Pretoria - The University of Mpumalanga is expected to employ between 400 to 600 teaching staff over the next few years, says acting University Vice Chancellor and Principal, Professor John Shongwe.
Shongwe said the university will also employ thousands of administrative staff and increase enrolment next year.
“The university will advertise more than 40 administrative positions … in the coming few weeks. We will take about 250 more students in 2015 and 750 by 2016,” said Shongwe.
He said the university is mandated and plans to take about 18 000 to 20 000 students by 2024-2026, a move that requires massive infrastructure.
The university is currently offering Bachelor’s Degrees in Education, Agriculture, a National Diploma in Agriculture and Diploma in Hospitality.
It plans to introduce a National Diploma and Degree in ICT by 2015/16 pending approval and accreditation, which takes about 18 months.
The university has appointed Sello Legodi as University Registrar and two Deputy Vice Chancellors, Professor Ric Bernard and Professor. Both Professor Bernard and Howard are responsible for Academic Affairs Rachmond Howard and Planning, respectively.
Striving for excellence
Professor Bernard said the university is about excellence and quality.
“We aim to produce the best of brains and the sharpest of minds,” said Bernard.
Recently, Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande said he was satisfied with progress being made towards building the University of Mpumalanga and Sol Plaatje University in the Northern Cape.
“I am satisfied with the planning and preparations geared towards the start of construction of new buildings, in keeping with the commitment made by the President in his State of the Nation Address in June,” said Minister Nzimande.
He said the construction of the new universities was part of expanding the tertiary system in South Africa to accommodate greater numbers of qualifying school leavers.
Over the past 20 years, university enrolment has almost doubled from 495 356 in 1994 to 953 373 in 2012. Enrolments are expected to grow to approximately 1.1 million in 2019 and 1.6 million students by 2030, as envisaged in the White Paper for Post-School Education and Training. – SAnews.gov.za
