The Soul of the University

HumanitiesCollege Of

‘The Soul of the University’

2007

This brochure is a collection of reflections of experiences of staffin the College of Humanities. It captures the views and generalimpressions of the academic and administrative leadership sincethe inception of the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2004.

Vision of the University of KwaZulu-NatalTo be the Premier University of African Scholarship

Mission of the University of KwaZulu-NatalA truly South African university that is academically excellent, innovative in research, critically engaged with society and demographically representative, redressing the disadvantages, inequities and imbalances of the past

Vision of the College of HumanitiesTo be a strategic choice of excellence of African Scholarship in Humanities

ContentsProfessor Fikile MazibukoDeputy Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Humanities

Ms Rosemary MakoaePersonal Assistant, College of Humanities

Ms Anusha MoodleySecretary, College of Humanities

Mr Sammy GovenderFinance Manager, College of Humanities

Mr Mhlengi DlaminiTrainee Accountant, College of Humanities

Ms Normah ZondoCollege Public Relations Officer, College of Humanities

Mrs Nonhlanhla KuneneHuman Resource Manager, College of Humanities

Professor Donal McCrackenDean : HDSS

Mrs Hazel RampaulPrincipal Faculty Officer : HDSS (Pietermarizburg)

Mrs Pops PillaySecretary to the Dean : HDSS

Professor Sihawu NgubaneDeputy Dean, Undergraduate Studies : HDSS

Professor Sihawu NgubaneActing Head of the School of Music : HDSS

Professor Jenny Clarence-FinchamDeputy Dean, Pietermaritzburg Campus : HDSS

Professor Johan JacobsDeputy Dean, Postgraduate Studies : HDSS

Mrs Aileen BevisFaculty Manager : HDSS

Professor Isabel PhiriHead of the School of Religion and Theology : HDSS

Professor Inge PetersenHead of the School of Psychology : HDSS

Professor Ari SitasHead of the School of Sociology and Social Studies : HDSS

Professor Julian MayHead of the School of Development Studies : HDSS

Professor Michael ChapmanHead of the School of Literary Studies, Media and

Creative Arts : HDSS

Doctor Nobuhle HlongwaHead of the School of IsiZulu Studies : HDSS

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Professor Simon BeckHead of the School of Philosophy and Ethics : HDSS

Professor Mandy GoedhalsHead of the School of Anthropology, Gender and

Historical Studies : HDSS

Professor Raphael De KadtHead of the School of Politics : HDSS

Professor Vishanthie SewpaulHead of the School of Social Work and

Community Development : HDSS

Professor Ambrose AdebayoHead of the School of Architecture, Housing

and Planning : HDSS

Professor Rosemary Wildsmith-

CromartyHead of the School of Language, Literature

and Linguistics : HDSS

Professor Renuka VithalDean : Faculty of Education

Professor Thengani NgwenyaDeputy Dean : Continuing Education

Professor Relebohile MoletsaneDeputy Dean : Postgraduate Studies and Research

Professor Michael SamuelDeputy Dean : Undergraduate Studies

Ms Blossom PilisoPersonal Assistant to the Dean : Faculty of Education

Ms Dudu KhozaPrincipal Faculty Officer : Faculty of Education

Ms Lindiwe MziziFaculty Manager : Faculty of Education

Professor John AitchisonHead of the School of Adult & Higher Education

Faculty of Education

Doctor Dennis FrancisHead of the School of Social Science Education


Professor Robert BalfourHead of the School of Languages, Literacy, Media

and Drama Education, Faculty of Education

Doctor Volker WedekindHead of the School of Education and Development


Doctor Nadaraj GovenderHead of the School of Science, Mathematics and

Technology Education, Faculty of Education

Doctor Labby RamrathanHead of the School of Education Studies


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OrganogramDVC & Head of College

Leadership & Management of College Responsibilities

Dean 100%Faculty of Education• QA, HR, Financial Management• Post-Doctoral Fellowships & Training• International responsibilities and representation• Chair; Faculty Boards; Staff Promotions; Research Committee; Resource Allocations; Curriculum & Rules PMB (Assistant Dean)

Responsibility for Units/Centres withinthe Faculty(Viability and final accountability)

Dean 50 - 75%(Work Closely with HOC)• Partnerships• Projects within HOC’s Office• Overall College Development Strategy• Link with International Office• Create multi-disciplinary research environment• Exchange Processes and Protocols• Managing Outreach• Access and Student Development

College Dean 50 - 75%(Research)• Research development in the College• Implementation of research policies and guidelines• Quality Assurance (Research)• College Research Plan• Representation on all boards of Research Units within the College• Capacity building for research Post - Doctoral studies

Dean 100%Humanities, Development &Social Sciences• Resource Allocation• QA, HR, Financial Management• Post - Doctoral fellowships and training• International responsibilities and representation• Chair: Faculty boards; staff promotions; research committee; Resource Allocations; Curriculum & Rules

Responsibility for Units/Centres within the Faculty (Viability and final accountability)

Deputy DeanTeaching and Learning• Undergraduate Studies• Undergraduate Admissions• Undergraduate Academic matters• Teaching and Learning• Professional Programmes and placements• Internships• Service Learning

Deputy DeanInitial Teaching Programmes& Undergraduate Studies

Deputy DeanPostgraduate Studies(Hons, M. ED, PhD)• International Postgraduate Studies/Programmes• Coursework/Research Postgraduate studies• Postgraduate admissions

Deputy DeanContinuing education andmixed mode of delivery

Deputy DeanPMB Campus• HS/SS • General Admin• HR, Financial Management• Academic Programmes• Undergraduate and Postgraduate

Deputy DeanPostgraduate Studies(Hons, M.A, PhD)• International Postgraduate Studies/Programmes• Coursework/Research Postgraduate studies• Postgraduate admissions

HEAD OF SCHOOLS1. Adult and Higher Education2. Education and Development3. Education Studies4. Human and Social Sciences5. Literacy, Media and Drama Education6. Science, Mathematics and Technology Education

HEAD OF SCHOOLS1. Language, Literature and Linguistics2. Anthropology, Gender and Historical Studies3. Architecture, Planning and Housing4. Literary Studies, Media and Creative Arts5. Social Work and Community Development6. Politics

7. Development Studies8. Philosophy and Ethics9. Sociology and Social Studies10. Music11. Psychology12. Religion and Theology13. IsiZulu Studies

Faculty OfficeCentral Admissions Undergrad and PostgradExaminations/RecordsTimetables/QualificationsCurriculum OfficerNB: Deputy Dean PMB will need Administrative Support

Faculty OfficeCentral Admissions Undergrad and PostgradExaminations/RecordsTimetables/QualificationsCurriculum Officer

EdgewoodFaculty Manager

PietermaritzburgAssistant Faculty Officer Howard College Pietermaritzburg

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Deputy Vice-Chancellor and

Head of the College of Humanities

Professor Fikile MazibukoVision

• To be a strategic choice of excellence in AfricanScholarship in Humanities.• To be at the centre of scholarship and researchin relation to socio-economic development,social security, social capital.

Highlights: 2005

The highlight for this year was being able totranslate what presented as a maze, unpack theCollege structure as manageable academic unitsand develop an accompanying narrative toconceptualise the new College of Humanitiesas it came out of the merger.

Another challenge was understanding and putting into effect cross-College service arrangements with the Colleges of Health Sciencesand Law and Management Studies. Synergies started to developdespite all the challenges we faced. We also established meaningfulnegotiations of collaborations with African and other internationaluniversities such as Liège, Lubumbashi, Jomo Kenyetta, NorthEastern Illinois University and Dominican University.

Challenges: 2005

A major challenge was refocusing the agenda of languagesparticularly foreign languages, Asian languages and Africanlanguages. Asian and African languages emerged strongly in 2005.This is linked to my belief that Asia is the economic giant of thefuture. As an emerging institution we should develop links withAsian countries such as India, China, Japan and Singapore.

Highlights: 2006

The College developed collegiality and teamwork. There is agrowing willingness and engagement of senior academics in buildingthe College ethos and the new Institution.

The College developed a 10 year strategic plan which will bereviewed after three years.The College is an academic home to 50 vibrant research, teaching

and learning Centres. Centres such as the Centrefor Creative Arts under the leadership of MrPeter Rorvik ensure that the Arts are part of thecore business of the College. The Centre forAfrican Literary Studies (CALS) under theleadership of Professor Mbulelo Mzamanefocuses on developing African Studies as a trans-disciplinary programme, thus setting UKZN onthe path to becoming the Premier University ofAfrican Scholarship and the “University of FirstChoice” in African Studies. CAL’s objectives willbe best realized through interactions withvarious academic Units and Schools. The Centrefor Creative Arts, CALS and Global Studies

Programme in the School of Sociology and Social Studies continueto bring prestige and awards to the University.

The introduction of the culture of engaging with administrators atall levels within the College through workshops and social eventsaffirms and acknowledges the contribution they make to theeffective and efficient functioning of academic units.

The College is piloting online registration, a revolutionary initiativethat will make registration a pleasant and efficient experience forstudents, staff and parents. Academic counseling and guidance byacademics remains part of the registration process.

The College secured four copies of the Mazisi Kunene SpecialCollection. The Collection is important and will contribute toUKZN’s mission of pursuing excellence in languages, culture andresearch.

Challenges: 2006

After 2006, it was clear that we needed to create spaces forintellectual engagement and support for scholarship and researchthat are driven by younger and senior academics. As a College weneed to interrogate our budget by developing a very comprehensivebudget plan. Those processes have begun.It is clear that as Humanities, we need to construct and sustain the

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centre by identifying strategic research, community-linked initiatives,and strategic niche areas. Some of the niche areas include AfricanStudies, HIV/AIDS, especially the psychosocial aspects,Demography, Chairs to promote languages, History, Culture andGender Studies.

Transformation and equity are two priority areas on the Collegeagenda. Transformation and equity are not about jettisoning peoplebut about understanding and allowing space for critical review ofprogrammes, organisational culture, scholarship and academicofferings within an effective and efficient mode of operation.

Transformation and equity are priorities in the areas of management,teaching and research, staff development and retention, studentdevelopment, student success, and creating and sustaining aconducive and innovative teaching and learning environment, whichallows and respects diversity of opinion and curriculumdevelopment. We should be living equity and transformation.Transformation is not only about demography, but more aboutdeveloping a mindset which is constantly alive to the nationalimperative. It should be part of the way we conduct our dailyactivities.

Students with Disabilities

The College has 108 students with disabilities registered for differentprogrammes on the Edgewood, Howard College andPietermaritzburg campuses. Thirteen of these students are pursuingpostgraduate studies. Fifty nine students with disabilities areregistered in the Faculty of Humanities, Development and SocialSciences (HDSS) on the Howard College campus. There are threein the Faculty of Education and 23 in HDSS on the Pietermaritzburgcampus. Twenty three potential educators are studying on theEdgewood campus.

