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Mangosuthu University of Technology Annual Report

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DEPARTMENT

NAME STAFF

QUALIFICATION ACHIEVED

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Mr L Mthimkhulu

MCom IR (UKZN)

OFFICE MANAGEMENT & TECHNOLOGY Mrs V Moodley

PGDipHE (Rhodes)

Mrs Motta

PGDipHE (Rhodes)

Mr MW Ngcobo

PGDipHE (Rhodes)

Mr MW Ngcobo

MED (HE) (UKZN)

5.3.3. Faculty of Natural Sciences

A major highlight for the Faculty of Natural Sciences was

the commencement of the offering of a Postgraduate

Diploma in Nature Conservation. This is the first

postgraduate programme to be offered at MUT and it

articulates to a Master’s degree programme. The Faculty

also received the CHE’s conditional accreditation to offer

a Master’s Degree in Nature Conservation and Bachelor of

Science in Medical Laboratory Science.

Instruction

Modes of lecture delivery within the Faculty included

chalkboard, PowerPoint presentations, Blackboard,

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Skype and various Web 2.0

applications.

Limitation on Access to Certain Courses

Space constraints limited the number of students

that could be admitted to agricultural fields. A similar

constraint was experienced in the Department of

Information and Communication Technology as a result of

inadequate computer laboratories. Student enrolment in

the Biomedical Technology programme was limited by the

capacity of the pathology industry to absorb only a fixed

number of Medical Technology graduates each year (e.g.

the private laboratories such as Ampath and Lancet and

the national health laboratory services).

Student Awards and Achievements

The 2015 student pass rate for the Faculty was above

83%, with a number of students receiving the Dean’s

Commendation Award by virtue of their aggregate marks

being at least 75%. In particular, student L P Tshapa, who

was registered for the BTech in Nature Conservation, won

the 2015 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for the best student in

the Faculty of Natural Sciences.

A contributing factor to the high pass rate in the Faculty

might be attributed to the continuation of the engagement

of Tutors who assisted students by reinforcing teaching

and learning, thus enhancing understanding of what was

learnt during classroom and laboratory instructions. The

other contributing factor to the high pass rate, in relevant

departments, was the student field trips funded through

the DHET’s Teaching Development Grant. Field trips are

one of the most effective teaching techniques compared

to pure lectures and may also be used to help students

recognise problems and define problems, especially in

fields of agriculture and food science, thus enhancing

understanding of these instructional offerings.

Staff Appointments and Qualifications

The following appointments were made in 2015:

• Mr V N Ndou (MSc) was appointed as a Lecturer in

the Department of Community Extension;

• Mr R Lentsoane (MSc) and Mrs L D Mbuyisa (MSc)

were appointed in the Department of Nature

Conservation;

• Mr A S Mabaso (MSc) was appointed a lecturer in the

Department of Mathematical Sciences;

• Dr Z L Kwitshana (PhD) was appointed as Head of

Department in Biomedical Sciences;

• Mrs V Nundkissor ( B Tech) and Mrs K. Bhengu

(B Tech) were appointed as Junior Lecturer and

Control Laboratory Technologist respectively in the

Department of Biomedical Sciences.

• Ms S Shezi (BTech Nature Conservation) was

appointed in terms of the nGAP programme; and

• Mr MB Mutanga (MSc) was appointed as a Contract

Lecturer in the Department of Information and

Communication Technology.

Mr BMS Khawula completed the Master’s Degree in Public

Management at the Durban University of Technology and

the graduation ceremony was held in April 2016.

5.4 Academic Progress in Different

Disciplines and Levels of Study

Student Enrolments

Figure 5.7 below shows MUT’s student headcount

enrolments including Work Integrated Learning (WIL)

over the period 2013 to 2015. Enrolment in the Faculty of

Engineering grew from 41% to 44% whereas the enrolment

in the Faculty of Management Sciences decreased from

41% to 38%. The Faculty of Natural Sciences’ enrolment

remained unchanged at 18%.