we will be taught by the most qualified lecturers. They will be able to give us accurate information and show us researches that are accurate and relevant to what we are doing. This will be very positive for the university”, said Msomi.
Prof Mthembu further encouraged the university to exemplify values of compassion, integrity and commitment, by accommodating first year students for a day or two while they sort out their residence affairs.
The occasion was also as an opportunity to launch the refreshed bilingual logo, which has added an IsiZulu version of DUT’s name. This translates to “Inyuvesi YaseThekwini Yezobuchwepheshe”. This change comes in the midst of national discussions regarding the decolonisation of the higher education sector in South Africa. Whilst the University acknowledges that the subject will require more than just an updated logo, they held the belief that a decolonised university in Africa should promote the primary African language of the region.
Tanya Thompson from the faculty of accounting and informatics in PMB said that the logo forms part of our identity.
“The addition of IsiZulu is very important, because it gives us our own identity as University based in KZN. Our logo is more unique and has a clear design which is visually appealing,” said Thompson.
The revised logo will be used across all DUT communication and marketing platforms.
Pictured: Seen at SOUA 2020 Indumiso Campus, Thenjiwe Mpanza from Student Services and Development- Riverside, Thembelihle Hlongwane from the Department of Ecotourism- Riverside , Professor Livingstone Makondo from Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching- Midlands, Siphiwe Bekwa from the Department of Ecotourism-Riverside and Nomfundo Zakwe from Accounting and Informatics-Riverside.
Carissa Marnce
