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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