Student Leaders

Twenty five student leaders are registered in the College ofHumanities. Seven of these students are doing further studies.

Five students registered in the College are part of the CentralStudent Representative Council (CSRC). Three presidents of localSRCs’ are studying in the College of Humanities.

StudentLeadership

Students at a workshop

CSRC President, Mdu Ntuli

Graduation April 2007.

Achievements and Success

Student Leadership

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Personal Assistant to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor

and Head of the College of Humanities

Ms Rosemary MakoaeVision

• To create and maintain good relations with theCollege Executive management through theiradministrative staff.• To foster relations with the national andinternational community.

Highlights/Successes

Being the PA to DVC is a very challenging positionand highlights and successes are daily experiences.Each day that is conquered is a success in itself. My organizing thedaily programmes, travels and other activities of the DVC, withoutunnecessary hitches takes pressure, stress, and anxiety from theDVC and thus places her in a position of strength to take on thechallenges of running the College. I count as a highlight/successof the past year, the several brief periods the DVC was the ActingVice-Chancellor, one of which was when the University was passing

through a very difficult period. That we were able torun two offices – that of the DVC as well as the ActingVice-Chancellor- with pressures from all sides,especially the media, was a highlight.

Challenges

Challenges are appreciated against the backdrop ofthe size of the College. The public, especially parentsand students, bring a lot of pressure to bear uponone. We understand their aspirations, and we want

to do our best to provide them with an effective service. Attendingto individual enquiries, and numerous complaints can be reallydaunting. Another challenge is working long hours.

Working as the PA to the DVC has sharpened and advanced mydecision-making ability. It has strengthened my ability to handlepressure, especially from the media.

Secretary to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and

Head of the College of Humanities

Ms Anusha MoodleyVision

• To make the College as efficient as possible.• To make the work of the DVC as manageable aspossible• To create an effective College where students andtheir needs come first and where they do not haveto go the extra mile to get what they want.

Highlights

The highlights of this job include meeting people from

different walks of life, learning new things anddiscovering the world.

Challenges

Personally, the challenge is coming from a small Facultyto a very large College with two large Faculties.Learning new things and routines on daily basis is achallenge. So is not working directly with studentswhich I enjoyed so much.

Finance Manager

College of Humanities

Mr Sammy GovenderVision

• A College where management and control offinances strictly adhere to policies and procedures asadopted by the University while ensuring that theCollege abides by the best practice and goodfinancial governance.

Highlights/Successes: 2005

The Financial Accounting System was successfullyintegrated into a single system. Finance Division staffwere devolved into Colleges. Workshops were held by Finance totrain College staff on using the new system. Online cost reportswere introduced where Colleges were able to view daily cost reportsfrom their offices.

Challenges

In 2005 the merger of the Financial Accounting Systems of the twoformer universities posed a challenge. A common cost structure

for the College was set up and staff were trained touse the new code structures. Integratingharmonisation remain an ongoing challenge. TheCollege has taken the initiave to craft and generatebudget plans that feed into the main budget and otherstrategic funding sources globally.


Despite the budget constraints the College containedexpenditure within the funds allocated. Workshops

were also held for the Heads of Schools and Administrators onsubjects such as Buying Office procedures, and lecture notes. Therewas generally a positive relationship between the Finance Divisionand the College of Humanities. The complaints/queries raised bythe Schools have significantly decreased from the previous year.The budgets were loaded into the system in January which allowedthe Schools to operate early in the year.

Trainee Accountant


Mr Mhlengi DlaminiVision

• To provide a quality services to the College ofHumanities.


New policies and procedures were introduced andimplemented successfully within the College. Wedistributed the 2006 budget in 2005. This created a

smooth operation at the beginning of the year in theSchools, because the funds were available on thefirst day.

Challenges: 2006

The Finance Team in the College trained theAdministrators on the financial regulations governingthe operations of the Finance Division.

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Public Relations Officer


Ms Normah ZondoVision

• To work as part of the team to promote all facetsof the College as a centre of excellence to allstakeholders; and serve as a link between the Collegeand Public Affairs and Corporate Communications.• To provide an excellent, customer centredadministrative service to College staff, students, andprospective students, local and international visitors.• To showcase the COH best products; like theFaculties/Schools, students, alumni, achievements,and programmes.

Challenges

I joined the College in April 2007. Considering thesize and shape of the College and the number ofoperating sites, meeting everybody’s needs will be achallenge. One of the challenges will be to set upstructures and process within the College to facilitateand co-ordinate effective relationships on publicrelations activities.

Human Resource Manager


Mrs Nonhlanhla KuneneVision

• To be strategic partner to the College and providean efficient service to all staff in the areas of the HRadministration.• To provide an enabling environment to CollegeManagement on matters of Policy.• To assist with proper planning of Human Resourcesin line with the Strategic Objectives of the Institution.

Highlights / Successes: 2006

HR staff have worked extremely hard under adverse conditions toprovide a quality service to the College, as a result criticalappointments have been made during the year.

Challenges: 2006

The Challenges in 2006 were establishing a commonunderstanding of the role of Human Resources andgetting mutual arrangements on management andapplication of policies. Another exciting and socialjustice challenge is the ongoing process ofimplementing the Employment Equity Act.

Transformation of the Institution remains a majorchallenge.

TeamSpirit

The Faculty of Humanities, Developmentand Social Sciences (HDSS)

Dean : The Faculty of Humanities,

Development and Social Sciences (HDSS)

Professor Donal McCrackenVision

The Faculty of Humanities, Development and SocialSciences is the heart of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. It offers a vibrant and extraordinary range ofdisciplines in over 70 subjects. The Faculty has over50 units. It has 800 full time members of staff and abudget of R150 million.

The Faculty has two broad sections: the traditionalliberal arts such as Sociology, History andAnthropology; and the Creative Arts, namely Drama, Theatre andDance. Then there are the professional-orientated disciplines suchas Architecture, Planning, Housing, Psychology and Social Work.Senior postgraduate students constitute about a quarter of thestudent population in the Faculty. This number will be increasedin due course to develop research capacity. Staff research outputis positioned number two in the University-wide SAPSE productivityratings. There has been an increase in research in the Humanitiesduring the past 10 years.

Community focus forms an important part of the Faculty ofHumanities, Development and Social Sciences. The days of the‘ivory tower’ are gone. A university that is not relevant to its societyhas little value for its existence. Every Discipline must look at howit can contribute to society. Transformation is a frightening wordfor a large number of people. But transformation is especiallyessential to build capacity for young Black students and staff. Allacademics should participate in the committees and boardsmeetings. This also helps academics to be part of the decision-

making processes in the Faculty. Professor McCrackenchairs all selection committees of the Faculty to ensurethat the transformation agenda is advanced.

Challenges

The major challenge in Humanities, Development andSocial Sciences is settling the ghosts of the past. TheFaculty has had two commissions of enquiry thatimpacted fairly directly on it. The strike last year washeavily concentrated on the Faculty of Humanities,

Development and Social Sciences. This is a reflection of the generalethos of the Faculty as well as the culture of debate but it is alsothe legacy of the past.

Highlights/successes

Academically, 2006 was a success given that the Faculty finalizedits equity policy as well as completed the merger with the DUTMusic School. The Faculty also finalized the 2006/7 promotionsexercise with 10 academics being promoted.

Sociology underwent a successful external review process. TheGlobal Studies Programme was judged amongst the top 10 in theworld. The Centre for Creative Arts had successful festivals and theFaculty assisted the government in compiling a report on the AfricanPeer Review Mechanism. The Centre for African Literary Studiesis on track and has appointed Professor Mbulelo Mzamane asits Director.

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Achievers

School of music student

Mxolisi Mdlalose

Graduation 2005, Population Studies

A Successful collaboration between

the School of development studies,

UNFPA and the department of social

development

Proffessor Mazibuko with the safety

officer for Francis Stock building,

Anusha Moodley

Principal Faculty Officer,

HDSS (Pietermarizburg)

Mrs Hazel RampaulI am very excited about my new position and lookforward to joining the College. I am going to stayfocused and concentrate on the challenges ahead.With the experience that I will bring in, we aspire tobe an efficient Faculty.

Challenge

I think the biggest challenge will be the increasednumber of students that I will deal with.

Secretary to the Dean of Humanities,

Development and Social Sciences

Mrs Pops PillayVision

• The pursuit of an excellent relationship with thepublic and to create a Faculty where anyone locally,nationally and internationally can get the helpthey need

Highlights/Successes: 2005/6

I have adjusted so well that I have come to know thedifferent procedures. Many Heads of Schools nowacknowledge that they are assured ofprofessional assistance.

Challenges: 2005/6

The merger and the move from Westville inNovember, 2004 was a great challenge. In Westville,it was a small Faculty of seven Schools. Howard Collegeis bigger with about 8 000 students. Adjustment tothe different system, getting to know people and thenew working environment at Howard College wasalso a challenge. Above all, this office is a very busyand stressful one.

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Deputy Dean,

Undergraduate Studies, HDSS

Professor Sihawu NgubaneVision

The Faculty of Humanities, Development and SocialSciences is the soul of research undertaken at UKZN.South Africa was isolated from the rest of Africa formany years. The challenge now is for scholars toreshape scholarship for Africa by Africans. The Facultyof Humanities, Development and Social Sciences isthe core for this kind of knowledge production.Studies must be centred around Africa as this was notthe case during Apartheid. Historians and architectshave to learn to do things the African way.

Challenges

Given the number of programmes, and the size andshape of the Faculty, space has become one of ourpriority challenges. Through the Access Programmethe Faculty addresses student recruitment, retentionand rerouting. The student leadership and counselingservices remain critical and active partners in theAccess Programme.

Acting Head

of the School of Music, HDSS

The School of Music is in the process of finalizing the appointmentof Head of School who will provide leadership and lead it in theright direction.

The School, which is only one providing music education in KwaZulu-Natal, has relocated into the newly refurbished premises in FrancisStock building on Howard College campus. All rooms are soundproofed and the equipment is now readily placed. There is controlledaccess into the rooms. The music organ has been repaired and itneeds a wall around it to keep it safe in the Music Recital Hall onthe Westville campus.

The Centre for Jazz and Popular in the School of Music hosted the8th South African Association for Jazz Education (SAJE) Conferencein September and October 2006. The 2006 Standard Bank YoungArtist Award for Jazz went to our graduate Concord Nkabindewhile the same award in 2005 was presented to our graduateAndile Yenana.


The research and creative outputs of the staff of the School ofMusic have for many years placed it at the very head of Africa’s

tertiary music institutions, and given it an enviable internationalprofile. As in the best music schools worldwide, its staff are specialistsin a wide diversity of music fields. Broadly speaking, they can becategorised as researchers (musicologists, ethnomusicologists,music educationists, and scholars in the field of jazz and popular-music studies) or as creative artists (performers, composers, andmusic technologists.).

