Page 73 - DUT Annual Report 2023

The Senate report will expatiate on several key activities undertaken to provide curricula that stimulate creativity and innovation to generate new knowledge and solutions.
was implemented to catalyse procurement transformation was the supplier development project, which is piloted to identify level 1 and 2 B-BBEE suppliers to be incorporated in a supplier development campaign, leading ultimately to business opportunities.
Human Capital/Staff
Recognising that foremost to fostering ‘The DUT Way’ is ‘the right people, in the right seats, performing their roles right’, the institutional review at DUT is progressing effectively in realising its intent of creating a fit for purpose organisational structure that is aligned with ENVISION2030. Allied with this, a noteworthy accomplishment in cultivating ‘The DUT Way’ found us activating our values and principles via a bespoke psychometric testing tool that enables screening of person-culture fit in our recruitment processes. We have successfully made senior management appointments within the Council-approved new structures.
We have also noted advancements in the transformation of our staff equity profile. Equity has increased by 4.8%, reflecting positively on our staff recruitment. Particularly, there has been an increase in the recruitment of Black Africans for senior roles compared to the previous periods.
To address the provision of ageing staff and promote transformation within faculties, we have implemented
PROFESSOR T. Z. MTHEMBU
Vice-Chancellor and Principal
various initiatives to support young academics. In addition to our GOOT programmes (refer to our Statement on Sustainability), there has been an increase in the appointment of African women academics across different faculties to reflect the provincial demographics better.
Students, Student Success, and
Student Life
The Council’s Statement on Sustainability referenced the contribution of the Siyaphumelela 2.0 towards reducing student attrition and assuring student retention and success. Also associated with student development are the Hlomisa project, the Hambisa project, and the VUNA Leadership Academy, all aimed at supporting our students to succeed. Another key initiative is the Phakimpilo food security programme, which operates a pantry and plays a crucial role in addressing food insecurity among students in distress, ensuring their wellbeing and continued academic success. Our quarterly Lekgotla Dialogue Series provided a platform for student leadership drawn from the SRC, Student Parliament, clubs and societies to hold discourse on a broad range of topics pertinent to student life and experience.
This statement provides a high-level overview of initiatives that we undertook in 2023 to transform various key components of the DUT landscape.
MR N. Z. W. MADINANE
Chairperson of Council
DUT ANNUAL REPORT 2023
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