Explaining some of the reasons for her working at the University for 25 years, the Director of Research, Dr Anette Mienie, said “I could not leave people in the middle of what the researchers were doing”. Dr Dr Mienie is the founding director of the Research Directorate. On the evening of August 1, 2025, she presented to staff off campus, providing a historical overview of the directorate’s origins. During her presentation, she highlighted that when she arrived in 2000, research expectations from Technikons were minimal, as the institution was still a Technikon until late 2007. However, Dr Mienie, along with her colleagues, recognised that the future would demand higher education institutions to produce knowledge. She detailed the journey she and her team, especially Sifiso Qwabe, undertook to adapt to this new focus on research and knowledge production.
While Dr Mienie’s presentation was about the past, present, and the future, a seasoned researcher highlighted the importance of research at a higher education institution, and how to go about conducting research that would be impactful. Professor Babatunde Bakare, a former Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, anchored the event by highlighting how he and his colleagues went about doing their research. “Colleagues from MUT will agree that today is not just a celebration of years, it is a celebration of impact. A celebration of curiosity turned into discovery and growth within the research community at MUT,” Professor Bakare said.
Professor Bakare, a widely cited researcher, paid tribute to Dr Mienie. “I wish to begin by expressing my sincere gratitude to Dr Mienie and the entire staff at the Research Directorate. You all have directly or indirectly impacted and contributed to my development and growth,” he said. Professor Bakare’s relationship with Dr Mienie and her directorate made him accept the offer of being a guest speaker at the function. He said, “Dr Mienie quickly said you will be our guest speaker. If I had known you would be putting me on the spot today, I would have stylishly avoided responding. I could not say no to you Dr, because you have been there every step, and very supportive throughout my journey at MUT.”
Professor Bakare’s message was that colleagues have to work together when conducting research, so that they can make a bigger impact. Professor Bakare, an award-winning researcher and C2 NRF-rated researcher, said he would not have gone that far if he had not worked with others. Professor Bakare’s message was that a researcher can make a limited impact if they work alone, while they can make a bigger impact if they work with others. He said he learnt a lot from his students, with whom he conducted research. Some of these students are his former colleagues at the University.
The night went on with more accolades heaped on Dr Mienie and her team. Some of these praises, which were well placed, were from Professor Marcus Ramogale, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning, who Dr Mienie said had a telling contribution to the growth of the directorate. In Professor Ramogale, Dr Mienie found a staunch supporter of research; in Dr Mienie, Professor Ramogale found a force that only drove forward, and showed strong belief in a post-matric institution as a centre that should generate knowledge. They formed a team that could only produce good things for the University.
One of the highlights of the night was the cutting of a huge cake by Dr Mienie and other senior members of staff. What was not missed was how grateful Dr Mienie was of the support and the constructive attitude shown to her by staff, from the institution was a Technikon, which had not pressure to conduct research, to the time the Institution became a university of technology. Dr Mienie has, on a number of occasions, said that research at MUT was growing, a fact the was recognised by the National Research Foundation a few years ago.