In accordance with this, the School’s teaching programmes provideexcellent pathways to careers in, for example, the music and audioindustries, cultural tourism, teaching at all levels (particularly inour increasingly multicultural world), music journalism andbroadcasting, the film industry, music research, musicadministration, music therapy, and marketing in the music industry.For those students who are talented performers, the School’s more‘practical’ programmes provide an essential stepping-stone to acareer as a performer in classical, jazz or popular music, or to avariety of careers involving the composing or arranging of music(e.g., writing music for films).

The School has a busy research programme, and fosters a widevariety of distinct research projects. Current projects include

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the following:• Music and Identity in Post-Apartheid South Africa (a five-yearproject funded by the National Research Foundation; included arescholarships for a number of Honours, Masters and PhD studentsworking in this field).• The South African Music Archive Project (an interdisciplinary,‘teamed’ project, led by the School of Music and funded by theNational Research Foundation; its goal is to find, research anddigitize – for online access – various archival holdings of SouthAfrican music repressed during the apartheid years).• Meanings, Values and Social Processes in the South AfricanHistory of Handel's Messiah.• Musical Responses to Change: an analysis of the social and political

trajectories embedded in contemporary maskanda.• Case studies of Western art music (e.g. sixteenth-century choralmusic; nineteenth-century symphonic music; Beethoven's latepiano sonatas).• Umkhumbane, a little-known musical by Todd Matshikiza(composer of the better-known King Kong).• Issues related to the tradition of Western art music inSouth Africa.• Indigenous musical knowledges in KwaZulu-Natal.• South African folk musicians as a social movementunder apartheid.• Jazz in exile during the apartheid era.

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Deputy Dean

Pietermaritzburg Campus, HDSS

Professor Jenny Clarence-FinchamVision

Our vision has been a focus on transformationregarding staff to improve the demographic profileon the Pietermaritzburg campus, and to integrate thiscampus with the rest of the College. We also have avision to make the Faculty an integral part of thecommunity and to understand the nature of AfricanScholarship in the context of Humanities and directlylink African Scholarship to our curriculumtransformation, teaching and learning, and alternativeaccess to the Institution.


Our successes and highlights are all in progress. Some of theminclude setting up a Teaching and Learning Committee andrepresenting the interests of Pietermaritzburg staff on Universityfora. We worked on an equity profile and consolidated staffingcomplement in the Faculty Office. Equity underpins everything wedo. We built relations with support staff and improvedcommunication channels to filter and respond swiftly to staff needs.

We began work on extended curriculum developmentwhich is still in progress. It’s heartening that ProfessorMbulelo Mzamane was appointed to head the Centrefor African Literary Studies. In the interim Iadministered the Centre. Though not directly involvedwith students I still make it my business to stay incontact with them. I value it a lot.

Challenges

One of the challenges we faced was to build a senseof community in the sense of critical debate. Another is to continueworking on our equity and demographic profile, and to consolidateour staffing component in our Faculty Offices. Building on therelationship with the support staff in Pietermaritzburg, improvingfurther communication channels with divisions (HR, Finance) withthe intention of improving efficiency, and responding quickly tostaff needs were other challenges we encountered.

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Deputy Dean

Postgraduate Studies, HDSS

Professor Johan JacobsVision

• To create a postgraduate structure and culture thatemphasizes postgraduate programmes especially PhDas the obvious end degrees for all students, studentsat BA Honours level and keep them through Mastersand PhD programmes.

I would like to see a Faculty with much more stronglyemphasized postgraduate divisions. The Facultycurrently has 2 000 postgraduate students. I wouldlike to see a system in which postgraduate students are fully fundedto remain as full time MA and PhD students. UKZN should createdoctoral appointments and attract many more African full timePhD students and keep them in the system.

We want to have the research organization of the Faculty clearlyforegrounded with a Central Research Office which must havedesignated administrative staff. This will co-ordinate and promoteresearch projects in the Faculty.


We have excelled in graduation rates. We graduated 160 Mastersstudents and 23 PhD students. The Faculty is extraordinarily strongin research and publications. We have the second highest publicationoutput in the University, with 18 accredited, peer-reviewed journals,and many Research Centres.

We have gone a long way in formulating all postgraduate policiesand procedures and made them available to students and staff.The Faculty has established exchanges with a whole range ofinternational universities. The Faculty has a tripartite internationallinkage on Global Studies with Ludwig University, Freidberg,Gernamy, and Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, India. Currently

we are developing a Master’s Programme in multi-cultural leadership and management with theUniversity of Starvanger, Norway in conjunction withthe Nelson Mandela University, and another SouthernAfrican University.

In October every year we hold an interdisciplinaryconference for all postgraduate students where theyget an opportunity to present research papers andwe want to expand and turn it into a much bigger

conference by involving our sister faculty: Education, or make it aregional conference where 50 papers are presented every year. Thisgives students an opportunity to develop and build capacity. Wewant to earn more money from SAPSE publications and givesubstance to the claim of African Scholarship. This is the Facultythat defines African Scholarship.

Challenges: 2005/6

The major challenge we face is to increase our doctoral registrationand throughput and to solicit funding to keep and support ourstudents and graduate them. There is need to monitor studentsmore closely and to carefully analyze the throughput rate and knowhow long they take to complete their programmes in relation toother Faculties and in relation to international norms for graduation.We need to provide ethics training and research proposal writingcourses and support for supervisors through supervision trainingand ethics workshops. We currently have too few academics havingto supervise too many students. Another challenge is to alwaysmaintain strict quality control as we cannot afford to compromisequality with any degree. It would be wonderful to get more fundingto send Masters students to international conferences, and weneed more research workshops regionally for our postgraduatestudents to attend.

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Faculty Manager

HDSS

Mrs Aileen BevisVision

• To provide a good service to students and staff inthe Faculty of Humanities, Development andSocial Sciences.• To play a unifying role for the two campuses onwhich the Faculty is based (Howard College andPietermaritzburg), as it is all too easy to forget abouteach other and to operate as independent centres.


'Survival' is the word to describe our 'successes' in 2005, frommoving offices in the middle of registration to finishing the FacultyHandbook on Christmas Eve! The year was difficult in the postmerger period, but we managed to hold things together.

Challenges: 2005

Many operating procedures had to be set up. Faculty structureshad to be merged and recreated. Ours is a very large and diverseFaculty, which bring new challenges for capacity within theFaculty Office.


Most staff from the Westville campus came over fulltime to Howard College, which enabled us to becomemore integrated and to begin to work as a real team.

Challenges: 2006

A major challenge of 2006 was to deal with cross-campus inter-Faculty teaching, which has proved tobe more difficult to sustain than the early mergerplanning supposed. Quite apart from the difficulties

experienced by staff and students who have had to travel betweenHoward College and Westville, the existing mechanisms for ensuringthat the necessary infrastructure is in place are mainly campus-specific, and will have to be adapted to deal withcross-campus needs.

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Head of the School of Religion

and Theology, HDSS

Professor Isabel PhiriVision

• To foster the academic study of religious traditionsand faith communities in Africa.

Commitment remains to our South African andAfrican contexts and we continue to strive to do andteach theology in a way that engages with our changingrealities. We believe that our task is to train a newgeneration of leaders who will be academically,theologically, and contextually equipped to serve thechurch and society. We continue our commitment to ecumenicaltheological education.


The Church of Sweden project sponsored 10 Masters Studentsworking on a special focus on Theology and HIV/AIDS. The JohnLangalibalele Dube Memorial Lecture was launched in September2006 by the Religion and Governance Programme which is housedin the Ujaama Centre and in partnership with the KwaZulu-NatalChristian Council Consortium. Its aim is to offer training in issuesrelated to Theology and Democracy in order to empower churchleaders so that they can participate in the building of democracyboth in the church and society.

As a school we renewed the signing of agreements with our Clusterpartners and with Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Missionand Culture in Ghana. In 2006 we celebrated the opening of theAnglican House of Studies and the Congregational House of Studies.During the Symposium on Religion and Culture in Berlin, ProfessorKumar and Professor Draper represented the School in discussionson the School’s partnership with Humboldt University. As part ofthe Symposium there was a discussion on proposed research anda Masters Degree programme on Religion and Culture offered inco-operation with the Universities of Humboldt, Stellenbosch andUKZN. Yale Divinity School in partnership with the Circle alsohosted two of our doctoral students from the Gender Programmeas part of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (CIRA).

The School continues its partnership with the INATE network,which is based in Toronto, Canada. We received a student from

Canada in the second half of 2006. The school alsocontinues its partnership with Rice University.

Ujaama and Sinomlando centres, which are attachedto the School have continued to do wonderful workto link our academics with the community. They areboth good models of community outreach. These areattracting donor funding to reach out to the rest ofAfrica. The Ujaama Centre for the Bible and WorkerMinistry has launched the Tarmar campaign in Kenya,

Tanzania and Zambia. This aims to use the Bible as a tool to stopviolence against women and children. A similar programme will belaunched in Cameroon and Malawi this year.

The Sinomlando Centre for Oral History and Memory Work inAfrica received a prize from the Higher Council for InternationalDevelopment, a body under the leadership of the French PrimeMinister. Mrs Nokhaya Makiwane received the prize from theMinister of Cooperation and Development in Paris, France.Professor Philippe Denis was elected Associate Member of theRoyal Academy of Belgium in December 2006. He formally receivedthis at the Academy on 5 March 2007. This is the first suchprestigious award to be given to South Africa. Professor GeraldWest introduced the weekly Theological Café which has taken rootamong students, staff and visitors alike. The Governance programmegraduated students in February 2007. Professors Denis and IsabelPhiri are rated among the top 30 researchers for 2005.

Challenges: 2005/6

The merger itself posed a serious challenge to the School. Forgingintegration of the previously separated Schools of Religion andTheology is creating difficulties for the School and its operation.But we are trying very hard to make it a success. The School especiallythe Durban section is highly understaffed. We are creating poststo bring more staff on board so we can run smoothly. One of thestaff members fell ill at the beginning of 2004 and applied formedical boarding. She only received a response this year that herapplication was unsuccessful.

18

Head of the School of

Psychology, HDSS

Professor Inge PetersenVision

The vision of the School of Psychology (SoP) is to bea standard setting institution of excellence in emergingniche areas within socio-psychological scholarship,with a focus on African Psychology. The goal is tonurture and deliver excellence and innovation inknowledge production that addresses challenges inthe national, regional and international developmentagenda in relevant ways. This will be achieved throughcritically informed and reflective teaching, researchand community responsiveness.

