“We gather here today to honour, acknowledge and celebrate excellence of our employees, who amongst others, managed to demonstrate that excellence is possible amidst challenges. We do this by demonstrating our research innovation, teaching, entrepreneurship, and community engagement. We have created an environment which recognizes these areas and enhance excellence; and I am proud to say that you have demonstrated that excellence is possible amidst challenges. You are the embodiment of our values and vision, we admire you and expect more great things to follow your way. As an institution, we commend all your efforts towards improving society. You managed to focus on opportunities and contributed to the communities you serve. We also know that you did not operate alone, you were surrounded by supporting families, friends and colleagues, and we thank them all for their sacrifices and support,” these were the words of encouragement from the Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof. Alfred Ngowi during the Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence awards held on 03 November 2021.

The main objective of these annual awards is to recognize exceptional performance for sustained and outstanding achievements in research and innovation, teaching, entrepreneurship, and community engagement, which are aligned with the university’s vision and mission. The awards also aim to stimulate ideas and innovation from employees and exceed expectations. This year, both the 2020 and 2021 recipients in the categories of Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Community Engagement and Teaching were acknowledged.

The recipients of 2020 included: Dr L Sinxadi from the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology - Early Career Teaching award, Dr E Markus from Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology - Early Career Research award, Prof. M Masinde from Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology - Established Research award, Mr K Lebelo from the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences - the Community Engagement award, Dr de Smidt from Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences - the Innovation award and Prof. DY Dzansi from Faculty of Management Sciences - the Entrepreneurship award.

The 2021 recipients are Ms N Qumbisa from the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology - Early Career Teaching award, Prof. F van der Walt from the Faculty of Management Sciences - Advanced Career-Teaching award, Dr C Chukwuma from the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences - Early Career Research award, Prof. B Awuzie from the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology - Mid-Career Research award, Prof. K Kusakana from the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology - Established Research award and Ms IK Sebelego from the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences - Community Engagement award. 

Prof. Laetus Lategan, Research Professor, said that looking at the literature, there is a reasonable expectation that people will deliver work of an acceptable standard. “It is said that for you to deliver work of an acceptable standard, you must have the knowledge and the skill. It is your responsibility to get access to the knowledge, extend the knowledge basis and integrate the knowledge into your mind and understanding of things. 

We are not here to celebrate the expected standard we are celebrating people who moved to the next level. The class of 2020 and 2021 showed us it is not the ordinary that you must do, but the extraordinary so, on top of the expected standards there should be something more. We need to have knowledge, professional behavior, integrity in the workplace, be innovative and resilient. This is what we are celebrating here tonight, your knowledge, your professional behavior, innovation, and resilience. You have shown us that you can do more than what is reasonably expected from you, with that being said, I would like to congratulate you on your achievement.”

Caption

1: One of the 2020 recipients: Mr K Lebelo from the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences receiving the Community Engagement award. He is flanked by the acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof. Alfred Ngowi (left) and Prof. Samson Mashele, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research Innovation and Engagement.

2: One of the 2021 recipients: Ms N Qumbisa from the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology. She received the Early Career Teaching Award. She is seen here with Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Resources and Operations, Dr Gary Paul (left) and Prof. Samson Mashele, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor:  Research Innovation and Engagement (right).