As part of a consultative process towards the development of the new Strategic Plan for the Durban University of Technology (DUT), the Vice – Chancellor and Principal, Professor Thandwa Mthembu has engaged with various DUT stakeholders regarding the new 2020 – 2030 Strategic Plan.

The last robust engagement took place with the Durban University of Technology (DUT) Union representatives from NEHAWU, TENUSA and NTEU, at the ML Sultan Campus on Wednesday (17 April 2019).

He thanked the Union representatives for their attendance, stating that the development of the new Strategy Plan is allowing for opportunities like such engagements to think of the University and beyond.

Prof Mthembu also spoke on the establishment of the Working Group which consists of 10 DUT representatives, headed by Nicky Muller-Director of Institutional Planning at DUT.  He said those who were chosen as part of the Working Group, were chosen on the basis of their experiences with Strategic Planning processes, to drive the first phase of developing the new Strategic Plan.

“Our role is to produce something as a draft and give it to the rest of the DUT community, so that will happen. All that is happening in this session is sharing of broad ideas that are there. We have done this with the broader stakeholders which we started with Council in September 2018, and Council shared their ideas, then we are going to get back together as a Working Group and see how we can merge all the ideas, including the ideas from here,” he said.

Prof Mthembu delivered his presentation, giving an overview into the background, current status and framework of DUT, and the redesigning of a new path for DUT.

Also giving more comments on the role of the Working Group, Muller added that to date 1 147 staff had attended the VC’s presentation.  “The idea is a top-down and bottom-up approach, we really want to hear from staff on the ground on what they want to hear from the University and how we can improve. When this process of engagement is concluded, it would really help on what the considerations are for the DNA,” she said.

After the VC’s presentation, the Union representatives were given the platform to raise questions. A pertinent issue raised pertained to becoming a paperless society at DUT which Prof Mthembu said that the Finance and HR department were already leading in that direction.

Also, a concern was raised from a Union representative on Unions not being given the opportunity to be part of the Working Group. Prof Mthembu added that there was no blueprint as yet, and that the Working Group was merely gathering ideas around developing a Strategic Plan. He also said that once all the feedback had been gathered from the various stakeholders there would be further consultations, going forward.

Muller reiterated Prof Mthembu’s point, stating that there would be an opportunity for all parties concerned to attend focus groups for further deliberation on the way forward with regards to the proposed 2020 – 2030 Strategic Plan.

Pictured: DUT Union representatives voicing their concerns at the event.

Waheeda Peters