Challenges: 2005/6

With the merger of the Universities Durban-Westville and Natalinto the new University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in 2004, themain challenge facing the merged School of Psychology in 2005was the integration of the three formerly autonomous sites (atWestville, Howard College and Pietermaritzburg) into a singleproductive, effective and efficient entity of the new University.This presented a range of challenges to the new School, not leastamong which were the development of new structures and protocolsfor governance and communication, academic planning, enhancingresearch productivity, developing staff capacities and competencies,ensuring equity in student and staff profiles and the building of avibrant new School culture. Further, these challenges needed tobe addressed within the context of a nascent academic andinstitutional environment as well as a relatively fluid (anddemanding) social and policy framework.

To meet these challenges, the SoP embarked on a strategic planningprocess throughout 2005, aimed at the formulation of a strategicplan that would enable us to build a School that fulfills the visionand mission of our new Institution in a systematic, committed andcontextually relevant way. A critical success factor in the strategicplanning process, as agreed at the outset, was the fullestparticipation of all staff members of the SoP, with process beingas important as outcome. All academic and administrative staff ofthe SoP were therefore involved in the process, and after initial

skepticism, considerable interest in the process wasdemonstrated by staff. Four staff workshops (five daysin total), which were facilitated by an external expertin strategic planning, were held in 2005. Theseworkshops were carefully spaced out over a five-month time-line so as to allow various ad-hoc taskgroups to complete their work as required. We aresatisfied that the resulting strategic plan is the productof our collective labours and is owned by our staff,and we are confident that it provides visible beacons

and tangible actions that we will recognize and abide by in ourjourney to establish the SoP as a leading institution in its field.

The main challenge facing the School of Psychology in 2006 wasto continue with the integration process and to begin implementingthe vision and strategic plan of the School.

The School has gone a long way to meet these challenges as isreflected in the following:• The establishment of well functioning structures and protocolsfor governance and communication.• A common curriculum across all three undergraduate levels aswell as at the Honours and Master’s levels where applicable at theHoward College and Pietermaritzburg sites.• The physical integration of the former Westville and HowardCollege Schools into one site at Howard College.• An increase in the number of modules focused onAfrican Psychology.• An increase in research productivity in peer reviewed journalarticles of 24% from the 2003-4 cycle to the 2005-6 cycle.Furthermore, four books were published or co-edited by staffmembers in the 2005-2006 cycle.• The appointment of two Black African equity candidatesin Pietermaritzburg.• Three staff members obtained their PhD degrees inPietermaritzburg in 2005-6.

19

Highlights: 2005/6

• Staff at the school obtained new grants, scholarships andcompetitive renewals of several large externally funded projects,from funders including SA MRC (SAAVI), the US NIH (Fogarty),UNAIDS, DFID and SANPAD.• Professor Kevin Durrheim won a prestigious sabbatical grantfrom the Oppenheimer Foundation.• The School successfully hosted the International CriticalPsychology Conference from 28 June 1 July 2005.• The School was identified as a leader for the University-wideinitiative to establish the Centre for the African Child which

incorporates multidisciplinary research and interventions as wellas curriculum development in child development work.• Psychology is one of four Schools that have received money fromSANTED for basic communication courses in isiZulu for its trainingprogrammes as part of the wider university language initiative.•The School hosted a visiting scholar from Kenyatta University,Professor Nwoye, for three months, increasing our collaborationswith other African universities.A total of 28 NRF supervisor-linked bursaries and studentassistantships were made available to students from previouslydisadvantaged backgrounds.

20

Head of the School of Sociology

and Social Studies, HDSS

Professor Ari SitasVision

Our vision subscribes to UKZN’s vision to be thePremier University of African Scholarship by being alocal, regional and international player. Students areto be key leaders and participants in all social sectorsof society. We want to have intensive local and globalrelationships with countries in the South and locally.We have 40 academics and staff are involved in seriousresearch in the School.


Two projects have given us great accolades. We have a successfulGlobal Studies Programme on which we jointly partner with theUniversity of Freiburg in Germany and Jawaharlal Nerhu in Delhi.We have won a coveted award for being the most excitingintercultural programme in Germany. The Academy of SocialSciences listed us among the top 10 in Germany. The Global Studiesprogramme involves 17 countries in the world and it’s a greatsuccess on the basis that Ford Foundation gave money. We havelaunched the collaborative MA programme in Makerere, Uganda,Dar es Salaam and the University of Botswana. This is a keycontribution to NAPAD in creating an intellectual community. Weare moving the programme to PhD and we will have major researchthat will involve Brazil and China. Another area of success is theInformation Programme on the Pietermaritzburg campus, whichis seen as one of the best and very sensitive to local issues, knowledgeand information management.

Policy Development Studies on the Pietermaritzburg campus is astrong point and works closely with Provincial Government and itadds value to professionals. WISA, which is a peer group meetsevery two weeks to write a 22 page-publication. By so doing weare trying to create a new generation of scholars. In 2006 Sociologyreceived an enormous profile during the International SociologyAssociation Congress held in Durban. Academics made from six

to seven linkages with peers requesting them to engagein research collaboration in their fields. The ResearchUnit of the Industrial Labour Studies and the MauriceWebb Race Relations are doing key policy researchfor South Africa in areas central to social development.These include anything from co-operatives to thesocial welfare system. I am delighted this is done byyoung crop of social scientists and it makes me takecourage and move on. I view Criminology as an areaof future potential. This programme plays a key role

in the study of crime. We want to be key players in many socialpolicies in the country.

We are the host and in full support of the Centre for CriticalThinking managed by Professor Gerry Maré. This will be run withfinancial support from SANPAD.

Challenges: 2005/6

Challenges have to do with resources. We are one of the cash cowsbut do not have sufficient resources. We are not against crosssubsidization of disciplines or departments. We want to developa second tier of leadership. Most of the people who would havebeen on this tier have been absorbed by the state. The challengeis to get the 3rd tier of leadership who are well-informed scholars,with good exposure and good writing skills to move forward. Weexpect the system to start working better in the post merger period.We have lost time. There are no policies and procedures to workwith our colleagues in the continent. For instance in India they havethe Mandela Chair and Makerere University attracts scholars todo research and keep them for up to six months on a fully paidcontract. Despite all the problems I am delighted that we managedto do things and achieved a lot with people working very hard. Iam putting in the pillars for the next dispensation to succeed asmy three year-tenure is over.

21


Development Studies, HDSS

Professor Julian MayVision

The School is a multi-disciplinary research andgraduate teaching institution with a focus ondevelopment and reconstruction. A leading Centrefor research and teaching on development in SouthAfrica, it also holds an international reputation forthe quality of its work and of its intellectual rigourwith which it applies academic skills to policychallenges. It draws on the specialist knowledge ofits researchers, who are nationally and internationallyrecognised experts in their fields. The School incorporates theCentre for Civil Society.

Mission

The School sees its role as:• Contributing to global and African scholarship through researchand graduate teaching programmes in development andpopulation studies.• Producing and delivering academically sound basic andcomparative development research for policy makers, actors andthe intellectual community involved in reconstruction in SouthAfrica and KwaZulu-Natal.• Building capacity, particularly in regard to race and gender, todeal with development problems through its graduate and teachingprogramme and through its research-based PhD programme.• Supporting government departments, civil society organisationsand private sector institutions around development policyformulation, design and implementation.


The School places priority on research, student through-put andoutreach. Establishment academic staff are expected to achieve atleast 1.5 times the minimum research output required by theUniversity, and in 2005 the School achieved 4 times this minimumwith an increase in staff research output to 250 productivity unitsper establishment staff. In 2005 and 2006, staff in the Schoolproduced a total of 8 books, 71 chapters in books and 72 articlesin SAPSE accredited journals. Publications of the staff in the Schoolwere cited over 500 times in ISI rated journals. Masters programmes

continued to expand with 35 students completingtheir dissertations in 2005 and 2006, while theAPSTAR training course in population studies resumedduring 2005 with 12 students completing this coursein 2006.

The Code of Conduct for the employment of contractresearchers, and the changes to the criteria formembership of the Board of Studies gave youngerstaff greater opportunity to influence decision-making

in the School. The School's Equity Plan commits it to increasingthe numbers of African and female staff, while maintaining existingratios among its contract research staff. However transformationdoes not just concern preparation of plans but also involves directengagement. The School has been active at this level as well.The School made resources available for younger staff to receivetraining at universities and research institutions in the UK, USA,Italy, Sweden and Norway.Engagement in critical debate remains an area of furtherdevelopment. Much of the School’s research output is of directpolicy relevance and a substantial redesign of the School websitehas improved access to this information and the internationalprofile of the School. Members of staff in the School serve in avariety of positions in a number of government and civil societyinstitutions. These include the South African Statistics Council, theGoverning Body of the South African Reserve Bank, IthalaDevelopment Bank and NALEDI. Two journals are edited in theSchool: Transformation and Development Update, while staff membersserve on the editorial boards of Development South Africa, Journalof Development Studies, Journal of Social Policy and World Development.

Challenges

While progress has been achieved in addressing challenges, thereis still much more to be done. Issues to be dealt with in the nearfuture include the development of a multi-year plan linked to theresources provided by UKZN, and those generated by the School. Another challenge is greater integration of teaching and researchactivities of the School. Finally is the greater involvement in South-South initiatives in Africa and elsewhere.

22

Time toDance!

Head of the School of Literary Studies,

Media and Creative Arts, HDSS

Professor Michael ChapmanVision

The vision of the School correlates with UKZN’s visionin that over the past 20 years there has been a shiftfrom a British-derived curriculum to content andmethodology relevant to the South African contextin relation to the larger, contemporary world.


The School comprises the following disciplines ontwo campuses: Classics, Drama and PerformanceStudies, English Studies, Media and Cultural Studies, and VisualArts. There is also an internationally recognised postgraduatedivision of Culture, Communication and Media.

The School has a prominent research profile, including a considerableoutput of books and articles and wide conference participation.The Head – Professor Chapman – is the single A-rated scientist inthe Humanities at UKZN. In addition, the School has five otherNRF-rated researchers and is regarded as an international leaderin southern African literary research.

Research is not seen as separate from teaching; ratherthe one reinforces the other, and curriculum revisionis regarded as an ongoing aspect of the School’sdedication to cutting-edge education. The School isalso involved in community outreach programmes,notably with Drama and Performance Studies involvedin an education project at Westville prison.

With a staff of 70 the School is among the largest atUKZN. Its student body is demographically

representative in terms of both race and gender, and it has anundergraduate pass rate of 82% of which it is proud. Thepostgraduate sector caters for 24% of its students.

I am confident that the School will continue to make a positivecontribution to transition in South Africa, a country in which, givenits cultural diversity, the interpretation of culture, the core businessof the School, is of crucial importance.

