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Our transformation journey
Transformation is inextricably connected to issues of culture, communal well-being and an ethic of care, as well as excellence in all its facets.
This view of transformation acknowledges that quantitative performance indicators focusing only on demographic representation cannot capture the extent of the fundamental shift required to establish the NWU as a unitary institution of superior academic excellence, with a commitment to social justice.
We have identified 10 key transformation pillars which we believe are critical in the successful achievement of our goals. They are Diversity, Access, Alignment, Redress, Equity, Resource Allocation, Increased Unity, Student Experience, Success and Quality.
These pillars find expression in our Annual Performance Plan (APP) and in the individual operational plans of faculties and departments.
The journey with Covid-19
The Covid-19 pandemic laid bare the existing societal inequalities prevailing within our student community, particularly in relation to students' access to technology and the competencies needed to use it. This compelled us to explore new pathways, expand our vision and evolve to embrace transformation even more decisively than before. Subsequently, and in line with our transformation goals, we swiftly adjusted our internal platforms for teaching, learning and research to increase students' access to the online environment.
Apart from developing zero-rated online platforms for students who could access these, we catered for students who do not have technology infrastructure at their places of residence by providing hard-copy learning and assessment materials.
We also provided data and devices to students who could complete the academic programme online and remotely. This, we feel, contributed towards our transformation goals by ensuring that all our students had the opportunity to successfully participate in university life.
Monitoring transformation
We built on the work done in 2019 to develop a transformation dashboard as a progress monitoring and reporting tool that is fit for purpose in our university. This tool covers aspects such as culture, equity and redress, research and scholarship, teaching and learning and community engagement.
In 2020, in line with the directive from Council, we included transformation of the procurement space as part of the transformation dashboard. This resulted in the development of a preferential procurement strategy involving SMMEs, one of the first for South African universities. Reporting on transformation is now more comprehensive and coherent, in line with the broader institutional goals and objectives.
Overseeing transformation
Transformation is the responsibility of every member of the NWU community. In addition, several Council structures play a critical oversight role to ensure that the university remains on track with respect to its transformation targets and goals.
These include the Transformation Oversight Committee, the People and Culture and Employment Equity Committee and also the Student Oversight Committee.
The subcommittees have diverse representation and ensure that the university complies with the national transformational goals. The Institutional Forum is a statutory committee that fulfils an important advisory role on matters relevant to transformation.
In addition to these governance structures, transformation is inculcated as a primary objective for staff and students, specifically emphasising the importance of creating a diverse student population and student leadership cohort. It is inspiring to note that both staff and students are embracing the transformation journey and seeking innovative and practical mechanisms towards ensuring its success.
Adding value
In transforming and positioning the NWU as a unitary institution of superior academic excellence, with a commitment to social justice, we reached some important milestones in 2020, despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
An example is the progress made with the NWU Culture Change Project. In an effort to build hope and optimism amid the pandemic, we added the Organisational Citizenship Behaviour Project (OCBP) to the Culture Change Project plan. The OCBP was positioned as a platform from which NWU encouraged, demonstrated care and addressed concerns.
Developments in the standardisation of assistance and opportunities available to students living with disabilities are also well under way. This includes improving existing mechanisms through the sharing of best practices, among other things.
In 2020, our staff participated in various sectoral transformation initiatives, ensuring the NWU's senior management are attuned to transformation trends across the entire higher education sector.
These included the Universities South Africa (USAf) virtual summit where our executive director for student life and assigned function transformation, Dr Sibusiso Chalufu, chaired a plenary session focused on institutional cultures.
Pursuing and enabling equity
At the NWU, transformation is synonymous with justice, culture, performance indicators, communal wellbeing, excellence and relevance.
Transformation is also about being responsive to environmental and political changes, and being relevant to the needs of the communities we serve.
The Employment Equity Plan for the period 2021-2023 was approved by Council in September 2020. This plan gives expression to the Employment Equity Policy, which ensures that the university creates equal opportunities for all.
At its meeting on 21 November 2019, Council resolved that in order to accelerate the pace of transformation, the following targets will be incorporated into the new Employment Equity Plan:
- Appointment of black employees: 70%
- Appointment of people living with disabilities: 2%
Targets have been incorporated into the university's Annual Performance Plan (APP) and cascaded to individual performance agreements.
All individual performance agreements for line managers have been re-designed to incorporate the people management KPA for managing employment equity and diversity.
Academic transformation
The Covid-19 pandemic brought about unprecedented transformation in the thinking of academics and support staff regarding teaching, learning, assessment and student support. In line with the theme of this integrated report, explore, expand and evolve, we set out to find solutions to new challenges.
As already mentioned, our predominantly contact offering was transformed into a fluid and focused online offering within a matter of weeks, the success of which was evident in our 2020 throughput rates.
We also remained true to the spirit of the NWU Language Policy and, to the best extent possible given the disruption caused by the pandemic, continued working towards the implementation of faculty language plans. In particular, we continued developing short courses that can be taught as multilingual offerings and presented language acquisition short courses.
We also hosted an exciting online joint gender and language awareness week from 28 September to 2 October 2020 and are continuing in our efforts to decolonise and align our curricula.
Looking ahead
Although we continue to make significant progress in our transformation trajectory, there is a lot more to be done.
We believe we are up to the challenge. Our primary motivation for continuing and accelerating our transformation journey is that it is the right thing to do and accords with our values.
We stay committed to further building our unitary institution, establishing an institutional culture and a unique NWU way of life that supports our strategy and speaks of care, equality and fairness for all. That is why transformation will stay high on our future agenda.
PROF DAN KGWADI
CHAIRPERSON OF SENATE
DR BISMARK TYOBEKA
CHAIRPERSON OF COUNCIL
STATEMENT ON TRANSFORMATION
