The annual HERS-SA for women working in Higher Education celebrated its 10^th Anniversary this year. The 2012 Academy recently held at the Upper Eastside Hotel in Woodstock, Cape Town is a one of a kind event in South Africa, and focuses on women who currently are in senior management positions in higher education institutions, or those who aspire to occupy senior leadership positions.   

HERS-SA Academy is a registered self-sustaining non-profit organisation in South Africa that focuses on the advancement of women in the Higher Education sector and those who aspire to occupy senior leadership positions. Delegates attending the 2012 Academy represented sixteen South African Higher Education institutions.   Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) sent three dedicated staff members to join the academy for the week of discussions to amass knowledge and skills that would further their abilities in the respective fields they represent in higher education, and ultimately see them occupy leadership positions.  

Ms Nomonde Maqubela, Assistant Director in Information Services forms part of CUT’s Library and Information Services team, Ms Mpho Mbeo is the Faculty Officer of Engineering and Information Technology, and Dr Ntsoaki Malebo, one of CUT’s Post Doctoral Fellows at the School of Agriculture and Environmental Health committed themselves to representing CUT at the gathering. Ms Sabie Sutrie, the Director of HERS-SA noted the following to Professor Thandwa Mthembu, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of CUT “Thank you for your support which allowed three delegates from your institution, to participate in the 2012 HERS-SA ACADEMY. I want you to know how much these women contributed to the success of the ACADEMY and to the powerful experience of other HERS-SA delegates. It was a pleasure to have them with us and we look forward to staying in touch with them as new members of the HERS-SA alumnae family.”   Some of  the guest speakers who participated in the 2012 programme included the Public Protector Advocate, Ms Thuli Madonsela and the previous Minister of Science and Technology who in October 2012 took up the mantle as Minister of Home Affairs, Ms Naledi Pandor. Ms Pandor delivered a keynote address on career management.     

Pictured are (from left to right) Ms Nomonde Maqubela, Ms Mpho Mbeo, and Dr Ntsoaki Malebo.