ACTING VICE-CHANCELLOR AND PRINCIPAL
Professor Mathabeng Marcus Ramogale arrived at the Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) in 2009 armed with a solid 17 years of academic executive leadership experience.
His first role in 2009 at MUT was as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) with the mandate to provide strategic leadership and management in teaching and learning, research, quality management, co-operative education and library services.
In 2015 the University re-structured these portfolios and he became the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Teaching and Learning.
From 2016 he served as the Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal for four years, after which he returned to the substantive portfolio as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning), but was requested to resume the position of Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal in May 2020.
PROFESSOR MATHABENG MARCUS RAMOGALE, PhD
As one of the longest-serving University executives in post-apartheid South Africa, Professor Ramogale has been actively involved in the reconstruction and development of the country’s post-apartheid higher education system. This has given him the edge in understanding higher education in a post-colonial and decolonised context, and he has presented many papers on this topic. The COVID-19 epidemic also placed him at the centre of a drive to transform teaching and learning in the post-COVID world.
Before arriving at MUT, he was Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs and Research) at the University of Venda, with a wide-ranging portfolio with a number of crucial responsibilities which included the management of student affairs and the institution’s MIV/Aids programme.
Previous appointments include Deputy Dean of the School of Human and Social Sciences (University of Venda), Head of the Department of English (University of Venda), Senior Lecturer in English (University of the North, now the University of Limpopo) and Deputy President of the Alumni and Convocation Association of the University of Limpopo.
Professor Ramogale was born in Limpopo Province but grew up in Gauteng Province where he matriculated at Tembisa High School, East Rand. He read for his first degree at the University of the North, majoring in English and Education. This was followed by a BA Honours Degree in English and a University Education Diploma at the same institution. After a brief spell as a Junior Lecturer in the University of the North’s Department of English, he went to the United Kingdom to study for a Master’s Degree in English Studies at the University of Nottingham, followed by a PhD in English Studies at the same institution.
Professor Ramogale writes short English fiction and socio-political analyses in his spare time. He is well-known for his philosophical approach to team building, leadership and mentoring. As an ardent reader, he uses his personal funds to buy books for young people to foster a love of literature and promote a culture of curiosity. Many student leaders have benefitted from his philosophical values.
GLOBAL INITIATIVES
For the first time in MUT’s existence, the VC’s office has adopted a strategic and integrated approach to raising MUT’s profile nationally and internationally. These include the following initiatives:
- 10th MUT International Focus conference
- Establishment of the International Relations Office
- Hosting international visitors
- Identification of strategic delegations abroad
- Links to international projects or stories on internationalisation
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Professor Ramogale’s promotion of student entrepreneurship was recognised by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) with a special award in 2021. The VC’s office co-ordinates many entrepreneurship projects for students. These range from designing and building drones for various purposes, and developing apps, one of which is now being used to assist young people to get jobs. Many of these projects have won awards, and entrepreneurship is the cornerstone of all the VC’s international engagements.
CENTRAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT
On taking on the VC role, Professor Ramogale quickly realised that many projects within MUT were uncoordinated, so one of his first tasks was to establish a central management office to streamline all projects. This has been extremely successful.
TRANSFORMATION AGENDA
A turn-around strategy has been adopted to make the university more sustainable in the long-term, which requires better use of existing resources and active pursuit of generating an income.
The Professor’s philosophical approach has stressed inclusivity and representation and has created a number of statutory committees and sub-committees to ensure the long-term health of the institution.