Universities SA welcomes appointment of Naledi Pandor
UNIVERSITIES SA, representing the 26 public universities of South Africa, welcomes the appointment by President Cyril Ramaphosa of Minister Naledi Pandor as minister of higher education and training.
She has a thorough understanding of the sector, and its relationship with society.
Minister Pandor brings to this portfolio a wealth of experience in higher education, and in science and technology.
She has been an active participant in some of the most interesting debates relating to higher education transformation and the articulation of the work of our universities with building a competitive economy, knowledge building, the deepening of democracy and, perhaps most importantly, with the deliberate construction of a more equal society.
While the last two years have seen some serious turbulence in the public university system and its students and staff have been through a harrowing period, we look to Minister Pandor to lead us into a period of stable equilibrium that will allow the universities to refocus their attention on teaching/ learning, research, engagement and on the large number of important transformative projects that are under way.
Her last, and very successful, appointment as minister of science and technology will help to further strengthen the partnership between the Department of Higher Education and Training and the Department of Science and Technology.
It will also enhance the strategic collaborations and synergies between those two departments and the universities, which are by far the largest research institutions in South Africa.
We look forward to working with Minister Pandor as we usher in the new era in student funding and the adoption and roll-out of a new National Post-Secondary Education and Training plan.
We look forward to constructive engagements on (re)imagining the role of universities under her leadership.
We congratulate her on her appointment and wish her every success and fulfilment in this new challenge she has taken on. Mateboho Green Universities SA