NDABA MAY 2006.pmd - University of KwaZulu-Natal

UKZN achieversPicture: Vicky CrookesGift of the GiversbursariesThe 2006 Gift of the Giversbursary and scholarshipholders were presented toDr Sooliman, founder of theorganisation, at a function on thePietermaritzburg campus. Thishumanitarian and disaster relieforganisation has contributedR1.3 million towards scholarshipsand bursaries for undergraduatestudents in the agricultural fields.Dr Sooliman expressed his pleasureat being involved with the Schoolof Agricultural Sciences and Agribusinessand congratulated therecipients. He emphasised theimportance of agricultural developmentin Africa and commented that“seventy percent of economies inAfrica depend on agriculture” andtherefore, “we want agriculture tocome right to the top”.- Vicky CrookesThe 2006 bursary and scholarship holders with Dr Sooliman (left-right) Nonhlanzeko Mthembu, Thandi Msomi,Nqobile Nkosi, Dr Sooliman, Pam Neubert, Michelle Brown, Cindy Moon, and Nkosi Mkwanazi.Global leadersUKZN students Rebecca Arangiesand Amy Juliet Morrow are two ofthe six South African students whohave been named 2006 GoldmanSachs Global Leaders.For five years, the Goldman SachsGlobal Leaders Programme hasidentified and developed some ofthe world’s most promising futureleaders. The UKZN students areamong 100 outstanding secondyearstudents selected from over 70of the world’s top colleges anduniversities.Goldman Sachs Global Leaders,who represent more than 40 countriesto date, are chosen preciselybecause they already know how tomake a difference in the world. Inaddition to their academic achievements,many have already begun tofind solutions for problems acrossthe globe. Amy Morrow, for example,initiated a public awarenessand community outreach programmein the Tongaat, Kwa Zulu-Natal area in 2005. This initiativehas subsequently been namedHIVACT and takes the form of aschool society that focuses on Aidsawareness and education in theschool and community. Continuedmonitoring and research of itseffectiveness is done.“Global Leaders are extremelytalented academically and havealready shown proven leadershipabilities and a strong interest inglobal affairs,” said Stephanie Bell-Rose, President of The GoldmanSachs Foundation, as she announcedthe 20 US and Canadian2006 Goldman Sachs GlobalLeaders. “Goldman Sachs and IIEcreated this programme to help thesepromising young people developtheir leadership skills and goals ata critical juncture in their academiccareers in order to become evenmore effective agents of change.”Each Global Leader receives a$3 000 grant for educationalexpenses. In addition, 50 of thisyear’s 100 Global Leaders,including Ms Morrow, have beenselected to participate in theannual Goldman Sachs GlobalLeadership Institute, July 8-14,2006, in New York City. At theInstitute, they will spend time withrenowned leaders from the private,public and nonprofit sectors,learning about leadership andglobal issues.stThe 1 st LEAP Academy 2006EVOLVING policy, legislativeframeworks and other environmentalfactors have redefinedthe notion of leadership inHigher Education. No longercan university leaders andmanagers slip into an administrativecareer stream withoutspecialist training. Theleadership and managementfunctions of the modern HigherEducation institution demandparticular knowledge and skillsthat cannot be developed fullythrough the process of osmosisby which past and currentgenerations of university administratorshave had littlechoice but to learn their jobs.The LEAP Academy, which isfunded by the Carnegie Corporation,reflects the University ofKwaZulu-Natal’s proactiveapproach to building the leadershippipeline. Ms Reena Budree,Co-Project leader for LEAP, saysthat the Academy is intended tofill a very serious trainingvacuum by providing up-to-date,cutting-edge and locally relevanttraining for new and emergingleaders and managers within theUniversity.The Academy incorporates ongoingshort professional developmentworkshops and seminars,networking opportunitiesand culminates in a 4-day interactiveworkshop.Presenters are experts in theirfield drawn from South Africaand where possible internationally.The Academy is aimed at existingand aspirant Deans, DeputyDeans, Heads of Schools andDirectors of Support Divisions.The response to the first call forparticipants was phenomenal.Applications are submittedthrough the Deputy Vice-Chancellor/ Head of the Collegeof operational unit.The first Module on 29 Mayheld at the University InnovationCentre, entitled AcademicPlanning, was presented byProfessor Nthabiseng AudreyOgude, Deputy-Vice Chancellor(Academic) at the NelsonMandela Metropolitan University.Professor Ogude.Professor Ogude is an accomplishedacademic and researcher.When she became the first blackwoman to obtain a doctorate inanalytical chemistry at WitsUniversity in 1992, she did notsee it as something to be proudof: “Instead, I found it sad, andalmost ridiculous,” she reflects.“It reminded me of the historyof this country more thananything else. It says somethingabout South Africa that it tookthat long for a black women toachieve something like this.”The second session on 12 June2006 was on Partnership Developmentand Institutional Advancement,presented by ProfessorMahlubi Mabizela, ResearchSpecialist in the Education,Sciences, and SkillsDevelopment (ESSD) ResearchProgramme of the Human SciencesResearch Council (HSRC).There was also a workshop byMs Shelagh Gastrow entitled“Exploring the Donor World”.Shelagh Gastrow is the ExecutiveDirector of Inyathelo: TheSouth African Institute forAdvancement which she helpedto establish in 2002.Professor Mahlubi Mabizela.The next module on ResearchPlanning and Development is on26 June. Presenters includeProfessor Cheryl De La Rey,Deputy Vice-Chancellor Researchat the University of CapeTown, Gerhad Moolman andAndrew Kaniki from the NRFas well as Professor AhmedBawa.6