Universities’ role in changing the world for the better
Universities in SA have an important role to play as a catalyst for change in society. This is according to Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, vice-chancellor and principal of Wits University.
“Universities enjoy longevity in society, akin to libraries and museums. They are institutions that usually outlast multiple generations. Research-intensive universities like Wits should strive to create new knowledge and apply this for the benefit of society.”
Speaking at Wits University’s Founders’ Tea during the university’s Centenary Celebration in September, former deputy chief justice and former Wits chancellor Justice Dikgang Moseneke said universities must take a lead in the reformation of the country.
“Universities must remain a safe crucible of independent and critical thought,” he said, adding that they need to remain a bastion of research and new knowledge.
In addition, they must continue to hone generational succession of leadership that is informed, that is ethical, that is people centric, that is development centric.
“A true university must be an incubator for social, industrial and financial innovation. A true place of higher learning and teaching should be focused on asking why we have so much poverty, and why it is increasing and so stubborn and endemic? Why are there fewer and fewer people who are capable of being innovative and creating new wealth and new ways of better living?” asked Moseneke.
To ensure they remain relevant in a changing world, universities must transform themselves.
They need to be collaborating not only with other higher education institutions around the world, but also with the private and public sectors to help solve the problems that our country faces, including inequality and climate change.
“Collaboration is going to be very important for higher education, and it can’t be a once-off phenomenon,” agreed Dr Judy Dlamini, chancellor of Wits University.
“We live in the most unequal country in the world. We can help bridge the divide but we don’t have any time to waste.”
Professor Adam Habib, former vice-chancellor of Wits, believes collaboration between institutions in the Global North and South that will lead to “clusters of excellence” is the path towards addressing both structural inequalities in the higher education sector and in society.
“We envision cross-continental teaching and learning on the grounds to assist in stemming the ‘brain drain’ and enable scientific and technological capacity to remain on the African continent,” said Habib. The higher education sector, and universities in particular, provide a platform for innovation, new knowledge creation, high-level and scarce skills development and the incubation and exchange of ideas. Universities are also treasure troves of knowledge that need to be protected, valued, guarded and strengthened.
Professor Ruskana Osman, senior deputy vice-chancellor: academic at Wits, points out: “Researchintensive universities will have to learn to make optimum use of resources and develop an anticipatory consciousness rather than a reactive one.
“The 2020 global pandemic has taught us first-hand that we need to be able to anticipate challenges so that we are not blindsided when they hit universities and society.”
A true university must be an incubator for social, industrial and financial innovation
Justice Dikgang Moseneke