Page 37 - UniZulu Annual Report 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the development of an adjusted Assessment and Communications Plan. The impetus has been to ensure that students complete their semester and academic year 2020 uninterrupted. A secure and reliable assessment management system is in place at an institutional level that provides accurate, consistent and credible results.
STRATEGIC GOAL 5: National and international
reputation management of UNIZULU
UNIZULU made significant strides in its drive to develop ways to manage the national, regional and international reputation of UNIZULU. A Policy on Internationalisation was developed in 2019 that highlights the University’s approach to internationalisation. It also emphasises the stance of the University regarding the phenomenon, thereby identifying principles that will guide the practices and further stipulates the strategies the University uses in the implementation of the process of internationalisation. This led to the draft conceptual framework on Internationalisation, which has been developed in 2020.
Various research collaborations are conducted among UNIZULU, regional and international organisations. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was entered into with a Russian HEI aimed at joint research projects and staff
and student training and development. Another collaboration agreement was entered into with the KwaZulu-Natal Office of the Premier to explore work integrated learning (WIL), cooperative support using unemployed graduates, the creation of job centres across KZN, various agricultural initiatives, skills development, capacity building and joint research and community engagement initiatives.
STRATEGIC GOAL 6: Accelerate infrastructure
development
The University has received significant support from DHET on its Infrastructure Development Programme. This led to the approval of UNIZULU’s Spatial Framework in 2019, consisting of the Main Entrance Precinct; Student Accommodation Precinct; the KwaDlangezwa Academic Precinct; the Facilities Precinct; KwaDlangezwa Academic Administration Precinct; Richards Bay Academic Precinct, and the Richards Bay Student Accommodation Precinct. In addition, a community consultation strategy was developed to engage internal and external stakeholders on the Infrastructure Development Programme. As indicated under Goal 4 above, the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on infrastructure development. The Master Project List (MPL) was approved in April 2020, marking the first step of the final preparation of the Infrastructure Implementation
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UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND ANNUAL REPORT 2020