Dr Johan van Koller, Senior Director: Directorate of Institutional Planning and Research (DIPR), commended the strong participation and collective ownership demonstrated throughout the three-day lekgotla, noting that the depth of engagement reflected a growing understanding that institutional planning is a shared responsibility.
“The level of participation from management demonstrated that institutional planning is being embraced as a collective responsibility. I was equally impressed by the DIPR team, whose logistical coordination, preparation and facilitation ensured that a complex institutional process ran with professionalism and purpose. The quality of the engagement was matched by the quality of the support behind the scenes,” said Dr van Koller.
A key feature of the discussions was the increasingly integrated approach to planning. Strategic priorities, performance indicators, implementation responsibilities, resources and budgets were considered as interconnected elements rather than separate institutional processes.
Over the three days, the discussions moved beyond setting targets to examining what MUT must do differently to achieve them. The robust engagements also gave different areas of the University an opportunity to understand their contribution to the broader institutional agenda and the interdependencies required to deliver on MUT’s strategic goals.
The lekgotla concluded with a strengthened sense of shared accountability for the University’s 2027 priorities, and a clearer line of sight between IGNITE2030, the Annual Performance Plan (APP), resource allocation and implementation.
Dr Van Koller said, “The outcomes of the lekgotla will now inform the finalisation of the 2027 APP, translating MUT’s strategic ambitions into measurable commitments for the year ahead.”