Universities South Africa

CUT Vice-Chancellor appointed as Vice-Chairperson of the Universities South Africa Board of Directors We are pleased to announce that Professor Pamela Dube, Vice-Chancellor and Principal has been appointed as the Vice-Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Universities South Africa (USAf) effective 01 January 2026. Her two-year term will run until 31 December 2027. Professor Dube has served as a member of the USAf Board since March 2023, bringing consistent insight and strategic perspective to national discussions on higher education policy, institutional sustainability, and student success. Her appointment as Vice-Chairperson reflects the Board’s confidence in her leadership, experience, and steadfast commitment to advancing the shared goals of South Africa’s university sector. In this new role, she will work closely with the Chairperson to strengthen the Board’s governance and contribute to the strategic direction of USAf during a pivotal time for the country’s public universities.

Universities South Africa is hiring. Universities SA invites applications for the Manager: Corporate Communications position. This senior position operates across three core roles: Strategic: Lead the USAf brand strategy; shape the thought leadership positioning the organisation in the higher education sector and beyond; and measure the effectiveness of all engagement. Managerial: Perform the custodianship role over the USAf brand and corporate identity; support internal and external stakeholder engagement; guide content development; and manage supplier relations.   Technical: Serve as a senior writer and editor, ensuring high-quality communication outputs across all platforms; and drive and manage media engagement. The role delivers on four key performance areas: Brand strategy development and implementation Employee engagement strategy and implementation plan Management of traditional and digital communication platforms and Media relations If you are an experienced communications professional with strong strategic insight and excellent writing capability, we encourage you to apply. To apply, please email your CV and motivation letter to [email protected] by 28 November 2025. Please note that USAf will contact only the shortlisted candidates.

Universities South Africa is hiring. We are inviting applications for the role of Administrative Officer and PA to the Director:  Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE). This is a great opportunity for an organised, detail-oriented professional who enjoys working in a dynamic, fast-paced environment that supports entrepreneurship development across public universities. Please view the full advert below for details. To apply: Submit your CV and letter of motivation with three referees to [email protected] by 21 November 2025. Designated groups, including persons with disabilities, are encouraged to apply.

Members of Universities South Africa’s Teaching and Learning of Mathematics Community of Practice (TLM CoP) will tomorrow (6 November 2025) gather at the Wits School of Education to explore the topic: Retention and Progression: Supporting Mathematics Students Beyond First Year. Mathematics educators from the southern African region will share strategies for enhancing students’ success in mathematics, especially beyond the first year of undergraduate study. Speakers and contributors include: • Professor Jill Adler (Wits School of Education) • Professor Simon Mukwembi and colleagues (Wits School of Mathematics) • Prof Helena Miranda (University of Namibia) • Prof France Machaba (UNISA) • Dr Bentry Nkhata (University of Zambia) • Dr Ronald Tshelametse (University of Botswana) • Prof Kakoma Luneta (University of Johannesburg)

Happening now!

HAPPENING NOW !! Universities South Africa's COP PGES, part of the Advancing Early Career Researchers and Scholars (AECRS) programme, is having a deep-dive conversation on Open Access Publishing, and navigating the terrain. Professor Stephanie Burton asks the important question - What should we be telling our postgraduate students about publishing in Open Access? Thank you to Glenn Truran, Dr Nokuthula Mchunu and Dr Leti Kleyn for joining the conversation today. Presentations from the CoP PGES meetings can be accessed on the web page https://lnkd.in/d-zbxb2P You can still join the event here: http://bit.ly/4oKYu3I #openaccess #coppges

‼️ Want to learn about free AI tools? 🎉 Join the Universities South Africa DELT CoP for its upcoming Lunch & Learn on 4 November at 12:00 - 14:00. This will be an interactive session where academics showcase how they use free AI tools for teaching, learning and research. If you want to share a tool, contact Nicola Pallitt. This DELT CoP is chaired by Laura Czerniewicz ➡️ Register here: https://lnkd.in/dzCqVd3a #freeai #teachingandlearning

HAPPENING NOW - OA2025 WEBINAR SERIES ‼️ DAY 2 OF THE PROGRAMME - Collaboration in pursuit of OA We kick off with a presentation by Wynand van der Walt (Rhodes University) on collaboration for integrity. Join the conversation - you can still register for today's session https://lnkd.in/dSnKbKZ8

HAPPENING NOW USAf Open Access Webinar Series kicked off with the DSTI DDG Imraan Patel presenting The South African Open Science Policy. Open Science is a key component of the Decadal Plan. Join the conversation happening now: https://lnkd.in/dax6zeB7