24


IsiZulu Studies, HDSS

Doctor Nobuhle HlongwaVision

• To work individually, collaboratively, creatively andefficiently, as part of a truly South African institutionof higher learning, to:– Provide excellent and appropriate teaching inlanguage study.– Provide opportunities for an Produce excellent,intensive and ongoing research that meets local,national and international language needsand standards.– Train professional language practitioners.– Be demographically representative of our country and serve thecommunities in which we operate.

The School continued to make its mark on the international sceneby continuing working with overseas institutions in the Fulbright-Hays Advanced Intensive Zulu Project (GPA). This is a US FederalGovernment Funded programme, the grant which is held by theUniversity of Pennsylvania. All students participating in the ZGPAneeded to have completed the equivalent of at least one year in aNguni Language (isiXhosa/isiZulu/isiSwati/isiNdebele) in orderto quality for the programme. The programme participants weredrawn from the University of Georgia, UCLA, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Yale University, and Temple University. At theend students learn a lot about the Zulu Language and Culture.


In 2005 the School held its 1st Annual cultural festival with thetheme “HIV/AIDS and Culture facing the challenge” on theWestville campus on 14 September. It was jointly organised by theSchool of IsiZulu Studies and Public Affairs and CorporateCommunications. The objectives of the festival were: awarenessraising about HIV/AIDS; exploring the role of culture in fightingthe scourge of HIV/AIDS; the role of Zulu authors in raisingawareness about HIV/AIDS; understanding the myths aboutHIV/AIDS; and community outreach initiatives and moralregeneration.

The creation of an environment conducive to teachingand learning was pursued with vigour throughmentoring. The School also attracted postgraduatestudents. The University Senate approved theestablishment of the Mazisi Kunene Chair in ourSchool. The University approved the bilingual languagepolicy that will promote isiZulu and English aslanguages of tuition.

Highlights/successes: 2006

In 2006 the School hosted another successful annual cultural festivalon the Pietermaritzburg campus. The theme was “YaziNgawe/Know your Roots” within the framework of Human Rights:Culture and Language. This could not have been at a better timethan 2006, The African Union Year of African Languages.The festival was attended by 400 delegates. These includedundergraduate and postgraduate students, academics, educators,researchers, colleagues from other universities, officials from theDepartment of Arts, Culture and Tourism, Provincial LanguageService, a representative of the IsiZulu National Language Board(UMZUKAZWE), and publishers, Shuter & Shooter and Newdawn.

In a literature writing competition, organized by the Departmentof Arts, Culture and Tourism, one of our second year students MsLungile Zondi won second price in the novel category in December.She received R 7 000 and her book is being published by Nasouvia Africa.

In 2006 the School of isiZulu Studies in collaboration with Education,Psychology, Nursing, Language Practice and Dental Therapyreceived R3 million funding for a SANTED project on Multilingualismto promote access, retention and successful professional training.This is a three year project that will run from 2007-2009. TheSchool of isiZulu studies will offer communicative language coursesfor staff and discipline specific language course for students.

With regard to research productivity the school has produced eightresearch articles and 16 conference papers. Professor AdrianKoopman is NRF B-rated.

25


Philosophy and Ethics, HDSS

Professor Simon BeckVision

• To be the best group of Philosophers and Ethicistsin terms of teaching and research in the countryand to be responsive to our African andinternational context.


In 2005 we got the School on the map as we hostedtwo national and two international conferences.Members of the School staff took over editorship ofthe South African Journal of Philosophy, and we made great progressin teaching and research co-operation across campuses. Our researchoutput rose significantly and as a result this small School produced15 SAPSE accredited publications as well as a number of chaptersin edited books and articles in other professional journals.

In 2006 four staff members achieved PhDs of which three wereobtained at international universities.

All staff attended conferences. The School continued to have a

healthy research output – the best performingDepartment/School in South Africa. Two staffmembers were appointed to the executive of theEthics Society of Southern Africa. In terms ofenrolment, we achieved the highest student numbersever in both disciplines.

Challenges: 2005/6

These achievements were recorded against thebackdrop of challenges that we faced in the two years

under review. In 2005 planning was severely hampered by thefreeze on staff replacements – especially in Ethics Studies, and thespread of staff members across campuses in the Durban area madeintegration of the new School difficult.

In 2006 space issues still affected the integration of the School andthe staff at Howard College were still spread across the campus.As a result of retirements we lost three senior and important staffmembers.

26

Head of the School of Anthropology,

Gender and Historical Studies, HDSS

Professor Mandy GoedhalsVision

• To achieve excellence in our programmes, disciplines,research and community outreach.• To encourage critical thinking for the developmentof the country. Our vision is focused on KwaZulu-Natal, the country and international community, andas such we take cognizance of development in SouthAfrica, Africa and globally.

Challenges

The School encountered a number of challenges in pursuit of itsvision. First, the name of the School does not fully express the manycomponents of the School. This School is made up Anthropology,Gender Studies, Historical Studies, Tourism, and Internet Studiesbut the last two disciplines are not represented in the School’sname. It was obviously difficult for aspirant candidates to knowthat such disciplines did exist in the School.

The biggest challenge is being made up of previously independentdisciplines which are spread over three different campuses. Thiswas an inconvenience for staff. Integrating these into a singleSchool has posed a challenge and it still continues to do so. In 2006staff had to commute between the Westville campus and HowardCollege campus. Knowing one another and identifying with theSchool is another challenge. We now have to develop an overallpolicy for the School to integrate it fully. This will help forauditing purposes.

We have lost experienced academics and scholars of this region inthe persons of Professors Jeff Guy and John Wright. They weredoing tremendous research work for our School. Professor Reddy

and Dr Pearl Sithole resigned to join the HumanSciences Research Council to the disadvantage of theSchool. The death of Professor Philip Walters was ahuge blow for the School.

After the retirement of senior professors the numberof students who registered for History dropped.Professor Vahed had to travel to give lectures on theHoward College campus. I would like to rebuild Historyon this campus I would also like Anthropology to open

up at Pietermaritzburg as there is shortage of BA subjects.


In 2005 the School achieved a number of staff promotions.Professors Anand Singh, Suzanne Leclerq-Madlala and Dr VasuReddy were promoted to full Professors. Dr Julie Parle was alsopromoted to Professor. Professor Leclerq-Madlala was alsoappointed Advisor for the United Nations programme on HIV/AIDSin SADC. The School has produced a string of Rhodes Scholars likeMandisa Mbali and Graig Kesson. Professor Goolam Vahed has afantastic record of publications to his credit and is continuing towrite actively on cricket and sport in KwaZulu-Natal. ProfessorSuresh Bhana has done wonderful work on Ghandi. Dr Julie Parleand Dr Catherine Burns have received a grant to do research onhealth issues in the province. Professor Keith Breckenridge fromInternet Studies has developed and piloted online registration forUKZN. Dr Thenjiwe Magwaza from Gender Studies and Dr VukileKhumalo are engaged in exciting work in their fields. Mr JabulaniSithole from the Pietermaritzburg campus is on Sabbatical leaveto pursue his PhD studies.

27

Head of the School

of Politics, HDSS

Professor Raphael De KadtVision

• To establish the best school of Political Studies(including Economic History) in the country, takingadvantage of the opportunities offered by the mergerand the potentials and skills that excellent colleagueshave brought to the School.• To do this we will build in those areas where wehave a ‘comparative advantage’ and where membersof the School are well established, especially inresearch. In the longer term, we intend to establish amore comprehensive range of offerings in International Relations.From a teaching point of view, we intend to maintain and to developprogrammes that will help our graduates to engage creatively withthe multiple challenges – national and global – that will shape the21st century.


The School continued to extend its national and internationalpresence in political theory. The School is closely associated withTheoria: A Journal of Social and Political Theory, an internationally(IBSS) accredited journal which receives submissions from all overthe world. It is now published in the USA and has grown steadilyin stature. As the pre-eminent journal of political theory based inAfrica, those editing it are proud to have made South Africa intoa ‘base’ from which global debate is driven.

The School now boasts several young NRF rated scientists, includinga ‘P’ rated scientist, Dr Lawrence Hamilton, who received hisPresidential Award in late 2006. We also have some leading scholarsin the fields of the Urban Politics and the Urban Economic Historyof Africa. Cambridge University Press has just published ProfessorBill Freund’s The African City: A History’. Other researchers areactively engaged in international research networks on cities, andare doing research on cities other than South African.

We are also proud of our teaching achievements. Political Sciencehere has become very popular with foreign students. We take pridein the quality of our teaching and believe that our standards are

reflected in the achievements of our students. Lastyear, students who had majored in Political Sciencewon Commonwealth, Rhodes, and Fulbrightscholarships. The southern African and developingworld focus of certain modules is especially attractiveto students from the ‘North’.

The School has connections with many universitiesabroad, including the University of Cambridge andAdelaide University. This past year we began a new

relationship, and had our first teaching exchange with, MillersvilleUniversity in Pennsylvania, USA.

Tragically, we lost a brilliant young colleague – Reuben Mhlongo– in early 2006. We also had a colleague, Dr Mariam Seedat, resignto accompany her husband to Johannesburg. However, on thebrighter side, we were delighted to be able to appoint HeidiMatisonn, recently graduated from UCT and the LSE, to alectureship in Pietermaritzburg.

We continued to offer our ‘niche ‘PG programme in Public Policy.Funding for some of the students comes from the MellonFoundation. This enables us to offer a policy oriented education tofuture public servants and thus to be proactive in tackling thetransformation challenges in South Africa.

The School of Politics maintained its commitment to the professionaldevelopment of Political Science in the country (and Africa) and,under the excellent stewardship of the Deputy Head, ProfessorNwabufo Okeke-Uzodike, hosted the SAAPS Colloquium inSeptember 2005. Several members of the School participated inthe 2006 conference as well.

In a more ‘immediate’ fashion, the School was proud to have rallied,within a limited time, to help produce the APRM report for theKwaZulu-Natal Province. We are lucky to have a team of excellent,co-operative staff.

28

Challenges: 2005/6

A challenge, which I believe we have largely met, has been to builda School out of diverse parts and to build a sense of commonalityof purpose. This has been especially testing in that we have had toco-operate across three delivery sites and several Disciplines.

We are now looking forward to bringing the Durban Centre’soperations together spatially in our proposed new accommodation.

The challenge of further building up the School in terms of itsacademic capacity is especially exciting – if somewhat daunting.This is because it a very ‘young’ School consisting of many talentedpeople who are still at a relatively early stage in building theiracademic careers. Making the right appointments to our vacantposts, and providing support for these younger people, will becrucial in this regard.

A further, related challenge will be to establish the Albert LuthuliChair in Peace Studies and Human Rights. We will need to raisefunds for it and to appoint someone really outstanding who willdrive research and teaching.

