51 / 68
Mangosuthu University of Technology Annual Report
49
academic side, the gender profile is more skewed towards
male with 67% male and 33% female. The academic gender
profile will be strongly addressed in 2016. Regarding racial
distribution of academic staff, MUT’s 2015 profile comprised
63% African, 0% Coloured, 22% Indian and 15% White staff
members.
F.
The quality of information available to
management and the administrative
processes involved
MUT has a Directorate for Institutional Planning
and Research, which is tasked with the provision of
management information and HEMIS information. DIPR
uses both the ITS and HEDA systems to generate a wide
scope of management information, both operational and
audited data. Furthermore, DIPR prepares all the reports
regarding student and staff information to DHET and has
during 2015 without exception provided accurate reports.
DIPR and the Office of the Registrar are continuously
working on maintaining and even improving the quality of
the information that is provided to the institution and its
external stakeholders.
G.
Student services and extra-curricular activities
TheUniversity undertook numerous initiatives in the realmof
student and leadership development, including community
engagement activities. The Student Affairs department
organised various training workshops and engagements, in
some instances partnering with other units. An example of
such a partnership was a series of workshops on academic
performance, whose target audience were members of the
Student Parliament which incorporates also the SRC. For this
venture, Student Affairs partnered with the Teaching and
Learning Development Centre; the Vice-Chancellor gave a
keynote and interactive session at one of these workshops,
while other members of the executive management also
participated in the discussions.
MUT students were encouraged to actively participate
in community engagement initiatives, as exemplified
by the volunteerism programme that was championed
by the Institute for Rural Development and Community
engagement (IRDCE). As a result of this initiative, a
number of MUT students got involved in activities such
as food security training for local communities, website
development, tutoring in computer literacy, career
assessment, etc. Ultimately, MUT hopes that these initiatives
not only bring the best in our students, but that they also
help in shaping future citizens.
H.
Relationships with the community, both
academic and service
MUT students were encouraged to actively participate
in community engagement initiatives, as exemplified
by the volunteerism programme that was championed
by the Institute for Rural Development and Community
engagement (IRDCE). As a result of this initiative, anumber of
MUT students got involved in activities such as food security
training for local communities, website development,
tutoring in computer literacy, career assessment, etc.
Ultimately, MUT hopes that these initiatives not only bring
the best in our students, but that they also help in shaping
future citizens. One of the highlights for 2015 in terms of
community engagement was the participation of MUT
engineering students in the building of a model house in
Umlazi, as part of a demonstration of a new technology
that enables the building of a complete house within a two
weeks period. The latter project was a joint effort between a
private company and the Department of Human Settlement
in KZN. The Marketing and Communications division of
MUT played a key role in putting this project in the public
domain, and in the process greatly leveraging the publicity
to market the MUT brand including its graduates.
I.
Changing patterns in the provision of
academic courses
As for the “firsts” for MUT in 2015, and thanks to the sterling
work done by amongst others the Quality Management
Directorate (QMD), the following milestones are worth
noting, that MUT:
• Admitted the first cohort of students to the
Postgraduate Diploma in Nature Conservation
programme, the first ever postgraduate programme
for MUT in its existence. Also, this programme was
the first of its kind in South Africa;
• Received confirmation of NQF registration of the
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health. Once
again, this qualification was the first in its category to
be awarded to a University of Technology in SA;
• Confirmation of clearance of a Master’s degree in
Nature Conservation, the first such a qualification
amongst all universities in RSA; and
• Received notification for DHET funding approval and
NQF registration for Advanced Diplomas in HR and
in Marketing, as well as registration confirmation for
some other Advanced Diplomas.
J.
A statement of self-assessment of the
achievement of the Principal
The following self-assessment from the Vice-Chancellor and
Principal is based on the Annual Performance Assessment
Report which is the first part of the comprehensive report to
DHET, and it represents a summary of the extent to which
the goals and strategic objectives of the university have
been achieved.
In a nutshell the Vice- Chancellor is pleased to report
that MUT is positively responding to the national call for