DG MJWARA CALLS ON UNIVERSITIES TO BE SOCIO-ECONOMIC CATALYSTS

Historical forces, economic priorities and political visions of societies are what had shaped the trajectory of South African universities, according to a keynote address by UNESCO Director-General, Dr Phil Mjwara at the Walter Sisulu Vice-Chancellor and Principal’s Transformational Leadership Roundtable.

The central reflection of Mjwara’s address was to challenge higher education leaders to reconsider the purpose of universities in a rapidly changing world.

Drawing from the history of South Africa’s higher education system, Mjwara reflected on how some of the country’s earliest institutions emerged alongside the development of the mining economy.

“Institutions such as University of Cape Town and University of the Witwatersrand were closely linked to the discovery of gold and the scientific knowledge required to support the industry. In this sense, universities did not exist in isolation; they evolved as knowledge engines responding to the economic imperatives of their time,” said Mjwara.

Mjwara argued that this historical perspective offers an important lesson for contemporary universities: institutions must continuously redefine their relevance in relation to the societal challenges around them.

At the heart of this discussion was a call for universities to resist the pressure to conform to a single institutional model. Mjwara said too often, the higher education landscape measures success by comparing institutions to long-established research-intensive universities.

“Sometimes in South Africa we limit all universities to look like UCT and look like Wits while these institutions have achieved global recognition, it would be limiting to expect every university to follow the same path,” he said.

He added that instead, universities must define their purpose in relation to their context. He said for institutions located in regions rich with agricultural potential, emerging industries or unique social challenges, relevance may lie in developing knowledge that directly contributes to local and regional development.

“For Walter Sisulu, this perspective carries particular significance. Situated in a province with vast agricultural resources and untapped economic opportunities, the university has the potential to serve as a catalyst for innovation, entrepreneurship, and community development,” said Mjwara.

Mjwara further emphasised that the role of universities today extends beyond teaching and research. Universities must also serve as institutions that respond to complex global challenges, from climate resilience and digital transformation to food security and healthcare innovation.

“In this context, the responsibility of university leadership becomes particularly demanding. University leaders must balance academic autonomy with public accountability while ensuring that their institutions remain responsive to changing socio-economic realities,” he said.

Governance also emerged as a key theme of the address. Mjwara said that effective universities depend on clarity of roles between councils and executive leadership. He said Councils must focus on governance and policy oversight, while institutional leadership must be empowered to drive academic direction, innovation and operational management.

Mjwara posed a critical question, asking if universities are preparing graduates solely for employment, or should they also be cultivating entrepreneurial thinkers capable of shaping new industries and opportunities?

“For Walter Sisulu, this moment presents an opportunity to reflect on how it can position itself as a university that not only produces knowledge but also translates that knowledge into meaningful development for its region and beyond,” he said.

These reflections formed part of a keynote address delivered ahead of the inauguration of Walter Sisulu’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Dr Thandi Mgwebi.

By Anita Roji