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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
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