Substantively, the major global political challenges of the futureinclude environmental issues (such as global warming) that do notrespect national boundaries. Environmental politics will thus becomeincreasingly important. Our Economic History and DevelopmentStudies (UG) programme is actively addressing this challenge, boththrough the introduction of new modules and through communityoutreach activities.

More broadly, revisiting the curriculum to make it more resonantand reflective of the specificity of the African context, as well asglobally ‘benchmarked’ in terms of standards, will be a priority.

Operationally, constructively dealing with the geographicalseparation of Faculties in the Durban Centre will be a challenge, asPolitical Science as a discipline has close ties with Economics.Optimizing teaching arrangements across the campuses will be animportant task.

29

DevelopingYoung Minds

Head of the School of Social Work and

Community Development, HDSS

Professor Vishanthie SewpaulVision

A leading School in the promotion of citizenshipeducation, innovative research and practice excellencein South Africa in pursuit of enhanced psychosocialfunctioning and development of individuals, families,groups, organizations and communities, and thepromotion of peace, human rights, social justice andequality of all people at local, regional, national andinternational levels.

Mission

A School of Social Work and Community Development that isacademically excellent, innovative in research, student-centred,critically engaged with communities, nationally and internationallyconnected, demographically representative of KwaZulu-Natal, andone that redresses the disadvantages, inequities and imbalances ofthe past. Our work will be underscored by a deep interest indeveloping locally specific and indigenous knowledge systems aswell as ways of negotiating and valorising different ways of knowingand scientific knowledge.


We have routinized excellence in our School; what may be takenas highlights in other Schools are normal standards in ours. Ourresearch output is high and all our staff are engaged in post-graduatestudies and/or research and publication. For the second time inthe past few years, the School has produced one of the University’stop researchers.

The demand for entry into our degrees is also increasing. As SocialWork has been declared a scarce skill on a national level, theDepartment of Social Development has embarked on a retentionand recruitment strategy. This includes paying attention to thesalaries and service conditions of social workers and offeringscholarships to facilitate entry into and completion of social workdegrees. The result is that we have far more students that weinitially envisaged.

Our programmes aim toward student-centeredlearning and teaching, with a focus on emancipatoryeducation and learning from the lived experiencesand biographies of our students. Regular Schoolmeetings as well as workshops are conducted as partof our constant effort to appraise ways to create abetter learning and teaching environment. From thebeginning of the merger process we started integratingtwo separate Social Work programmes into one andwe hope that we have taken the best of both! The

inclusion of Community Development and Social Work into a singleSchool, despite some of the inherent tensions in working acrossDisciplines, has enriched our dialogues and our academic endeavour.

We have located in the School the University of KwaZulu NatalCommunity Outreach and Research (UKZNCORE), through whichour students run units in communities. We have student units inBhambayi, Austerville, Ugu North and Cato Manor. UKZNCORE(previously UNCP), which has been in existence since 1972,subsidizes our students’ field work and projects and providesbursaries for a few Social Work students each year.

We have an international exchange programme, and ourinternational network is quite large. Currently we have aninternational PhD scholarship programme involving South Africa,Guatamala, Malawi, Cuba, Norway and Russia. In collaborationwith our Norwegian colleagues from Bodoe University College andthe Association of Schools of Social Work in Africa (ASSWA – amember of our staff is the treasurer of ASSWA) we are initiatinga Social Work Bachelor’s programme at Chancellor College inZomba, Malawi. We will be hosting the 34th Global Social WorkConference in Durban in July 2008.

Challenges: 2005/6

Our biggest challenge is the management of people, trying tonegotiate relationships, managing a whole diversity of attitudesand approaches. There is also a general anxiety linked to the currentperception of the University.

31

Head of the School of Architecture,

Housing and Planning, HDSS

Professor Ambrose AdebayoVision

Our vision is in line with the University vision whichis to be the Premier University of African Scholarship.We want to integrate our activities with the Africanethos, to promote and maintain unique Africanelements and values in our teaching and developmentof student. However, we do not see South Africa inisolation but in the context of the continent, andglobal community.


We can proudly say that our School has grown tremendously fromwhere it started as we have recorded successes in various areas.

In South Africa housing is a key problem with a lot of backlog inprovision and capacity. The School has been a forerunner in meetingthis need. We have created a new undergraduate programme inHousing (the only programme of its kind in South Africa) whichhas been approved by the Ministry of Education. We also have aMaster’s programme in Housing. After 50 years, our qualificationstructure in Architecture has been changed to a Master’squalification programme from an undergraduate qualification.

We have recorded success in the transformation of our demographiccomposition. Gender issues which are critical in architecture havebeen elevated in the School of Architecture, and our female studentsexcel. In fact, the Best Architecture Student of the Year Award for2006 was won by a female student from our School. Transformationof our staff component is gradually taking place. We have put inplace a system that enables staff to work across disciplines, functions,and research in the Built Environment.

Currently two of our female staff members are about to completetheir PhDs. We encourage and support our staff across gender linesto further their education as an element of our staff development.

Research is a very important component of this School,and research has been conducted in various areasboth locally and internationally.

We have witnessed an increase in particularly our PhDenrolment. Generally, there has been a 100% increasein enrolment. Our admissions policy and procedurestake much cognizance of the transformation realitiesof the new South Africa. This is reflected in the largenumber of students from designated groups.

Transformation in this School extends to changes in curricula. Wehave put in place a student support system comprising amongothers, a remedial programme for students. In-service training isalso organized for our students during vacations.

Another area of success is the development of learning space. Byproviding studios equipped with computers and modern technologywe are providing an environment in which our students, irrespectiveof their backgrounds, can have equal access to learning.

Our international links and partnerships provide support both inteaching and research.

We have appointed examination, research and admissioncommittees with co-ordinators. This has engendered a conduciveand co-operative working environment, where every aspect of theSchool’s operations is catered for in a holistic and participatorymanner.

Challenges: 2005/6

Our professions are very popular. That creates a challenge of howto attract and keep people in academia. We enjoy the support ofthe University and the Faculty, however, we would want a moreefficient and speedy process of staffing and facility management.

32

Head of the School of Language,

Literature and Linguistics, HDSS

Professor Rosemary Wildsmith-CromartyVision

The School aims to become the leading Centre forresearch and teaching of language, literature andlanguage acquisition. We have a commitment toexcellent and innovative teaching, the maintenanceof a high rate of publications and staff prominenceat international conferences. We are also committedto the development of critical graduates who willdevelop strong research proficiencies in both generaland applied linguistics as well as entrepreneurial andleadership skills.


Linguistics and Applied Language Studies increased theirundergraduate numbers considerably, the latter owing to theopportunity for collaboration with a sister School. Student numbersin the Foundation Courses across campuses are increasing. Linguisticshad a record number of over 30 registered postgraduate students,one of whom obtained a summa cum laude. Staff members from thedisciplines of Linguistics, French, Applied Languages Studies andAfrikaans attended international conferences. The Head of Schoolwas re-appointed to the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial LanguageCommittee and the English National Language Body as Chair ofthe Language in Education Technical Committee. The Head ofSchool was also re-elected as Chair of the Southern African AppliedLinguistics Association.

Challenges: 2005

The challenge for the School in 2005 was to position the Europeanlanguages in such a way that they were fully contextualized withinan African university, whilst simultaneously retaining their essenceas European languages. The solution to this challenge lay inaddressing the foreign service, trade, tourism and cultural aspectsof these languages. We also aimed to consolidate and develop theAcademic Literacy and English Language Development courses forincoming students.


Enrolments for undergraduate courses across alldisciplines increased by at least 35%, including theFoundation Courses, Foreign/Modern languagesLinguistics and Applied Language Studies. There issignificant increase in student numbers (160) forScientific German. There was increased collaborationwith two other Schools in the Faculty in terms ofoffering a Translation Studies course. Students wishingto specialize in translation can now take modules from

all three Schools in order to complete their degree, yet still followtheir particular specialization, eg. African Languages orEuropean languages.

Members of staff received awards for their outstanding scholarlyand cultural work: Professor van der Berg was granted the HoofstadSkakel Cultural Achievement Gold Class award for Afrikaans, andwas also selected as one of the translators for the newinterdenominational Bible, while our Italian lecturer, Cav. F Bellusci,was awarded the Cavalieri dell’ ordine della Stella della Solidarietaby the President of Italy for her efforts in fostering Italian languageand culture overseas. Through her efforts, the School has nowestablished a full major in Italian language and culture. Academicspresented papers at international conferences in the USA, Canada,Netherlands, Germany and France. Ms C Raffray and Ms S Rudwickattained their PhD in Linguistics. Five students completed theirMA degrees, two of which focused on the Indian languages.

The Afrikaans department is organizing an international conferencewhich will take place in July 2007. Professor Wildsmith-Cromartyreceived an NRF grant as Principal researcher in collaboration withWits and North-West Universities, and was also appointed RegionalTeam Leader for the translation component of the National ResearchProject on Concept Literacy based at UCT, which involvesresearchers from UKZN, Rhodes and UCT. The Book launch forthis project took place at the Linguistics/Applied Linguisticsconference at UKZN in June 2006. Professor Wildsmith-Cromartyvisited East African universities in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to

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establish collaboration and research links regarding Africanlanguages. She was also appointed to the International AdvisoryBoard for the journal Language Teaching. Fourteen SAPSE articleswere published in 2006.

Challenges: 2006

In order to counteract the Eurocentric attitude that many studentsstill have towards the study of languages and literature fromEuropean origin, in particular the Afrikaans language, literary worksof previously disadvantaged South African writers were introducedinto the Afrikaans course, and a new course in Afrikaans Mediaand Culture was introduced. There is a paucity of Black Africanacademics to appoint in the School’s disciplines. Very few arequalified to teach foreign languages. We are hoping to trainpostgraduate students in these disciplines, and also increase our

postgraduate intake into the Linguistics/Applied Linguisticsprogrammes in order to equip students with the necessary skillsand competencies to produce high quality Linguistics and AppliedLinguistics research, especially in fields where we need isiZulumother tongue speakers to collect authentic data. In particular wewish to train students for Variation Studies in the African languages,and would wish to collaborate far more with our colleagues fromisiZulu in this regard.

Other Comments

Foreign languages are achieving their goal of introducing moreliterary works from the African diaspora into their courses. Thereis an increasing focus on intercultural communication in thesecourses which attracts students.

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The Faculty of Education

Dean


Professor Renuka VithalVision

The Faculty’s vision is to be responsive to broadeducation provision in the country and the region interms of research, and teaching and learning. It drawson the University vision to redress past inequity,especially with respect to rural education, given thelarge rurality of KwaZulu-Natal.


We have successfully created a single Faculty ofEducation out of the different parts and structures inherited fromthe apartheid era. With the merger of former universities andColleges we now have completely new structures and Schools.

