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Strategic Plan 2020 – 2025

The second feature of the academic

identity will be strategic growth of the

postgraduate profile through niche

areas of research in selected Areas

of Collaborative Academic Excellence

(ACAEs) cutting across Faculties

and Departments to incubate new

academic areas aimed at:

• Creating an environment

conducive to collaboration,

creativity, and critical

engagement. This will entail the

adoption of a workload model

and development of infrastructure

for the development of research.

• Providing a focus for the

growth of postgraduate student

enrolment.

• Achieving excellence

in multidisciplinary and

interdisciplinary research.

• Engaging with emerging fields of

knowledge and scholarship.

• Responding to needs linked

to eThekwini’s growth and

development opportunities and

the imperatives of the National

Development Plan.

• Strengthening our ties with the

social, economic, political, and

cultural communities around us.

This academic identity is implemented

through a University framework outlined

in the Senate approved document

“The Academic Identity of Mangosuthu

University of Technology: Concept

Document” which outlines the University’s

teaching and learning philosophy and

the desired attributes of MUT graduates.

The key attributes of a MUT graduate are

summarised as:

Having a sound disciplinary

knowledge, being intellectually

curious and able to see learning as

a lifelong process.

Being adaptable, innovative and

able to apply knowledge to solve

problems.

Having good basic skills and

competencies, including the ability

to communicate effectively in English.

Being employable and

entrepreneurial.

Being a team player who respects

others, being socially and

environmentally responsible, and

can lead with integrity.

Programme and Qualification

Mix structure

This academic identity will be

underpinned by a Programme and

Qualification Mix that has a pyramid

structure in terms of student enrolment. It

is broad at the base with enrolments for

the Diploma and thins successively with

enrolments for the Advanced Diploma,

the Postgraduate Diploma, and Masters

and Doctoral qualifications.

MUT as a research-informed

University of Technology

This academic identity of MUT calls for

a special focus of the research function

with a particular agenda aimed at

strengthening the academic identity as

well as providing scope for the broader

focus of pursuing scholarly activities and

knowledge for its own sake. The research

function is fundamental for all universities

in the creation of knowledge and its

dissemination.

Research always influences both the

content and teaching of courses, but in

different ways, depending on institutional

arrangement and prioritisation. The

agenda of being a research-informed

University of Technology will be

strengthened through the following

institutional arrangement. Firstly, the

professions, business and industry will

inform teaching so that applied research

and industry exposure are critical

for learning and student experience.

Secondly, the curriculum will be work-

integrated to provide experiential learning

and exposure to professional practice.

This arrangement will ensure that learning

is research-inspired and integrated.

Therefore, for MUT, the research function

will seek to inform teaching rather than to

shape it.

MUT in the Post School

Education and Training

(PSET) System

The differentiated role of MUT within the

PSET System as a research-informed

university will contribute to the national

technology and innovation agenda.

MUT enrolment and programme design

process will therefore be sensitive to

the important role of the TVET sector as

a change agent for social, economic,

technological and national development

through its role of directly influencing

the quality of the workforce through

the provision of skills and the social

integration of disadvantaged groups into

work and the labour market. Our PQM

will therefore, where possible, provide

articulation pathways for the TVET sector

through the provision of Higher Certificate

and Advanced Higher Certificate

qualifications.