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3

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

With the unfortunate arrival of the novel Coronavirus

on our shores, we find ourselves having to fast-track

our transformation agenda.

In less than a month, the world has been turned

upside down by COVID-19. To protect our students

and staff, we took an early recess on 15 March and

are currently under lockdown with the rest of South

Africa. This has been a trying journey not only for

the University leadership and the University Vice-

Chancellors’ Forum, but for parents who are now

trying to assist their children to focus on their studies

during this time. The general consensus is that we

need to strengthen the partnership between students,

parents and the University. No amount of data, online

learning and Call Centre response to queries will help

our transformation agenda without taking on board

our MUT Strategy 2025.

Our MUT Strategy 2025 should be used as the

springboard towards transforming our culture. Its key

elements provide answers on how we will do this. I

refer to our core values, our leadership capability

expectations, and our foundational themes. Reflecting

on what it takes to transform our University, I find

myself constantly coming back to these key elements.

Let me walk you through them again so that we can

win together.

Our core values as a University are: Accountability.

Integrity. Respect. Excellence. These values define

what MUT stands for and what we bring to work.

We undertake to uphold them regardless of whether

or not they are rewarded, and even if at some point

they become a competitive disadvantage. This is the

beginning of our journey towards excellence. Once we

take a decision as staff and as students to live up to

these core values, we would have embarked on the

first step of our transformation agenda.

Our second step is to live up to leadership capability

expectations. Our leadership values are known as the

DEEDS and are committed to:

Reflections from the

Vice-Chancellor

I have spoken to almost every MUT

constituency since the beginning of the year

about the need to transform our institutional

culture at MUT. I have reiterated this message

consistently during executive management

meetings, in engagements with the Student

Affairs Management Committee and during the

State of the University address. Transforming

our culture is key to our success in executing

MUT Strategy 2025.

“No amount of data, online

learning and Call Centre

response to queries will help

our transformation agenda

without taking on board our

MUT Strategy 2025.”

Dr Enoch Duma Malaza