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4

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

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Deliver

on our obligations to one another, our

students and stakeholders while maintaining high

standards and ethical behaviour;

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Engage

and collaborate with one another, our

students and all stakeholders;

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Empower

one another and our students to

make a difference. MUT ensures the safety and

wellbeing of our people. We create an inclusive

and supportive university community in which

achievements are celebrated and rewarded. Our

people have the opportunity to enrich their lives

and pursue their goals;

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Discover

and share new knowledge and new ways

to lead through teaching, intellectual engagement

and use of technology; and

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Sustain

our local and global environment,

organisational health and ability to create a viable

future.

The third aspect of our transformation agenda is to

reinforce the foundational themes for MUT. These are

the critical capabilities which MUT needs to develop

for the success of our 2025 strategy. They point to the

skills and perspectives needed to inform the culture

within MUT and guide our role beyond the University.

Our foundational themes are:

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Transformative leadership:

critical thinking,

analytical and reflective evaluation, and the ability

to effect positive change;

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Promoting diversity:

understanding and valuing

differences among us. Enhancing our view of the

world, how we express ourselves, relate to one

another, and our intellectual and moral obligations;

and

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Globalisation:

technological, communicative,

social, and cultural knowledge and skills to lead

and succeed in the intensively connected global

world.

Our transformation agenda is well documented in

MUT Strategy 2025. The onus is now upon us to

educate ourselves about our core values, leadership

capability expectations and foundational themes for

MUT. Would these change any of us? Yes. As I said

during the State of the University address:

“We must put our students first and ensure an

environment conducive to learning and student

success. The first-year students who are joining

us for the first time are beginning a new life with

new routines and new ways of thinking. Let us join

them as they set out on this exciting journey. Let

us help them to cope with new challenges and

opportunities. From all our students, we expect

a positive attitude towards study. They must

demonstrate that they are ready to work hard – that

they are not applying to MUT just to receive the

NSFAS allowance and enjoy a social life. This is

crucial in this era of a stagnant national economy

which is attended by joblessness among our

graduates and attractiveness of our institutions as

places of sanctuary cushioned by NSFAS grants.

We have to reassert our institution as a place for

learning first and foremost.”

With or without COVID-19 threats, our transformation

trajectory must be foregrounded by our ability to

understand and execute our MUT Strategy.