An expert in Education, Professor Jonathan Jansen delivered a powerful lecture on dysfunctional universities at the launch of his recently published book titled: Corrupted: A study of chronic dysfunction in South African Universities, at the DUT Hotel School Conference Centre, Ritson Campus, on Tuesday, 18 April 2023.

Prof Jansen is a distinguished Professor in Education at Stellenbosch University and President of the Academy of Science of South Africa. The event was facilitated by the DUT Head of Department: Mathematics, Professor Darren Lortan who expressed his relief that DUT is not included (as a dysfunctional university) in Prof Jansen’s study. Prof Lortan said in a jest that DUT was not included in the study for two reasons: DUT Council does not need to be depoliticised and that DUT management is comprised of academics that lead with integrity and compassion.

Delivering the welcome remarks was Prof Runette Kruger, Executive Dean: Faculty of Arts and Design at DUT. Prof Kruger said that DUT staff and students were honoured to have in their midst Prof Jansen who is an A1 rated researcher with a notable intellectual provenance and stature.

“Prof Jansen has served as senior manager on every level in various institutions of higher learning over the years, from Dean to acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, member of council and administrator, including being an administrator at DUT in late 2006 and into 2007. These engagements have no doubt served Prof Jansen well in his quest to grapple with the politics of knowledge and lately, the push and the pull between politics and resources, between money and power as it plays out in institutions of higher learning across South Africa,” said Prof Kruger, giving a brief background on Prof Jansen.

In addition, Prof Kruger pointed out that astute critical analysis of the intersecting causes of legacy and ongoing dysfunction in the higher education landscape is essential if concerned stakeholders stand any chance of overcoming the obstacles, whether external and historical, or internal and contemporary.

Prof Jonathan Jansen with DUT’s Prof Fulufhelo Netswera, Executive Dean: Faculty of Management Sciences.

Introducing Prof Jansen to the guests was the Executive Dean: Faculty of Management Sciences, Prof Fulufhelo Netswera. Prof Netswera emphasised that Prof Jansen continues to stimulate, interrogate, research and write about issues that some might deem to be a bit sensitive and that many want to shy away from.

Prof Jansen revealed that the idea behind his book was his curiosity in discovering why some universities constantly go under administration. He conducted about 120 interviews with senior people across the university sector in South Africa.

“I found that universities stay in the spin of dysfunction when two things are absent. The one is institutional capability. What that means is having the skill set in order to manage a university, both at the level of the executive but also at the level of council responsible for governance. When you don’t have the essential skills, for instance, an institution’s council meeting runs six or seven hours. I can tell you that is a dysfunctional university just by looking at how long their meetings are. As a Vice-Chancellor in the Free State my council meetings never went beyond 90 minutes. My management meeting with my executive, every Monday morning started at 08h00 and it was over by 09h00. We were expected to read the agenda, when we come to the meeting, we have some debates, and we make decisions. I trust them as my executive to implement”

The second aspect that causes dysfunction is lack of a value system. According to Prof Jansen, a university where integrity has eroded will find it very hard to get it back from dysfunction. When reading his book, Prof Jansen said that one would realise that there is a very rich connection between people on the inside of the university and people on the outside of university that sustains the corruption. He added that council members come into the university to fulfil their own interests.

He shared examples on mistakes made by various universities in the country and how their decisions led to them being dysfunctional.

“First of all, you cannot sit in the council meeting when you are being discussed, as a potential wrongdoer. My kids know that you cannot sit in a body where you are being investigated. You go outside and wait but some refuse to go. That is what I mean by capability, just understanding simple things,” reiterated Prof Jansen.

Some of the guests who attended Prof Jonathan Jansen’s Public Lecture and Book Launch.

Reflecting on his time at DUT, Prof Jansen said when the history of the university is written he would like to see a chapter written on Dr Lavern Samuels, currently serving as the Director: International Education and Partnerships at DUT. Prof Jansen said during his tenure at DUT, it was Dr Samuels who kept the university from falling, while he was the Chair of the Institutional Forum. He commended Dr Samuels for managing to bring together all the stakeholders and ensuring that they remained the advisory body to council, at that stage which was him (Prof Jansen) rather than trying to run the council.

Amongst the people who engaged in a robust question and answer session with Prof Jansen was the DUT Deputy Vice-Chancellor: People and Operations, Dr Vuyo Mthethwa and the SRC President, Mr Sanele Khumalo.

In his closing remarks Prof Lortan thanked Prof Jansen for a remarkable lecture and taking time to speak about his new book. He also thanked the guests for their attendance and contribution in making the event a success.
Pictured: Prof Jonathan Jansen addressing the DUT community.

Photographer: Khulasande Tshayile.

Simangele Zuma