Pretoria - Professor Tinyiko Maluleke will make the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) the most innovative, vibrant and exciting place to work or study in South Africa.
Maluleke, TUT’s incoming vice-chancellor and principal, an experienced senior academic with two decades of executive management experience within the higher education sector, will take begin his new role on February 1
Chairperson of the university council Tilson Manyoni said the appointment of Maluleke followed a rigorous and highly competitive selection process, in which Maluleke’s impressive track record of leadership in higher education and a combination of clear strategic vision, intellectual credibility, depth of academic understanding and collegiate leadership style had placed him a cut above his competitors.
Manyoni said he was delighted by the appointment as the qualities he (Maluleke) was selected for by the selection committee were viewed as invaluable to lead the university in its aspiration to become one of the top universities globally.
Maluleke is a prominent and internationally-recognised researcher in his field, specialising in religion and politics, as well as black and African theologies.
Among his accolades are being rated a B1 researcher in January 2018 by the South African National Research Foundation. He was also an elected member of the Academy of Science for South Africa.
He held the position of deputy vice-chancellor for internationalisation, advancement and student affairs at the University of Johannesburg.
He is a former deputy registrar and executive director for research as well as deputy executive dean for the College of Human Sciences, and Dean for the Faculty of Theology at Unisa.
He is currently a senior research fellow and deputy director at the Centre for Advanced Scholarship at the University of Pretoria, where he was also the adviser to the former vice-chancellor, Professor Lourens van Staden’s leadership.
“In Professor Maluleke we believe we have found the right person to lead the whole university community in achieving these ambitions,” added Manyoni,
Maluleke said he was “thrilled to be taking on this exciting role at a crucial time for the university”.
“Although the backdrop for universities is challenging, TUT is very well-positioned to take up the role of one of the top universities in the world. It has been led exceptionally well and has real academic strength, outstanding facilities and opportunities for students, state-of-the-art research facilities, and strong partnerships.
“My ambition is for TUT to be known as the most innovative, vibrant and exciting place to work or study in South Africa,” he said.
University of Pretoria vice-chancellor and principal Professor Tawana Kupe, in congratulating Maluleke on his new position, said he believed Maluleke would be able to take TUT to new heights at a time when universities were facing multiple challenges and needed to reposition themselves for greater social impact.
Kupe referred to Malukeke’s scholastic work and described him as one of UP’s leading media commentators and thought leaders, taking a stance on social and political issues.
“This thought leader has contributed to the political discourse of South Africa. Maluleke is highly seasoned in the workings of the higher education sector and is an internationally acclaimed researcher, who has contributed to the academic body of knowledge. He has made his mark in this field and is clearly respected in academic, political and social circles."
Congratulations on the appointment flooded social media, with many saying Maluleke was the right person for the job at a time when the institution – and universities in the country, needed a firm guiding hand.
Among those who sent their congratulations was Gauteng Premier David Makhura, who said: “Hearty congratulations to Professor Tinyiko Maluleke on your appointment as the new vice-chancellor of TUT.
“We have no doubt that you will lead the university towards becoming one of the top universities in the world.”
Higher Education, Science and Technology Deputy Minister Buti Manamela said: “Congratulations on your appointment at the largest contact university in the country. This is no mean task, and you are too brave to even have applied. All the best.”
Pretoria News