Principal. Though my roles here have changed and collectively as an institution we have had to weather various challenges over this time, the shine of being part of an institution such as this has not worn off. It has been an incredible journey and UJ will always remain an institution close to my heart. It has been fulfilling to be at the helm of a University that has made a name for itself in South Africa, Africa and across the world, even amid the most trying of times. This would not have been
possible without the support of our community. You have
ensured that even as we battle a tumultuous context, defined by the pandemic, national challenges that often seem insurmountable, technological disruption on a grand scale, climate change and global upheaval, that we have emerged as a University truly worth talking about. Our research output and our rankings are testament to this great feat. Our achievements aren’t by accident, they are purposeful and based on hours of hard work and energy. They are in line with UJ’s spirit of innovation and sense of community. As we look to an exciting future, informed by many of the lessons we have learned in the last few years, I am certain that we will continue to growth in strength and stature. Not only have we successfully navigated the difficult terrain the pandemic and beyond has presented but we are responding with tenacity to the global changes we are seeing and the shift towards a more digital and inclusive society. I must express my sincere and heartfelt gratitude to our alumni community for their unwavering support and belief in me over the years. This is certainly an aspect of the UJ life I will continue to hold dear in my next role and beyond. As former US president John F. Kennedy once said, “Change is the law of life.” This I know to be a certainty and I am confident that despite it all, UJ will continue to rise and rise again.
MESSAGE FROM VICE- CHANCELLOR AND PRINCIPAL Prof Tshilidzi Marwala
We are beginning the wind down of an exciting year, that has, in a sense, represented a new epoch for us. As the world opened up again and campus life resumed at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), the glimmer of hope that had been on the horizon a year ago seemed to manifest quite clearly. As you are undoubtedly aware, the University is undergoing somewhat of a revolution itself. From a scientific standpoint, this is an exciting prospect. This phenomenon, as a community, we must embrace with open arms. As the American writer and activist Rebecca Solnit eloquently reminds us, “Revolution is as unpredictable as an earthquake and as beautiful as spring. Its coming is always a surprise, but its nature should not be.”
multiple feelings. It turns out, it was saudade – a Portuguese and Galician word with many definitions, including a melancholy nostalgia for something that perhaps has not even happened. It is a recollection of the feelings, experiences, places, or events that once brought excitement, pleasure, and well-being which trigger a quiet sadness and longing. I have been at UJ for 13 years. I joined UJ in 2009, full of hope and wide-eyed wonder as the Executive Dean in the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment. It did not take long for UJ to feel like home. As I settled into my role and began developing strategies and restructuring the faculty, I was surprised at how at ease I felt here. It seemed as if I had already spent a lifetime here. In 2013, I became Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research and Internationalization and in 2018 Vice-Chancellor and
Since the announcement of my departure from UJ, I have had an intriguing collusion of
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ALUMNI IMPUMELELO
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