The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The Council of the University of Johannesburg (UJ) has renewed the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tshilidzi Marwala’s contract for a further five years, following consultations with various University constituencies. This means that Prof Marwala will continue to lead one of the top institutions of higher learning in Africa, which has also made its mark on the global stage. Prof Marwala’s current term of office ends on 31 December 2022, having started serving in this role on 1 January 2018. He took over from Professor Ihron Rensburg. 

In the last four years since Prof Marwala took office, UJ’s global reputation has vastly improved, with the University achieving in all major global rankings. This is a testament to the extent to which UJ has recorded a growth in its research output and an improvement in its academic programmes and innovation standing. The University has seen an improvement in its technological operations while ensuring financial sustainability, despite the challenges of under-funding and the devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. UJ has also recorded an improvement in the quality of teaching and support offered to students, which resulted in more students graduating in the prescribed time.

Reflecting on Prof Marwala’s first term, the Chair of UJ Council, Mr Mike Teke says, “Professor Marwala is an astute and dynamic leader with exceptional expertise in the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) and other related fields. In 2018, as he was sworn in, he knew that there had been a solid foundation laid by his predecessors. Yet, we were also on the cusp of a monumental change in the form of the 4IR. 

“In anticipation of what is arguably our reality now, Prof Marwala introduced Industry 4.0, or the 4IR, to the University as part of the already existing Global Excellence and Stature (GES) Strategy which the University adopted in 2013. The goal of this was to drive the developments of the 4IR, adapt to a changing context and position the University strategically within the context of the changing social, political, and economic fortunes of Africa.”

Mr Teke says he is “astounded by the extent to which UJ has shifted” since Prof Marwala took office. “As countries began to adapt to the elements of the 4IR, UJ was leading and challenging conventional stereotypes. As Prof Marwala poignantly puts it, ‘The reality is that universities have to shift their roles towards a focus on emerging requirements of business, governments, and society. The media space, the think tanks, government, and many other players in the field have now realised that the tomorrow they may have been imagining, is already with us.’ UJ is in the thick of this. 

Mr Teke says that although these successes cannot only be contributed to Prof Marwala, he has led from the front by creating conditions that are conducive to achieve these accomplishments. “The last two years have been particularly challenging, to say the least. Across the world, institutions and their people alike have had to grapple with extreme circumstances because of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Prof Marwala’s swift call to action in response to this is indicative of his leadership style and his ability to adapt to a paradigm shift. His response to the pandemic, and indeed our shifting society, leads me to believe that his second term will take UJ to the next level.” 

On Prof Marwala’s second term and what legacy he will leave behind, Mr Teke says, “Though a lot has been achieved over the last five years, there is much more to be done. UJ will spend the next five years on various critical issues that we believe will catapult our rankings even higher and see the institution emerge as financially independent with strong leadership, a safe and dignified academic ambiance, and a caring university.” 

The second term of the Vice-Chancellor and Principal will commence from January 2023 and run until December 2028. 

Below are some of the highlights of UJ’s achievements under Prof Marwala’s leadership: 

Highest ranking

Higher education institutions both nationally and internationally are setting the pace in terms of performance. There has been a burgeoning of ranking systems, but there are some notable achievements. UJ has climbed significantly in these rankings in recent years. To mention but a few of the latest rankings:

• In the 2022 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, UJ retained its position in the 601-800 band globally, for the sixth consecutive year, and is ranked joint seventh nationally.
• In the 2022 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Graduate Employability Rankings, UJ maintained its position in the 301-500 band in the world, for the fourth year running, moving up from joint fifth into fourth place nationally.
• In the 2022 Times Higher Education (THE) Subject Rankings, UJ made gains in four subjects: Law, Social Sciences, Engineering, and Life Sciences.
• In the BGUR ranking, released at the end of October 2021, UJ again placed in the top 500 universities in the world, and at number 5 in South Africa.

Financial independence

It is common knowledge and practice in several academic institutions to be put under administration due to financial mismanagement. This cannot happen to academic institutions, as their role is critical and irreplaceable in society. Prof Marwala and the University leadership have worked hard to ensure that even when there are delays in receiving government financial support, the university can still operate unabated. 

Strong leadership

UJ is guided by a strong set of principles that dictates the way the university operates. Our staff and students have to be part of this agenda to ensure that we continue to make strides as an institution. As the last five years have demonstrated, it is about leading from the front, being exemplary, and being resolute in our actions. We have strong leadership which will permeate to the students we produce, and that they too will one day be strong citizens of the world.

A caring University with a safe and dignified academic ambiance 

Those who send their children to universities are effectively entrusting their safety, development, and tutelage to the leadership of these institutions. UJ has done well to create a safe university with a good and decent learning environment, and which has the added benefit of improving the dignity of the university and the brand. This not only guides the students’ experience but also provides an avenue for them to return as members of the convocation and be proud members of the Alumni.

About Prof Marwala 

Prof Marwala is an accomplished scholar with multi-disciplinary research interests that include the theory and application of artificial intelligence to engineering, computer science, finance, social science, and medicine. He has an extensive track record in human capacity development and has published more than 15 books in artificial intelligence and related topics. Before he was appointed the Vice-Chancellor of UJ, he was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Internationalisation and Executive Dean of Engineering and the Built Environment, both at the University of Johannesburg. 

Prof Marwala has also served as Deputy Chair of the Presidential Commission on the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He has received more than 45 awards including the Order of Mapungubwe and was a delegate to the 1989 London International Youth Science Fortnight (LIYSF) when he was in high school. His writings and opinions have appeared in the magazines New Scientist, The Economist, Time Magazine and CNN, and several local publications.

Issued by University of Johannesburg