Professor mandala makhanya biography of rory davis

It takes a great deal of courage to step forward and become a Vice Chancellor, but he leaves a legacy and lasting impact on the largest University in Africa and one of the oldest distance teaching universities in the world. A creative and imaginative scholar, a true gentleman, and an innovator — he will be remembered as an innovative pioneer. Professor Mandla Makhanya became Vice Chancellor of the University of South Africa in and immediately set about on a journey of transformation and change.

Like many African institutions, it had been strongly influenced by its colonial past. It began its pioneering work in distance education in , showing its commitment to increasing access and success in education for those previously denied admission to higher education, especially black learners under apartheid. When Professor Makhanya became Vice Chancellor, he knew what the challenges were.

With a doctorate in sociology, he had been involved both as an academic and as a Pro-Vice Chancellor, having started before the merger. Prior to his academic work, Professor Makhanya worked in sales and marketing for a division of a multinational corporation. In , the University merged with Technikon SA and the Vista University Distance Education Campus VUDEC to form the current institution — dedicated to open admission, flexible and distance learning and increasingly using technology to enable its mission: social justice and social development through learning and research.

Before joining the DPHS staff, Mbongeni

Mergers are difficult — different cultures, different processes and values. Following the change to the constitution, the ending of apartheid and the emergence of democracy in , South Africa needed a new generation of capable, skilled and educated teachers, lawyers, doctors, engineers, scientists, agronomists and community development workers as well as entrepreneurs.

In practice, Professor Makhanya worked to secure a stronger role for UNISA in helping shape the research, teaching and learning agenda, not only in South Africa, but across the continent. The voice of UNISA began to be heard loud and clear in regional and continental social, economic and community development strategies, especially as they relate to climate change, health and the sustainable development.

This was not acceptable to me. The life of a Vice Chancellor is sometimes challenging. Not all stakeholders fully accept that they are not able to change the law or regulatory conditions under which UNISA has to operate.