Weekend Argus (Sunday Edition)
Exception rather than the norm
For more than two decades I worked on university campuses in South Africa, from the University of Durban-Westville (UDW, KwaZuluNatal) to the University of Pretoria (UP, Gauteng) to the University of the Free State (UFS, Bloemfontein).
I started as a professor and head of department (UDW), continued as a dean (UP) and then took on the position of rector (UFS).
In all of those positions I thrived on the sheer joy of being able to teach, lead and live among undergraduate students.
I had an open-door policy for students and as rector would regularly have these bright young people come through our home.