UJ@ 20 Years
FORGING A UNITED FUTURE: PROFESSOR IHRON RENSBURG AND THE FOUNDING OF THE UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG
WHEN PROFESSOR IHRON RENSBURG WAS APPOINTED AS THE FIRST VICE- CHANCELLOR OF THE NEWLY FORMED UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG (UJ) IN 2006, HE INHERITED NOT JUST A NEW TITLE, BUT A FORMIDABLE TASK: TO UNIFY DISPARATE INSTITUTIONAL LEGACIES, NAVIGATE FRAUGHT PUBLIC SENTIMENT AROUND HIGHER EDUCATION MERGERS, AND CULTIVATE A SENSE OF IDENTITY AND PRIDE FOR A UNIVERSITY THAT, AT THE TIME, EXISTED LARGELY ON PAPER. Today, UJ stands tall as one of South Africa’s most dynamic and forward-thinking institutions – a testament to the vision and tenacity of Professor Rensburg’s leadership. The Challenge of Merger “The most important issue was to bed down the merger,” recalls Professor Rensburg, speaking candidly about the early days of UJ. The University was formed through the consolidation of the Rand Afrikaans University (RAU), the Technikon Witwatersrand, and the Soweto and East Rand Campuses of Vista University, which were incorporated into RAU. The decision to merge institutions was a national directive aimed at rationalising the higher education sector, yet it was not without controversy. While RAU’s leadership had initially appeared amenable to the merger, last-minute opposition nearly derailed the process. “At the eleventh hour, efforts were made to persuade them not to take the matter to court,” Rensburg notes. Questions loomed large: Why were institutions like Wits University in Johannesburg and the University of Cape Town left untouched? Was there an underlying agenda? In this climate of scepticism and uncertainty, Professor Rensburg’s mandate was clear: to make the merger work not just on paper, but in spirit and identity.
Building a New Identity One of the early challenges was public perception.
“University of Johannesburg was a great name,” he says, “but no one had a clue what it would be like, what would be its culture and identity?” To counter this, Rensburg and his team embarked on an ambitious branding and public engagement campaign. New heraldry, colours, and imagery were developed to reflect the institution’s values and aspirations. “We used these to send the message to the public that this is an institution you can trust, built on strong legacies and foundations,” he explains. The public response was overwhelmingly positive, and this
newfound identity quickly began to resonate. Assembling the Senior Team
Equally urgent was the need to establish a credible and representative senior leadership team. “We made every effort to ensure that our academic deans represented the portfolio across the three legacy institutions,” says Rensburg. This approach sent a powerful message of inclusivity and unity – one that acknowledged the value of each institution’s heritage while pointing towards a shared future.
ALUMNI IMPUMELELO 3
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