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11

M U T

S P I R I T

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J A N U A R Y - M A R C H 2 0 2 0

Every year, the MUT Vice-Chancellor

delivers the State of the University (SOTU)

address to staff, setting the tone for what

the University wants to achieve for the

year. Ever since joining MUT, Dr Enoch

Duma Malaza has referred to Strategy

2025 which was co-developed with

staff and students. This year’s SOTU

was special for two reasons. The MUT

Strategy 2025, whose development Dr

Malaza championed, had been approved

for implementation by the MUT Council

in 2019, and 2020 was the first year of its

implementation.

“In 2019 we concluded a long journey which started in

the middle of 2018. We now have a strategic blueprint

to steer by as we chart the way into the future,” said

Dr Malaza, addressing staff at Bozzoli Hall, which was

filled to capacity. “Our MUT Strategy 2025 commits

us to the creation of a beautiful university that future

generations will be proud of.”

Recapping the goals of Strategy 2025, Dr Malaza

highlighted some of the priorities for 2020. The

milestones that the University wanted to achieve by

the end of the year include playing a significant role

in strengthening civil society, partnering with the

community as part of the MUT ‘Anchor Strategy’,

reviewing theMUT CampusMaster Plan, implementing

the new organisational structure, and strengthening

the capacity of support departments to deliver on key

services of the University.

As part of the address, which was delivered on 17

February, Dr Malaza told staff that the University

aimed to deepen its role of strengthening civil society

by providing ‘knowledge and understanding’, shaping

cultural values, and training and socialising people

on the new economic and social era of the Fourth

State of the University Address

VC uses SOTU to set the university on a strategic path

Industrial Revolution (4IR)”. He went on to explain

that this role committed the University to providing

knowledge and skills required to meet the challenges

of sustainable development, and to enable members

of the community to make informed, ethical choices.

In terms of partnering with the community through

MUT’s Anchor Strategy, Dr Malaza informed staff

that the University planned to establish an Anchor

Committee. This committee will provide a platform

for establishing relationships with partners from the

community.

The MUT Campus Master Plan, which is its plan for

sustainable development in infrastructure, will also be

reviewed this year. In terms of infrastructure projects,

the University has a few key projects earmarked for

2020. “These include the completion of the student

centre, the redesign of the main entrance as a

pedestrian area with a link to the land on the west

side of the main road, and the reconfiguration of the

entrance to the Technology Station in Chemicals as

the new main entrance to the University,” said Dr

Malaza.

Dr Enoch Duma Malaza