Unisa online - Unisa's official 2010 kick off

Prof Barney Pityana at the official opening of the 2010 academic year


Recipients of the Chairperson of Council Awards for Excellence

As the Unisa family gathered on 28 January 2010 to celebrate the official opening of the academic year and the outstanding achievements of 2009, members of staff were asked to spare a thought for the citizens of Haiti, whose lives were devastated by an earthquake which struck the Caribbean country earlier this month.

Prof Barney Pityana, Unisa's Principal and Vice-Chancellor, stressed that we should not forget that on the night of 12 January 2010, the small island state was rocked by a powerful earthquake. "As we speak, it has now been confirmed that some 200 000 people perished in the earthquake, thousands are still nursing disabling injuries, millions have been left homeless... Among those who died, are school children, and college students, teachers and college professors from higher education institutions like ours."

He then turned his attention to Unisa’s hallowed tradition, the official opening of the academic year. The opening assembly provides Unisa staff with the opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved, renew their energies and commitment to the university, and refocus on what needs to be done to achieve Unisa’s institutional objectives.

Prof Pityana said that reviewing 2009 had been both an exciting and a sobering experience: exciting in the vibrancy and activity that increasingly characterises the institution, but challenging in recognising the significant challenges facing us as the university forges ahead into the next decade. He spoke proudly of the Es’kia Mphahlele Registration Hall and the enrolment plan which Unisa has embarked on. The plan, which requires students to apply before they register at Unisa, allows for better planning, counselling and delivery of services.

He said 2009 saw the continuation of the institutional programme of academic transformation and that academic transformation at Unisa was reflected in four initiatives which are already underway: the Briteside Project in Sunnyside, the Thabo Mbeki Institute for African Leadership, the Unisa Learning Campaign and INSET. Another undertaking last year and probably one of the most exciting was the review of the Unisa 2015: an agenda for transformation.

With regard to Open Distance Learning (ODL), Prof Pityana said ODL succeeds best by being innovative and creative in its course design, imaginative in the use of technology, and sensitive and committed to the idea of the student being at the centre of the learning project. He indicated that Unisa is in continuous consultation with the Department of Higher Education and Training about the imperative to have a policy framework to enable the practice, development, management, regulation and funding of ODL in our country.

Speaking on the final report of the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) Audit, Prof Pityana remarked that Unisa was commended for good governance and management, its vision and mission, its strategy and planning, and its financial and resource management. The challenges which the report identifies are the logic of its size and its compelling vision, the embedded theory in the practice of ODL, the conceptualisation of research in an ODL environment, understanding technology in ODL, and building among staff competencies to deliver effective teaching and learning. All these, he said, are to become the bases for further reflection and planning. He also indicated that following the completion of the CoL Institutional Audit (initiated in 2007), Unisa's executive management recognised that the challenge facing the university was to provide a credible ODL experience that works. 

In the eye of the storm caused by the global financial crisis in 2009, Prof Pityana said Unisa was not unaffected by collapsing investment returns. Despite this, though, the finances of the university remain sound and no staff cuts have been considered necessary. Sustained financial security and quality education provision require commitment and responsibility from all stakeholders.

In his acceptance speech for his second term as Chancellor of Unisa, Judge Bernard Ngoepe, said that higher education will continue to produce quality graduates because of institutions such as Unisa... because of the dedicated efforts of academics and support staff such as those at Unisa, and because of the leadership of Unisa's executive management and Council. "What this means, of course, is that the entire university will need to get firmly behind transformation efforts that are aimed at improving Unisa’s academic enterprise. There can be no doubt that Unisa’s lion’s share of students in South Africa means that it has a pivotal role to play in socioeconomic development --- a serious responsibility that speaks not only to our professional integrity as educators, but also to our social responsibility.”

Chairperson of Unisa Council, Dr Mathews Phosa, told staff that if they are questioning what difference they can make on their own, they should realise that they are more ideally placed to make a difference than the overwhelming majority of the people in South Africa. “Your skills, qualifications, expertise and earnings place you in the most privileged band of our population. What is more, you work in the largest higher education institution in the country and on the continent.  Never underestimate the influence of Unisa. I think that sometimes we get so caught up in the draining and frustrating details of operational matters that we lose sight of our institution’s vision and of its potential as a powerful instrument of change in the country and on the Continent. With over one-third of South African students enrolled at Unisa, a highly efficient and dynamic institution would have a direct, significant and palpable impact on the socioeconomic development of South Africa. Unisa can, without a doubt, be a core driver of our country’s progress.”

Recipients of the Chairperson of Council Award for Excellence

The Chairperson of Council Award for Excellence was instituted in honour of the serving Chairperson of Council. The award is granted to give recognition to the excellent performance, accomplishments and achievements of members of staff. The following members of staff received this award at the academic opening ceremony:

• Mrs J Molebatsi, Directorate: Student Admissions and Registrations
• Ms M Petersen, Directorate: Student Admissions and Registrations
• Ms SM, Department of Finance
• Mr IS, Directorate: Student Funding
• Mr VMS Oliveira, Department of Finance
• Mr MD Makgata, Support Staff, Office of the Principal and Vice-Chancellor
• Mrs A Vincent, Directorate: ICT
• Mr JPM Matlala, Department of Protection Services
• Ms AC van Dyk, School of Social Work
• Prof CJ Schenck, School of Social Work

Recipients of the Excellence in Tuition Award

The Excellence in Tuition Award aims to recognise excellent tuition efforts within the university for teaching a module or programme. Evaluation is done by means of a portfolio of evidence which indicates the processes, procedures and practices of teaching the module or programme. The portfolio must also clearly and convincingly indicate ways in which the criteria for best ODL practices have been met. The following members of staff received this award at the academic opening ceremony: