Mayekiso and UMP mark eight years with research honour
She’s one of five female vice-chancellors out of 26 in the country and heads one of South Africa’s newest universities, which is also the first varsity in Mpumalanga.
Professor Thoko Mayekiso is halfway through her second term as University of Mpumalanga (UMP) vice-chancellor, making her tenure of eight years as old as the institution itself.
Established with only 169 students registered in three programmes, UMP was awarded the National Research Foundation’s Excelleration Award 2022 a month ago. The honour recognises a South African research institution for achieving the most improved research performance in the past few years. UMP currently has 7 100 students registered in 49 programmes.
Mayekiso, who obtained her PHD in Psychology (cum laude) at the Free University of Berlin, Germany, also performs the role of deputy vice-chancellor for research at UMP. “I have been providing leadership [in research] working with the director of research management to create a conducive environment. Our academics understand that you have to show interest in research and engagement.”
Commenting on the award, Mayekiso, a registered clinical psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa, said: “As a university we have been emphasising research. To become an African university leading in ‘creating opportunities [as its motto says]’, we cannot innovate without research.
“We identified seven research themes cutting across faculties; biodiversity, post-harvest technology, ethics and governance, ICT for development, local economic development as well as early childhood development. We are doing excellent work in biodiversity led by Prof Daniel Parker,” she said.
Mayekiso said the university currently has 64 programmes that have been accredited with additional programmes starting next year, which she said will see their enrolment number go up to 9 000.
UMP, together with Sol Plaatje University in the Northern Cape, were launched in 2014. She said UMP was planned to be a medium-sized university with a capacity of 20000 to 25000 students, while Sol Plaatje University is smaller with 7 000 students.
Mayekiso, from Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape, has a BA, BA Honours and MA in psychology from the University of Fort Hare and has worked as a senior lecturer, associate professor, professor, head of department and vice-dean at the then University of Transkei, which in 2005 merged with Border Technikon and Eastern Cape Technikon to become the Walter Sisulu University.
She joined Wits in 2001 as head of school, deputy dean, and then acting executive dean in the faculty of humanities. In 2007, she was appointed executive dean in the faculty of arts at the Nelson Mandela University. In 2009, she was promoted to deputy vice-chancellor: research and engagement and it is this position that made it easier for her to assume the same role at UMP.
The university, with campuses in Mbombela and Siyabuswa, incorporated the Lowveld College of Agriculture in 2015, has registered its first cohort of doctoral students.
“I hope to leave behind a university with a solid foundation in the three mission areas: teaching, learning and research and engagement,” said Mayekiso, whose second term ends in 2024.
“I’m hoping that by the time I leave, I would have one doctoral student graduate, the ones who are studying full-time should be able to complete in that period.”
The university’s academic talent stewardship programme is a key driver in developing the next generation of leaders. Mayekiso said as part of the programme, the university identifies five top honours and master’s students who are then appointed as associate lecturers for three years.
The university was the first runner-up in this year’s Enactus South Africa National Competition after only starting to participate in 2017. UMP came second after the Central University of Technology in the competition, which saw teams from 21 universities around the country showcasing entrepreneurial skills with innovative projects aimed at improving the lives of their various communities. The winner will represent South Africa in the global showpiece at the end of this month in Puerto Rico, South America.
UMP’S students are 90% black, with 80% of them coming from Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Kwazulu-natal and Gauteng. International students are mainly from Swaziland and a sprinkle from Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Nigeria.
We are doing excellent work in biodiversity led by Prof Daniel Parker