Page 34 - Transformation Report 2021

Added to the lack of diversity at senior levels, the number academics will need to be mitigated through focussed and
of retirees at senior levels (professor, associate professor deliberate efforts to advance individuals from the lecturer
and principal lecturer) over the next five years amounts to and senior lecturer levels into the senior ranks as well as
30 out of 55 posts (see Table 14 below). The exit of these recruiting established senior scholars into the university.

TABLE 14:
OVERVIEW OF ACADEMIC RETIREES ACROSS ALL RANKS FROM 2021 TO 2025
RANK/YEAR 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 TOTAL %

Professor 1 1 4 4 7 17 31%
Associate Professor 2 1 2 4 2 11 20%
Principal Lecturer 2 2 4%
Senior Lecturer 2 3 2 2 5 14 25%
Lecturer 2 1 3 1 4 11 20%

Associate Lecturer
TOTAL 9 6 11 11 18 55 100%

1.1 Black Academics Advancement Programme attain higher degrees. There are 18 active Thuthuka grant
As part of its strategic objective to promote long-term holders, of which 78 percent are Black, and 56 percent are
sustainability, the University has leveraged funding from women. The Black Academics Advancement Programme
the NRF and DHET to ensure that academic employees currently funds seven academics, three of whom are
receive the support and training needed to attain higher women.
degrees. There are, however, severe capacity constraints
in terms of postgraduate supervisory capacity and 1.2 Developing the Next Generation of Academics
mitigating this risk requires that all academics who hold at The nGAP cohort at Mandela University comprises 14
least a Masters’ qualification receive mentoring to equip Black academics, of whom nine are women (see Table
them to take on supervision. Regular writing retreats 15). Targeted funding to support emerging academics is
continue to be arranged across all faculties to encourage also offered through the DHET-funded University Capacity
academic writing and boost research outputs. Development Grant, which has been awarded for the new
2021-2023 funding cycle. Of the 23 grant recipients, 15
Nelson Mandela University continues to benefit from are Black, and 12 are women. These initiatives are critical
national initiatives designed to ensure that early career as significant numbers of senior academic employee
academics receive the support and training needed to members will retire within the next five years.

TABLE 15:
PROFILE OF THE NEW GENERATION OF ACADEMIC COHORTS ACROSS FACULTIES

PHASE ACADEMIC FACULTY DEPT START DATE GROUP GENDER

1 L Maluleke Education TVET 1 Jan 2016 African M
1 P Magangxa Education Foundation Phase 1 Jan 2016 African F
1 N Hadi BES Business School 1 Aug 2016 African F
1 Dr A Mvanyashe Humanities Languages and Lit 1 Jan 2016 African F
1 B Douse EBEIT Mechanical Engineering 1 July 2016 African M
3 L Sepato Science Statistics 1 June 2018 African F
3 M Makhuvha Science Mathematics 1 June 2018 African F
3 O Kagola Education Foundation Phase 1 Jan 2018 African M

A Christoffels-
4 Law Public Law 1 Feb 2019 Coloured F
Du Plessis
4 N Naidoo * Science Geoscience 1 June 2019 Indian F
4 J Sibeko Humanities Language & Lit 1 July 2019 African M
4 S Tom EBEIT Mechatronics 1 Nov 2019 African M

34 | 2021