SPONSORED | UMP rewards scholarly excellence

The university’s awards ceremony is a means to reward their very best scholars throughout the year.

December 12, 2024

Content Supplied 1 minute read

UMP Centre for Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubator (CFERI) Team. This award honours a group who has made an exceptional contribution to advancing engagement as a core university function. Photos: Supplied

The University of Mpumalanga (UMP) recognised and rewarded scholarly excellence during the annual Excellence Awards Ceremony.

Vice-Chancellor, Prof Thoko Mayekiso, underscored the importance of recognising excellence. “Research, teaching and engagement are the pillars of our university. Pursuing excellence across these areas allows us to create an impact locally, nationally and internationally. The road to excellence is always under construction. It demands persistence, refined skills, deep knowledge and a commitment to lifelong learning. As we celebrate these accomplishments, we are reminded that while weeds grow unaided, flowers require cultivation,” she said.

Faculty Teacher of the Year Award: Dr Ayanda Shabalala, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for Bachelor of Science, School of Biology and Environmental Sciences. This award acknowledges an individual who made the most significant contribution to teaching and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in the faculty.

Faculty Emerging Researcher of the Year Award: Dr Tshepiso Ndhlovu, Lecturer and Indigenous Knowledge Systems Researcher (Plant Medicinal Compounds), School of Biology and Environmental Sciences. This award celebrates a young researcher, who has made the most significant research advancements during the reporting year.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor for research, innovation and internationalisation, Prof Aldo Stroebel, emphasised the value of collaboration as an enabler to advance the academic project.

Our academic project is strong. We are resolute in partnering with external stakeholders to strengthen and advance it further. We should continuously strive to embed a research culture within the university and position the UMP as a premier research partner,’’ said Stroebel.

A professor of higher education at New York University, Prof Teboho Moja, delivered a thought-provoking keynote address on the transformative power of research and innovation in creating a sustainable future. Applauding the UMP’s research achievements, she called for projects prioritising societal impact, emphasising that impactful research is not solely about publications or citations, but also its measurable outcomes.

NFR-rated Researcher Award: Dr Tim Forssman, Senior Lecturer in Cultural and Heritage Studies, School of Social Sciences. This award is given to researchers who during the reporting year receive an NRF rating for the first time, retain their NRF rating through a re-evaluation by the NRF, and improve their NRF rating through a re-evaluation by the NRF.

NRF-rated Researcher Award: Dr Mazanai Musara, Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and Business Management. This award is given to researchers who during the reporting year receive an NRF rating for the first time, retain their NRF rating through a re-evaluation by the NRF, and improve their NRF rating through a re-evaluation by the NRF.

“The true value of research lies in its ability to transform lives and create lasting, meaningful change,” observed Moja, and the need for a reciprocal exchange of knowledge with local communities to ensure solutions are both practical and culturally relevant. “Universities thrive when they engage with the communities they serve, co-designing sustainable solutions to shared challenges,” she concluded.