The number of students in the Faculty has grown tremendously toover 6 000 in undergraduate, postgraduate and continuingeducation programmes. We have established relationships withthe KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education and the NationalDepartment of Education to achieve this.

The Faculty has started training 800 teachers in Maths literacy forthe new curriculum and has also been commissioned to providean Advanced Certificate in Education for school principals inKwaZulu-Natal which will be a requirement for appointment ofprincipals in the future. The Faculty has received Fundza Lushakabursaries worth over R7 million from the Treasury for students

who want to become school teachers in Maths,Science, Technology and Language.

About 10% of staff graduated with their PhDs andwe now have a record of 45% of staff with PhDs. TheFaculty has increased its research output by 30%.HIV/AIDS and Education has become an importantarea of research and teaching for the Faculty.

Challenges

Dealing with and improving organisational culture has always poseda challenge given the diversity of the Faculty. The Faculty has achallenge to meet equity goals in staffing and other areas. Racismand discrimination still exist in the Faculty in various forms. TheFaculty, with the students, and the College have adopted arehabilitative, reconstructive approach in addressing suchexperiences. The Central Students Representative Council (CSRC),staff from the Faculties and the University Executive Committeeare part of a student driven programme and conferences to addressracism and its legacies.

The merger has led to expansion in programmes which in turnproduced other challenges in terms of capacity both in staffing andinfrastructure. This is expected to be addressed through majorremodeling of existing buildings.

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Deputy Dean

Continuing Education

Professor Thengani NgwenyaVision

The Continuing Education Sector aims to providequality professional development programmes topracticing educators.


In 2005 we successfully set up programme-specificstructures to manage professional developmentqualifications such as the Advanced Certificate inEducation (ACE) and National Professional Diplomain Education (NPDE) at UKZN. We opened three Open LearningCentres in Mpumalanga for (ACE). There are seven such Centresin the KwaZulu-Natal province.

Challenges: 2005

• The main challenge was to forge a new identity for the ContinuingEducation Sector reflecting its vision and central concerns.• Developing and consolidating partnerships with fundingorganizations, government departments and privateservice providers.• Setting up new Open Learning Centres in KwaZulu-Natal andMpumalanga.


These included:• Approval of the new NPDE (GET) programme which caters for

unqualified and under-qualified educators by theDepartment of Education and the Council on HigherEducation.• Preparation for the review of the ACE programmeby the Higher Education Quality Council which tookplace in July/August 2006.

Challenges: 2006

In 2006 we faced the following challenges:• Consolidating administrative structures in the sector.

• Ensuring that the programme of the Continuing Education sectoris in line with the University's sessional dates.• The Continuing Education Sector faces unique challenges as aunit which caters for the various professional development needsof educators at different levels throughout the province and inselected districts in Mpumalanga and relies on mixed mode ofdelivery to do this. Students in this sector attend classes duringweekends and school vacations. Most of the programmes in thissector are funded by government in the form of bursaries and loansand this has implications for effective financial management as theUniversity's financial management systems are not alignedwith those of government departments.

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Engagingwith the

Community

Deputy Dean

Postgraduate Studies and Research

Professor Relebohile MoletsaneVision

• To be a leading Faculty in research and education,particularly in the area of rural education, and withinthis, to develop particular niche areas such asMathematics, Science, Literacy, Gender Educationand HIV/AIDS in Education and develop and supportexcellence in research and Education amongAfrican academics.


The Master of Education (MED) programme received fullaccreditation in 2006 after undergoing intensive review andassessment by CHE in 2005. The Faculty produced a record 18PhD graduates in 2006. The Faculty should also be applauded for

having improved research output by 30%. The Collegehas the potential to be a powerful player in theProvince and South Africa as a whole, as the twoFaculties function efficiently.

Challenges

Funding to keep the research culture on track andongoing is not sufficient to achieve expectedoutcomes. This leads to a serious problem of not beingable to attract and keep postgraduate students,

particularly African students in the PhD programme. Fundingdedicated to support experts to teach in research methodology isalso a challenge. There are too many meetings which hinder theprogress of actual daily academic and administrative responsibilities.

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Deputy Dean

Undergraduate Studies

Professor Michael SamuelVision

The goal of the Initial Teacher Education Sector is toproduce competent and committed professionalteachers who will serve the wide range of diverseschools in South African society. The Faculty iscommitted to supporting the recently gazetted (April2007) National Policy Framework for TeacherEducation and Development which signals thedirection for teaching to be conceptualised as a lifelongjourney that spans both the initial stages of professionaldevelopment (in qualifications such as the Bachelor of Educationand the Postgraduate Certificate in Education) as well as continuingprofessional development strategies. This vision allows us as aFaculty to contribute to the professional growth of teachers as theyjourney in their own careers, making an important contribution tobuilding the human potential of the country througheducational intervention.


We are currently facing an attrition rate of about 5.5% of teacherswho leave the national education system annually. This amountsto approximately 22 000 teachers, who need to be replaced on anannual basis. The system currently only produces about 6 000 newteachers across the Higher Education system nationally. The needfor new graduates to enter the teaching profession is thus a majorresponsibility for the Faculty of Education at UKZN. We currentlycontribute about 450 new teachers to the system annually. Thishas led us to increase the enrolment of first time entrants into theFaculty. We have attracted over 2 300 applicants who are nowcompeting for the available 500 places in the faculty for the Bachelor

of Education degree. We also have widened ourenrolment for the PGCE to include a part-time deliveryto mainly practicing teachers who are in possessionof a degree but do not have the necessary professionalqualifications. The majority of the entrants into theFaculty have above the entry requirements of amatriculation exemption with 32 points.

The Department of Education has now re-introducedthe awarding of bursaries with a service contract to

prospective and present Initial Teacher Education students whoare preparing to become teachers in scarce learning areas or teachingsubjects, such as Mathematics, Sciences, Languages, and Technology.A special shortage of teachers for the Foundation Phase is alsoaddressed via this Fundza Lushaka bursary. Students are funded ifthey are prepared to serve the nation through teaching in areas ofneed which are likely to be in rural and under-served schoolingcontexts. 180 such bursaries are available for students at the UKZNFaculty of Education.

Challenges

The current challenge is to address the fears that young SouthAfricans have about teaching in schools other than the kinds whichthey themselves attended as secondary and primary learners.Educating teachers to address both the specific realities of well andunder-resourced schooling is a challenge of our curriculum. We arepleased to have a cadre of committed staff who ensure that ourgraduates are the best quality teachers being developed forthe country.

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Personal Assistant to the Dean


Ms Blossom PilisoVision

As the contact person in the Faculty, I want to offerefficient services to the University community andthe public, and offer effective help to our clients ordirect them to where their needs can be met.

Highlights: 2005/6

The organization of Promotion Committee for 2005

and 2006 was a big exercise. Handling of the publicespecially parents of our students has been a challenge.

Challenges: 2005/6

Students and parents encounter problems in admissionand registration or getting results. These are in additionto the challenges of the office of the PA to the Dean.

Principal Faculty Officer


Ms Dudu KhozaVision

•To create an efficient, caring and supportive Facultyunit in relation to the various Schools under the Facultyof Education, and to the public we serve.

Highlights: 2005/6

This office was created in 2005. We also successfullymanaged the staffing and finances of the variousSchools in the Faculty.

Challenges: 2005/6

Challenges relate to understandable difficulties arisingfrom little understanding of the procedures involvedespecially in terms of finance. This gives rise topressures and sometimes conflicts around paymentor non-payment of salaries. Other challenges are asa result of the merger and the new system it gave riseto while others stem from the current transformationprocess. Normally, transformation processes throwup their own challenges, and especially in this case,for a young black woman.

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Faculty Manager


Ms Lindiwe MziziHighlights/Successes: 2005

The 2005 highlight for me was that the structuresand the Faculty leadership were put in place by theend of 2005.

Challenges: 2005

There remained lack of clarity around administrativestructures and positions whilst academic Schools tookshape. The other challenge was that of the MED reviewwhich made us review our policiesand procedures.


The administrative structures began to take shape in 2006. Allpermanent administrative staff were ‘matched and placed’. There

is a level of clarity on the responsibilities of the threesectors headed by Deputy Deans and the roles andresponsibilities of Administrators are now becomingclearer.

Challenges: 2006

2006 became the year in which the BED, PGCE andACE programmes were reviewed. A number ofappointments of contract administration staff werefinalised which requires skills training and workshops.

The merger has been a learning curve, a process rather than anevent and it challenges processes and procedures.

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StudentsReaching Outto one another

Head of the School of Adult & Higher Education


Professor John AitchisonVision

The School supports the right to knowledge and thepursuit of knowledge by all members of society. Itseeks to respond imaginatively to policy shifts andsocial and economic developments that affect thelives of ordinary people. In doing this the Schoolendeavours to make its contributions to the field ofeducation relevant, critical, liberating, and alsoreflective of a commitment to serve those whohave yet to benefit under South Africa'sdemocratic dispensation.


The new School of Adult and Higher Education was set up and avibrant team of people from the Centre for Adult Education, theCentre for Higher Education Studies and from CommunityDevelopment began working together. The new NationalProfessional Diploma in Education for staff from Further Educationan Training Colleges was initiated, a first in South Africa.


• The role of the Head of School in drafting a dynamicnew plan to tackle illiteracy in South Africa whichwent to the South African Cabinet in November andwas accepted and Cabinet pledged putting R6.1 billioninto its implementation over the next six years.• Growth and expansion of the Certificate in Educationprogramme which genuinely reaches non-traditionalUniversity students.

Challenge: 2006

The heavy workloads experienced by staff.

Other comment

The School remains the most important Higher Education Centrefor adult education in South Africa and indeed in most of Africa.It has growing recognition as a centre of excellence in this field.

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Head of the School of Social Science Education


Doctor Dennis FrancisVision

•To be an interdisciplinary academic School thatpromotes Social Science Education as a key area ofstudy and that is recognised for our innovative teachingand research.

Mission

In order to place Social Science Education at theforefront of academia, the School will provide a holisticeducation to our pre-service, in-service and postgraduate students, thereby producing balanced educators who arefully cognizant of their rights and responsibilities in society. Thiseducation will stress the importance of interrelationships amongstthe Disciplines that make up the School of Social Science Education,and between these Disciplines and the wider world, so as to produceeducators who can perform in a complex, multi-nuanced region,country and world.

The common purpose of these disciplines is to educate for a complexworld, to take notice of issues and challenges facing humanity andto suggest solutions to deal with them. To achieve this end, pre-service, in-service and post graduate educators will be exposed toprogrammes that will enable them to learn how to think and actin ways that are flexible, theoretically informed and holistic.

In addition, the School will advance the academic and professionaldevelopment of our staff and students. This will be done, inter alia,

by facilitating a caring, responsive and challenginglearning environment from undergraduate todoctoral level.

