|
CEMS women are making a difference
"Including women at all levels in an organisation like Unisa is not just a nice thing to do, but an economic and survival imperative," Prof Hellicy Ngambi, Executive Dean of the College of Economic and Management Sciences said at the opening of an exhibition on women in business in the library foyer. The exhibition ran from 3 to 14 August 2009.
Prof Ngambi is the first woman Dean of CEMS, Unisa’s largest college. "On average, women and men possess a number of different innate skills. And current trends suggest that many sectors of the 21st century economic community are going to need the natural talents of women," she said.
Research studies find that female managers outshine their male counterparts in almost every measure (Special Report, Business Week, 11.20.00). It is also clear that women’s strengths match new economy imperatives (Judy B. Rosener, America’s competitive secret).
Prof Ngambi referred to women who are making a difference not only in CEMS, but also Unisa and the wider community. "Women's efforts should not go unnoticed; they should be appointed in senior positions in the College." Effective career development systems and support; enhanced use of non-classroom based academic leadership development opportunities; more flexible working patterns/work-life-balance policies; support networks and internal affiliation groups; and high-quality cross-gender work relationships should be encouraged to ensure female staff in CEMS develop their full potential and, in return, contribute to the success of the college just as their male counterparts do.
"Female staff members and students of CEMS are no longer only fulfilling a supporting role," she said "but are in positions where they can and are making a real difference. The recent appointments of Ms Gill Marcus, an alumni student of this College, and the first women Governor of the South African Reserve Bank, and Ms Maria Ramos, a former lecturer in CEMS, and now the first female CEO of Absa Bank, proves this point," she said.
She also praised the library staff for the service they are rendering and said the College relies on them to provide the College staff with the information that ensures success in their studies and research. | 
