In a significant boost for Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) and the broader academic landscape, Ayanda Princess Nongogo has been appointed to the Council on Higher Education (CHE) as a member of the Management of the Higher Education Qualifications Committee (MQC). The appointment, which follows a competitive national nomination process, spans a five-year term effective from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031.
Nongogo, the Director of the Directorate of Institutional Planning and Research (DIPR), describes the appointment as the most significant milestone of her 16-year career. Her journey has seen her traverse several prominent institutions, including Walter Sisulu University (WSU), the University of Zululand (UNIZULU), and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). “I have dedicated myself to the unglamorous but critical work of HEMIS data management,” Nongogo said, reflecting on over a decade of hands-on experience in statutory reporting and evidence-based analytics.
Nongogo’s expertise lies in the intricate machinery of higher education – HEMIS Data Management, where she ensures accuracy in national data reporting; strategic planning, which is monitoring institutional KPIs and enrolment targets; and programme qualification mix (PQM), wherein she advises on new programme development, credit determination and policy alignment.
By joining the MQC, Nongogo moves from implementing frameworks to helping govern them at a national scale. Nongogo’s role will now inform national policy guidance and the implementation of the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF) across the entire sector.
The road to the CHE began in December 2025 with a formal call for nominations. Nongogo credits former colleagues, Mihloti Mkhatshwa (Regional Director: Southern Africa at Advanced Secure Technology) and a peer from Nelson Mandela University, for pushing her to apply. “Their belief in my work was humbling,” she noted. “I accepted the nomination as a responsibility to give back to the sector that has shaped me.”
For MUT, Nongogo’s new role ensures the Institution has a “seat at the table” regarding national governance.
Addressing concerns about managing her dual responsibilities, Nongogo explained that the roles are symbiotic. Her daily work at MUT, including oversight of HEMIS data assurance and statutory compliance, mirrors the requirements of the MQC. “The MQC engagement does not pull me away from my core function,” Nongogo clarified. “Rather, it deepens and broadens it at a national level. I look forward to bringing insights from MUT to the national stage and bringing strategic guidance back to benefit our institution.”