Page 45 - Transformation Report

1.1 Developing the Next Generation of Academics
Table 18 below provides an overview of the academic retirees from 2019 to 2023. A total of 108 academics will be retiring
(according to their employment contracts), of which 38% will be full professors and associate professors, with principal
lecturers comprising an additional 5.6%. This context should inform all academic talent management interventions since it
creates opportunities to plan the career advancement of African, Coloured, and Indian academics over a defined period. The
interventions being implemented to enhance progression along the academic career trajectory should be conducted with the
context of the Council-approved Employment Equity Plan targets as well as the known retirement profile.

Table 18 Overview of Academic Retirees Across all Ranks from 2018 to 2023

PROJECT
NAME/ 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 TOTAL %
CATEGORY

Professor 1 8 6 2 1 4 22 20.4%

Associate 4 5 1 3 3 3 19 17.6%
Professor

Principal 1 2 2 1 6 5.6%
Lecturer
Senior 2 5 5 8 5 5 30 27.8%
Lecturer

Lecturer 6 1 7 4 6 6 30 27.8%

Associate 1 1 0.9%
Lecturer

Total 14 19 21 20 15 19 108 100.0%

The University supports its newly appointed and emerging the development of the next generation of scholars and
academic staff in several ways, using both external and teachers in the higher education sector. The ECAAP aims
internal funding instruments. In 2018, the R10 million equity to contribute to early-career academics’ professional
budget that resides within the office of the Vice-Chancellor development by focusing on areas that include a scholarly
supported eight academics positions: four Professors and four approach to teaching, collaboration and networking,
Senior Lecturers. The University’s “grow your own timber” communication, research methodologies, and postgraduate
programmes for academics are aimed at increasing the research supervision. The ECAAP is open to all Nelson
number of young academics from historically marginalised Mandela University academics who have been appointed to
groups. These programmes include the Next Generation of an academic role for the first time and/or have less than five
Academics Programme (nGAP) and the Next Generation years’ experience in such a role. There were thirty early career
Initiative programmes. The Next Generation of Academic academics signed up for the ECAAP in 2020 which, being
Programme is funded by the Department of Higher Education, offered online, continued as scheduled.
Science and Technology and allows for young academics
from designated groups to be fully employed with reduced In 2019, twelve academic staff members were receiving NRF
workloads so they can concentrate on obtaining their higher Thuthuka grants. This funding supports academics in three
qualifications and advance their career paths. The number tracks, namely: working on a doctorate (PhD track), post-
of early-career academics funded through the DHET-funded doctoral, and NRF-rating track. The University co-sponsors
nGAP has increased from 8 in 2018 to 12 in 2020, across the funding at 1:1, which enables many academics to begin
faculties, while others are in the recruitment phase. their research careers.

The Early Career Academics Advancement Programme The University additionally benefits from the NRF-First Rand
(ECAAP) links with the nGAP to support and advance Foundation Black Academics Advancement Programme

45 TRANSFORMATION REPORT