Guided by the university’s Vision 2020 Strategic Plan, members of the Executive Management ensure the proper running of the university’s assets such as finances, human resources, infrastructure, and facilities.

They also monitor the implementation of institutional policies and maintain the highest standards in the realization of the university’s academic project.

The executive management reports to Council for all academic, research and innovation as well as all other functions of the institution.

The body is ably led by the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Prins Nevhutalu, who has been at the helm of CPUT since 2014.

He had previously worked as Deputy Vice-Chancellor at both the University of Zululand and Tshwane University of Technology

Dr Nevhutalu is assisted by three Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Professor Anthony Staak (Academic), Dr Chris Nhlapo (Research, Technology, Innovation and Partnerships) and Prof Louis Fourie (Knowledge and Information Technology Services).

Other members are Cora Motale, Dean of Students, Registrar Nikile Ntsababa and Executive Directors Sibusisiwe Sibanda (Infrastructure Development and Facilities Management), Dr Octavia Mkhabela (Office of the Vice Chancellor), Maresce Geduld-Jeftha (Finance) and Mikhail Mabuza (Human Capital).

In order to succeed in its duties the Executive Management counts on the help of Deans who lead the university’s faculties.

They are Prof Olalekan Fatoki (Applied Sciences), Prof Mzikayise Binza (Business and Management Sciences), Prof Thobeka Mda (Education), Prof Marshall Sheldon (Engineering), Prof Dhiro Gihwala (Health and Wellness Sciences) and Prof Johannes Cronjè (Informatics and Design).

Written by Kwanele Butana
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The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Chris Nhlapo, who recently led the CPUT delegation on their visit to the University of Montpellier, has applauded the “highly successful South African Higher Education and Research week in France”.

The CPUT delegation of eight included Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships, Dr David Phaho,  Faculty of Applied Sciences Dean, Prof Joseph Kioko,  Head of Department: Food Technology, Prof Jessy Van Wyk, researcher at the Centre for Water and Sanitation Research,  Prof Bongani Ncube, Assistant Dean: Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, Professor Veruscha Fester, Dean: Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, Marshall Sheldon, and Busiswa Luqhide,  Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator in the  Office of the Vice-Chancellor.

CPUT was invited to the event by the French Embassy in South Africa in collaboration with the South African Embassy in France and the National Research Foundation (NRF). The event aimed to reinforce the mutual understanding and knowledge of France's respective academic landscapes and achieve the objective of expanding bilateral scientific and educational cooperation to South African universities.

The CPUT delegation met the Ministry of Higher Education and Research. It has had several engagements with various universities on diverse topics of collaboration and partnerships, namely, Science Po, Toulouse University, University of Paris Saclay, University Paris-Est Creteil, University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and University of Montpellier.

In an interview at Montpellier with Ecom News about the exchanges between the University of Montpellier and South African universities, Nhlapo said: “We are involved in satellite missions, so we have launched several satellites with them in space, and we also had several staff and students’ exchanges.”

Reflecting on the benefit for CPUT, Nhlapo said: “It’s an opportunity for international exposure for our students. If you look at the F’SATI or the French South African Institute of Technology, it has been there for more than 25 years, there are a lot of projects, and we are looking at the sustainability of the model because the model works”.

Nhlapo said all delegations from 23 South African Universities and more than 40 French higher education and research institutions “benefitted immensely”.

The Vice-Chancellor was also impressed by the annual Montpellier Sustainability Global Day during this visit. “The Scientific workshop and panel discussions on various topics related to sustainability were world-class and very high level. This was organised in partnership with University of Montpellier, CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research), IRD (Institute of Research for Development) and CIRAD (Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement).

Nhlapo was impressed by the Brussels conference between the European Union (EU) and Africa, which was aptly themed: Imagining a new Euro-African scientific partnership.  He said the CNRS and the IRD organised this in the framework of the French Presidency of the European Union Council.

“I would also like to thank the NRF for funding this visit, the South African Ambassador in France and the French Ambassador in South Africa for making this once-in-a-lifetime experience possible,” Nhlapo adds.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce

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