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150th anniversary academic opening to be led by Unisa's first black womxn VC

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Friday 10 February 2023 marks Unisa's official academic opening. This year's ceremony marks a significant 150th anniversary milestone (#Unisa150). Steering the academic powerhouse that is Unisa towards the vision of reclaiming Africa's intellectual futures is Prof Puleng LenkaBula, Principal and Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Unisa, whose appointment by the university council on 5 November 2020 was globally hailed as an illustrious moment in the HERstory of Africa's oldest and largest university.

Prof Puleng LenkaBula

Assuming office on 1 January 2021, LenkaBula's vision for Unisa entails a unique set of goals that contributes to the development of South Africa by aligning the university with some of the aspirations of the National Development Plan (NDP). A visionary leader from the moment she assumed office, the VC underscores an urgent need for Unisa to become a centre of excellence, success and opportunities for the marginalised, and a lever of optimum participation in the global knowledge arena with impact. "This impact," she says, "should spread to the local context and the continent, allowing the country and Africa to, without hesitation, become competitive in the global landscape."

LenkaBula is committed to knowledge production, innovation and the advancement of socio-economic development in South Africa, Africa and the world, for the benefit of Africa in particular. Following her pursuit to position Unisa as a student-centric university, she has been tirelessly working towards her vision to ensure that Unisa is a socially just university and that it becomes a centre of solutions to problems. In this regard, she has identified Unisa's ten catalytic niche areas, which are set to position, activate and enhance Unisa's academic agenda.

Steering the cradle of South Africa’s higher education system to its next milestones, the VC continues to position Unisa as a university committed to  finding solutions for the multiple challenges experienced in the country and beyond. A formidable womxn, whose leadership, in the short space of time she has been in office, has exponentially pushed Unisa to reclaim its place at the top tier of tertiary education institutions in South Africa, will, this Friday, lead the mega-university and its stakeholders to recommit and rededicate themselves collectively and preview a year that will undoubtedly present exciting opportunities in the higher education space.

#Unisa150     

Do not miss out on the HERstoric official academic opening ceremony:

Date:

Friday 10 February 2023

Time:

10:00

Venue:

ZK Matthews Great Hall, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Building, Unisa Muckleneuk Campus, Tshwane


Staff members at all regional offices will be connected to the ceremony through live streaming.

* By Tshimangadzo Mphaphuli, Acting Editor, Internal Publications, Department of Institutional Advancement

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Publish date: 2023-02-08 00:00:00.0

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