Page 65 - DUT Annual Report 2020

In this regard, DUT aims to obtain Green Star Ratings for most of the buildings that will be refurbished and built during implementation of the infrastructure programme. With DUT’s ultimate objective to contribute to society at large, approximately 38% of the budget will prioritise the construction of new, world-class facilities to encourage and support efficient teaching and learning in critical areas, such as health sciences, arts, design, ICT, and innovation.
Approximately 10% of the budget has been set aside to develop a flagship Business School that will serve the growing needs for global but locally relevant business research and training in South Africa. As a ‘people- centred’ institution, approximately 15% has been set aside to build an iconic Administration Building that will encourage innovation and collaboration amongst members of executive management and support staff. In all of these infrastructure projects consideration has to be given to the extent to which we envisage the future of work at DUT and the extent which we wisely invest, and new big buildings versus a move to virtuality.
TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how work is conducted, and from where. While the need for digital devices increases, we expect a concomitant reduction in the use of paper. There is no doubt that COVID-19 lockdown resulted in a significant leap to ensure that remote work (work from home) was possible. If we build on the momentum gained during 2020, we will be close to ensuring that our digital platforms are sufficiently robust and agile to allow continued technology adoption by our staff and students. The challenge will be in ensuring that the digital divide is sufficiently addressed so that all of our students and all of our staff members are sufficiently prepared and enabled to work in a digital environment.
Professor TZ Mthembu
Vice-Chancellor and Principal
STAFFING AND ACADEMIC
PROGRAMME VIABILITY
ENVISION2030 is systemic in nature and underpinned by a particular societal philosophy; however, the current state of its anatomy and physiology needs careful redesign. This is being urgently pursued, firstly at a systemic level with a dominant focus on functionality, and secondly by redesign/realignment at an operational unit level. This revitalisation project builds on the 2018 review of human capital provision, cost-effective and sustainable operations, while ensuring that the academic enterprise always remains a focal point.
Our high student to staff ratios cannot continue if we expect our staff and students to work in conditions that are optimal for quality delivery and valuable learning environments. To this end, the Enrolment And Efficiency Plan for 2020 – 2025 envisaged a radical shift in this important ratio, with the intention of improving it from its current 1:38 to 1:25 by 2025. This has required, as a start, the strategic provisioning of funds for new academic posts. There is an emerging line of thought, however, that positions universities as welfare universities in this day and age. If the increasing demands and expectations for the university sector is to provide a range of social and welfare-related services, this may alter the academic versus support staff ratio, with evidence in the sector that the support staff category also deserves attention.
As with most universities, the sustainability of DUT is largely dependent on three areas, namely academic programme viability, financial sustainability, and human capacity planning. The goal is to ensure that the business operates profitably by finding a balance between strategic and viable programmes and understanding the driving forces that inform hard choices that we cannot escape in order to safeguard the sustainability of the University.
Mr NZW Madinane
Chairperson of Council
DURBAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY ANNUAL REPORT 2020
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