Unisa online - Unisa confers honorary degree on Prof Brenda Gourley

Unisa's Prof Louis Molamu with Prof Brenda Gourley at Monday's graduation ceremony

Prof Brenda Gourley was awarded the degree of Doctor of Literature and Philosophy (Honoris Causa) at a graduation ceremony held on the Muckleneuk campus on Monday 4 April 2011.

Prof Gourley is a qualified Chartered Accountant and began her working career as an articled clerk. In 1974, however, she changed her career when she took up the position of senior lecturer in the Department of Accounting and Finance at the University of Natal in Durban. In 1983, she became both a professor in the Department of Accounting and Finance, and the Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Management at the University of Natal.

In 1994, she was appointed to the position of Vice-Chancellor of the University of Natal; by accepting this position, Prof Gourley became South Africa’s first female Vice-Chancellor. After leaving Natal University in 2001, she took up the position of Vice-Chancellor of the Open University of the UK, which she held until leaving office on 30 September 2009.

Prof Gourley has been awarded many honorary degrees by numerous universities in Europe, the USA, Asia, Canada and South Africa. She is an honorary fellow of the Open University of Israel, the Commonwealth of Learning, including the City and Guilds of London Institute. In 2008, she was awarded the individual prize of excellence by the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) in recognition of her valuable contributions to the field of ODL.

The e-news team has conducted an e-mail interview with Prof Gourley, which we will publish in a follow-up article.

To listen to Prof Gourley’s acceptance speech at Monday’s graduation ceremony, please click on the podcast link below.

Click here to download the video clip

*Video courtesy of the Sound, Video & Photography Directorate