The University of Mpumalanga (UMP) recently won the Top Women Business Icons 202: an Honorary Legends of Empowerment and Transformation Award at the 2022 Standard Bank Top Women Awards at Emperor’s Palace in Gauteng.

UMP’s vice chancellor, Professor Thoko Mayekiso, received the award on behalf of the university, joining more than 700 attendees and over 30 phenomenal women across Africa from organisations advocating for gender equality.

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UMP was nominated under the category Organisation Awards, which celebrated and recognised the achievements of organisations striving to make the workplace supportive of women, while the individual awards recognised individual achievements of female entrepreneurs, executives and employees over the past 18 months.

This year has seen UMP reaping various rewards including the 2022 National Research Foundation (NRF) Excellence Award, acknowledging South African research institutions for most improved research performance during recent years. These institutions were evaluated by independent parties and measured against specific criteria. UMP is the eighth South African university to win the excellence award since its introduction.

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“One of our strategic goals is to create and support an environment fostering research quality, impact and productivity. We have noticed over the years an increase in the numbers of staff with doctoral degrees, NRF-rated researchers, research outputs and funding for research, as well as scholarships for honours and masters students. We congratulate our researchers on this achievement,” said Mayekiso.