2024 First-Year Leadership Foundation Program attendees 

Transitioning from high school to university marks a significant chapter in a student’s life. The CUT Governance and Student Life Unit held its annual First-Year Leadership Foundation Programme to ease this transition and foster a culture of leadership and engagement. Initiated in 2004 and integrated within the broader first-year experience, the programme aims to empower first-year students with essential leadership skills such as effective communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. These skills are designed to enhance their university experience and lay the foundation for academic and personal success while studying at CUT.  

The two-day camp, held from June 11-12, 2024, was a testament to our shared vision. It covered various topics, including leadership development, societal issues like gender-based violence, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and graduate attributes that align perfectly with CUT's vision for 2030.

“Our programme is not just an introductory course; it's a comprehensive leadership development initiative. From the outset of their university journey, we see our responsibility as nurturing and developing leaders of tomorrow to become proactive, responsible, and inspired leaders. Our vision is to cultivate a generation of leaders who can make a positive impact within the university and beyond,” said Mrs Lindiwe Diphagwe, Student Development Officer and Coordinator of the programme

Front row from left: Mr Lawrens Mkhize, Writing Centre Coordinator; Mr Sizolwakhe Mtetwa, Lecturer: Built Environment; Mrs Lindiwe Diphagwe, Program Coordinator and SDO; Mr Avela Selomane, Senior Student. Back row from left: Ms Lebogang Kekana, Teaching and Learning Coordinator and Mr Teboho Nakedi, Assistant Coordinator.

Diphagwe added that the Programme is one of the cornerstones of the university’s commitment to student development and success. “By investing in the leadership potential of first-year students, CUT is not only enhancing their university experience but also preparing them to be future leaders. As the program continues to evolve and expand, it remains a shining example of how universities can nurture and empower their students to achieve greatness,” she said.

Some of the Programme facilitators who have been the driving force behind the programme’s dynamic and impactful sessions include Mr. Lawrens Mkhize, CILT Writing Centre Coordinator; Ms. Lebogang Kekana, Teaching and Learning Coordinator; and Mr. Sizolwakhe Mtetwa, Lecturer: Built Environment Department, who joined the cohort in 2019 as a first-year student. 

In conclusion, Mrs Lindiwe Diphagwe said, “I am grateful for the continuous support of our facilitators. Their unwavering commitment, passion, and expertise have profoundly impacted countless students in the last twenty years of existence, guiding them on their path to becoming effective leaders and engaged members of society and the university community. Their involvement and experience in the programme ensure that it remains relevant and inspiring for every cohort of first-year students.”