The School will also contribute to both the vision ofthe Faculty of Education and the University. It willpresent world-class teaching programmes andinnovative research projects that are fundamentallyrooted in an African context. It will also bring wide-ranging professional expertise and appropriate

methodology to the programmes. Moreover, the School willnurture and actively promote mutually beneficial relationships withother Schools in the Faculty, as well as with public and privateeducational institutions locally and internationally.


In 2005 two staff members obtained their senior degrees – JohanWassermann completed his PhD, and Rowena Naidoo attained herMasters in Sport Science. In 2006 two staff members completedtheir PhDs in Education – Murthi Maistry and Milton Nkoane.

In 2005/6 academic staff were highly active in research, publishedwidely in their respective fields in accredited journals and madescholarly presentations at international conferences. They areDr Jan Forbes, Dr Dennis Francis, Dr Murthi Maistry, Dr SadhanaManik, Dr Milton Nkoane, and Dr Johan Wassermann.

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Head of the School of Languages, Literacy, Media

and Drama Education, Faculty of Education

Professor Robert BalfourVision

•To lead in language, drama, and media educationthrough research and reflection.

Mission

•To provide quality education for students enrolledin the teaching of language arts (language, literature,media, and drama) in all three official languages ofKwaZulu-Natal (English, Afrikaans, isiZulu).


The School’s rapid expansion in 2005 was further consolidated in2006 with developments that saw us take on a regional andinstitutional profile owing to a number of national and internationalevents organised by members of the School.

The School of Languages, Literacy, Media and Drama Educationhosted a major conference on teacher development which wasorganised by a consortium of regional institutions in KwaZulu-Natal. The second Teacher Development Conference attractedparticipation from 500 teachers, academics, education officials,national and international speakers. Professors Christie fromQueensland University (Australia) and Mazibuko (DVC, Collegeof Humanities, UKZN), Mr Mohammed, National Director ofTeacher Development (SA), Dr Cassius Lubisi, SuperintendentGeneral of Education (KZN), and Ms Sereseto (Chairperson, SACE)gave keynote addresses to deliberate on issues affectingrural education.

An international symposium, convened by Jean Stuart and ProfessorClaudia Mitchell of the CVMSC entitled “Putting People in thePicture” took place at the Killie Campbell Museum and Library atUKZN. Attended by some 50 academics from across the globe, theevent provided an opportunity to showcase research in the area ofvisual methodologies and cultural production from a wide rangeof disciplines. In early August the University Language Policy waspassed through Senate, bringing to a closure the work by ProfessorBalfour and the Senate Committee on preparing a bilingual (Englishand isiZulu) language policy for UKZN. This development was

featured widely in the local, national, and eveninternational press since it represented a feature ofinstitutional transformation in South Africa and oneof the first comprehensive policies and plans forlanguage development that takes into account theneed to enrich and enhance the use of indigenouslanguages in education, work, and cultural life.

The debate on how to raise awareness of academicliteracy heated up and extended far beyond the

corridors of the School. It was in response to this concern that theSchool hosted a two day seminar and workshop in August. Guestspeakers Dr Cecilia Jacobs (CPUT) and Mike Hart shared theirexperiences and the findings of their research with staff from avariety of Disciplines within the Faculty of Education. SiobhanSweet, the primary organiser of the event, secured a large grantfrom the Access Office of the University to ascertain and helpdevelop discipline literacies within the Faculty of Education. InSeptember the Discipline of isiZulu Education (HoD: NokukhanyaNgcobo) organised a regional seminar which attracted over 150delegates. These included educators, academics, undergraduateand post graduate students, KwaZulu-Natal Department ofEducation officials, and publishers (Shuter and Shooter and MaskewMiller).

The School’s attention focused on two major developments toaddress strategic needs and direction for the next three years. Thefirst was the Professional Development Strategy, and the secondwas the development of the School Research Strategy. The Schoolhosted a professional development seminar on ‘diversity awarenessand training’ in November and Disciplines have organised similarevents for colleagues. School Research Day took place in Novemberand was an opportunity to reflect on major projects, researchproductivity, and research niche areas already located within theSchool. The Day was used by academics and postgraduate studentsin the School to develop thinking and a strategy to take the Schoolto new levels of research excellence through focused team projects;and new collaborations across disciplines. The School ResearchStrategy served at School Board in December.

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Concerning research, 2006 has been another ‘bumper year’ for theSchool seeing some five books, 11 chapters, 18 articles, 20conference papers, a number of book reviews, projects, and otherforms of publication taking place.

In 2006 SANTED funded a major regional project with an amountof R3 million to develop capacity and materials for bilingualeducation. Over 150 students were recognized for their work atthe annual top achievers’ function in September.

The School’s academic programmes ran successfully this year withexcellent student evaluations received for new modules. In 2006the CHE evaluation of programmes took place and the Schoolutilised this opportunity to consolidate strategic thinking, quality

assurance processes, and curriculum development in relation tothe Disciplines.

In relation to academic staffing, the School was very successful insecuring four new permanent posts for English, Afrikaans, Drama,and isiZulu Education respectively. The staff complement in theSchool is as follows: 73% Black, 27% white, 33% male and 66%female. Also concerning leadership: this year two members of theSchool, Lorraine Singh, and Emmanuel Mgqwashu were elected asrepresentatives of the Faculty to the University Senate. Finally, JeanStuart, Lorraine Singh, Sharita Bharuthram (University ofJohannesburg), and Emmanuel Mgqwashu all submitted their PhDtheses for examination towards the end of 2006, thereby affirmingour confidence in a future rich in research and teaching possibilities.

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Head of the School of Education and Development


Doctor Volker Wedekind

Vision

This is an interdisciplinary School focusing oneducation and development. In line with UKZN’svision, the School looks at education and developmentinternationally with particular focus on non-formaleducation and training including Higher Educationand community education. This School emphasizessocial justice education and ways in which educationcan empower people. It pays special attention toissues relating to poverty, women and children. It isinterested in issues of management, administration, policydevelopment as well as teacher development.


The School worked with the South African Democratic TeachersUnion (SADTU) to run workshops for 200 school principals onconflict resolution and administration. The Rockefeller Foundationfunded a teacher training programme dealing with orphans andHIV/AIDS. The School has conducted a R7 million research projectdealing with transport in relation to school-based teacher education. Work has been done on curriculum development and barriers tobasic education and in relation to HIV/AIDS in Richmond in the

KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. The study conducted bythe School discovered that rural areas were concernedwith Mathematics, Science and Biology teachers.

With a diverse student profile, the School offersundergraduate studies with a focus on developmentissues on the Pietermaritzburg campus. It has teachingprogrammes in Kokstad, Mbazwane, Richards Bayand Mpumalanga Province. It also offers in-servicetraining for students. Research productivity has

increased and a large number of people contribute significantly tothe research output at UKZN.

Challenges

The School faces the challenge of managing 47 staff and part-timeappointments in a situation where there are limitations onadministrative support. It has to keep up with managing pressuresof people coming from different backgrounds. It receives morerequests for training and as a result there is more demand and alack of capacity. The School also finds itself in a situation where itbattles to retain staff as they move to Government and NGOs.

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Head of the School of Science, Mathematics and

Technology Education, Faculty of Education

Doctor Nadaraj GovenderVision

•To provide relevant Science, Mathematics andTechnology Education at all levels.•To conduct research across a number of areas, e.g.,conceptual content and pedagogical areas with a focuson HIV/AIDS, Gender, Astronomy, Technology,Problem Solving across tertiary, secondary and primaryschools.•To foster links and work with our community in acollaborative partnership.


Our School is a large grouping of Science, Maths and Technologyeducators in South Africa. In January 2007 we introduced theMathematics Literacy programme which is delivered at urban andrural centres in KwaZulu-Natal (to about 800 teachers), funded bythe Department of Education. Our staff is involved in a majorproject with Norwegian and African universities in broadening

access in SMTE. In 2006 the school won the Universityaward for the best Open Day display on the Edgewoodcampus. Staff are also involved in matricintervention programmes.

Challenges: 2005/6

The main challenges experienced were student passrates and improving research productivity.Mathematics, Science and Technology are scarce areasand we are actively engaged in increasing the number

of students through programmes (Minquiz, Technology Expo,Olympiads etc), with improving student pass rates and improvingthe quality of the pass rates. Evaluation of the current teachingmethodology and additional tutor support programmes wereinitiated. Research challenges include engaging staff with a focusin particular niche areas eg. IKS; to increase our research output,and to support our staff and students in their Master’s and Doctoralprogrammes.

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Head of the School of Education Studies


Doctor Labby RamrathanVision

Our vision is to be the leading site for educationtheorizing, and research and development; and toaddress the realities of teaching both at the nationaland international levels. We want to be innovativein our approach to teaching. We also want to be acaring and supportive School that addresses nationalrealities as well as being responsive to the concernsof our students and staff and the community. Wewant to be respectful of, sensitive to, and critical inour engagements at all levels.


Some of our academic staff are some of the leading figures in thefield. Two of them are NRF-rated. The research output of some ofour staff exceeds five peer reviewed journal publications. In 2006,our staff participated in national workshops, seminars andconferences. Outcomes of these are fed back into our Disciplines.We provide opportunities for our staff to realize their visions. Weparticipated in the national CHE review and some of us are reviewpanel members for other institutions. One has been invited to theUSA to participate in a training programme. Another is participatingat national level in Gender Studies while another is involved in earlychildhood development at the national level. We made a LEAP

appointment who is doing a good job in promotinggrowth and development.

Our publication outputs are increasing on a yearlybasis. We also have a journal: Bulletin, which is anational journal aimed at promoting a publication andwriting culture among students, staff and researchers.We are also forging partnerships with community-based organizations in promoting what we do in theSchool. The decision to promote dual medium offering

in early childhood development is a national priority and we wantto respond in a way that will meet the goals of producing foundationteachers in both English and IsiZulu. We have appointed teachersin this respect.

Challenges: 2005/6

• To bring together and consolidate all the areas both for researchand development.• To develop trust among our staff–trust in what they do in termsof lecturing, and management and leadership.• To promote the goals of transforming an emerging Institution.Associated with this is to mediate between the demands or needsof the University and the needs and demands of the staff.

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Supply3Words

KnowledgeProduction

Editorial Team

Professor Fikile Mazibuko , Professor Dasarath Chetty , Deanne Collins ,

Bhekani Dlamini , Normah Zondo

Photography

Bhekani Dlamini , Madoda Mahlangu , Shaun Veeran , Normah Zondo

Produced by

Public Affairs and Corporate Communications and the College of Humanities.

Contact PRO

Normah Zondo

Tel: 031 260 3728 , E mail: [email protected] , Fax: 031 260 3381

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Documents

The Soul of the University