NELSPRUIT – The University of Mpumalanga has been a long time in the making. Even now, it has a long road ahead of it. It was promulgated in August.
Committees for tertiary education were first established to oversee the collaboration of satellite campuses of other universities, before establishing the University of Mpumalanga. Its interim strategic management committee met Lowvelder this week at the Lowveld Agricultural College.
It consists of chairman Prof Ramaranka Mogotlane, Prof John Shongwe and Mr Sandile Mabuza. “The university is in its infancy,” Mogotlane explained. “It needs a lot of effort and support and like an infant, it keeps you up at night.” .
Recently appointed for six months, the committee answers to an interim council consisting of Dr David Mabunda, Prof Chris de Beer, Mr Vincent Mlombo, Prof Connie Mokadi and Ms Helen Thrush. They in turn report to the Department of Higher Education and Training, which will run the university.
There are three sites at the university, comprising the college in Nelspruit, the Mpumalanga Regional Training Trust, and Siyabuswa College. The latter is where teacher training commenced this year, under the patronage of the University of Johannesburg. It is also involved with hospitality while the agricultural courses are under the patronage of the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the University of Pretoria.
Mogotlane explained that these “patrons” provide experts to help design courses and supervise the quality assurance of the courses. At present, students enrolling for courses do so under the name of the supervising university. Only from 2015 onwards, will they officially enrol at the University of Mpumalanga.
“They are walking every step of the way with us,” Mogotlane said of the educational entities assisting them. He added that the courses would initially strive to be locally relevant. As a result, the focus is on agriculture, tourism and education.
Being a comprehensive university, it will offer certificates, diplomas, higher diplomas, bachelor’s and master’s degrees and eventually doctorates.
On the agenda for courses that will start in 2015 are BSc Agric, B Nursing, BA Languages; diplomas in nature conservation, IT, and tourism management; and certificates in pharmacy and emergency medical care.
At present the education course is filled up for 2014, but applications for the agriculture and hospitality courses will only close on January 10. The committee emphasised that funding is available and qualifying students will be assisted as much as possible.
Enquiries: studentadmissions@ump.ac.za or sandile.mabuza@ump.ac.za or visit www.ump.ac.za
