21-04-2025
UMP to lead advance in research leadership and education
The University Of Mpumalanga (UMP) aims to strengthen research leadership and higher education strategies by bringing together research leaders from different institutions to discuss the evolving landscape of higher education.
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The university hosted the Deputy Vice Chancellor Forum Seminar on April 10. The outgoing vice chancellor, Prof Thoko Mayekiso, highlighted the role of the university in national and international research collaboration, noting that UMP has partnered with 42 higher education institutions across Europe, North America, Australia, Asia and Africa.
'Our emphasis is on research impact, not just productivity. Our focus is on how research contributes to solving real world problems. We aim to develop and sustain the research capacity of staff and students while fostering research collaborations that contribute to national and global challenges,' she said.
A theoretical physicist and former CEO of Universities South Africa, Prof Ahmed Bawa, discussed the strategic plan in higher education and the role of research leadership. He also noted in his presentation that China and India are dominating the global research landscape, surpassing the United Kingdom and the United States.
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'Universities must also grapple with the effects of politicisation, democratisation and decolonisation, reshaping how knowledge is produced and shared. These forces are transforming higher education from elite institutions, to massify education systems leading to debates on social ownership and the role of universities in society,' Bawa said.
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