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Mangosuthu University of Technology Annual Report

9

Table 1.13. Goal 11: Become a centre of innovation and a preferred provider of technology solutions to Commerce,

Industry, SMMEs and the Community

Key Performance Indicator

Actuals for 2015

2015 Targets

Q1

MID-

Year

Q3

Year

Mid-

Year

Year

End

Objective 11.1: Create opportunities for innovation at MUT

11.1.1 Number of industry-based projects

6

6

6

6

6

6

Objective 11.2: Ensure that MUT becomes a preferred provider of technology support and development for

commerce, industry, SMMEs and the community

11.2.1 Number of students involved in technology

transfer projects

20

22

25

25

22

22

11.2.2 Number of external trainees who have benefitted/

will benefit from MUT technology transfer projects

16

41

47

108

7

90

1.4.3 STATEMENT ON UNDER-ACHIEVEMENT

OF CERTAIN GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND

TARGETS

1.4.3.1 Enrolment performance in 2015 against

ministerial approved targets

ACCESS

In terms of access, MUT scored slightly below its set target

of 10 500 headcount enrolments for 2015. However, the

slight under-enrolment falls well within DHET’s variance

target of 2 percent under or over-enrolment. The reasons

for the slight under-enrolment was due mainly to potential

students not meeting minimum entry requirements,

especially in Mathematics. The under-enrolment with

regard to FTEN targets was also mainly as a result of

low numbers of 2014 school leavers that met the entry

requirements for Mathematics. This was a national

problem and affected most universities.

SUCCESS

With regard to both its Success and Graduation rates,

MUT has managed to exceed the targets it set for itself

for 2015. The Success rate target was exceeded by 3%

(the target was 80% and MUT achieved 83%) while the

Graduation Rate target of 21% was exceeded by 0.6%.

EFFICIENCY

MUT has managed to achieve its 2015 target of 13% of I/R

staff with Doctoral degrees. However, MUT did not succeed

in appointing the targeted number of permanent I/R staff

which had a negative effect on the permanent I/R Staff/

Student FTE ratio. MUT has experienced some challenges

in attracting I/R staff with the required qualifications and

experience. MUT is planning in 2016 to make a concerted

effort to fill all vacant I/R positions.

RESEARCH OUTPUT

MUT has not succeeded in achieving its research output

targets for 2015. Some of the main reasons for that

under-achievement are, among others, high teaching

workloads for I/R staff and the absence of Masters and

Doctoral students at MUT. MUT’s plans to introduce

Masters and Doctoral programmes in its PQM in the near

future, will help to improve the situation. Furthermore,

the strengthening of the Research portfolio at MUT with

the appointment of a DVC for Research, Innovation and

Engagements, will further help to improve MUT’s research

output.

1.4.3.2 Non-Achievement of Strategic Goals

In addition to the above cases of non-achievement of

targets, the only other main area of under-achievement

with regard to strategic goals, was in the area of third

stream income which relates to Goal 10 of MUT’s

strategic goals (Establish sustainable resource bases for

the university). Although MUT has succeeded in keeping

within its targeted annual budget versus expenditure

variance of 3% and has ensured that it did not receive

any adverse audit findings for 2015, MUT has not met its

target of R 2 million for the generation of third stream

income in 2015. Due to escalating salary and operational

expenditure, MUT is compelled to increase its annual

income by means of third stream sources. Possible

reasons for the under-achievement was the absence of a

clear strategy for the generation of third stream income.

MUT has in the meantime developed a strategy for the

generation of third stream income in the course of 2015

and plans to launch the strategy in 2016.