Teaching and Learning at the University got a shot in the arm this week. All the academic departments, and divisions that report to the Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning, held a three-day lekgotla off-campus to discuss all matters that have to do with teaching and learning. The lekgotla took place from 1-3 August 2022.
Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning, Dr Manyane Makua, said one of the reasons for the meeting was that they wanted all the departments and divisions that contribute to teaching and learning to be up-to-date with what they were doing. He said they wanted to break down the silos and create an opportunity for colleagues to inform each other about their areas of work. To this end, the deans of the three faculties and the heads of departments made presentations on their faculties and departments’ strategic issues such as student enrolment, student success rates, quality matters, performance and challenges during the lockdown, online teaching preparedness, advances in the design of learning and teaching for online platforms, quality assurance of assessment in the past two years, programme development, state of advisory boards, programme accreditations, infrastructure challenges, staff development, and materials development.
Dr Makua said the Academic Enterprise Lekgotla provided a platform to discuss key strategic teaching and learning focus areas for 2022.
“The event came at the right time when the higher education sector is at the cusp of very dramatic developments,” said Dr Makua. “The Lekgotla was a space to reflect on these and plot our path for 2022.”
In his opening, Dr Makua advised his colleagues to ensure that the key issues that were identified in the 2011 Institutional Audit were addressed as the Institution continues its preparations for the 2022 Institutional Audit.
“The University is currently compiling the Self Evaluation Report (SER) that will be submitted to the Council on Higher Education (CHE) later in the year. The same issues were also identified in the 2022 Independent Assessor Report,” he said.
Dr Makua further cautioned that the issues of culture, if not addressed, could be picked up in the 2022 Institutional Audit; which could have an impact on the quality of MUT’s programmes, he said.
The Lekgotla also provided a platform for Directors of the Quality Management Directorate (QMD), the Library Services, Community Engagement and Development Directorate (CEAD), Research, Co-operative Education, Technology Station in Chemicals (TSC) to make presentations that allowed academic departments to find out how what they are offering relates to the academic programmes. Dr Mogasuri Moodley made a presentation on the SER and the upcoming institutional audit by the CHE. Dr Moodley urged all MUT staff members who would take part in that process to prepare for the audit adequately.
Over and above the robust engagement opportunity that the lekgotla provided, it also provided a chance for stakeholders to share their good stories, and opportunities for future collaborations.