We’ve spent a great deal of time examining the qualities of Nelson Mandela, the man, that we wish to emanate at Nelson Mandela, the University. To be more than just an educational institution, we aspire to instil these values through our progressive approach to developing tomorrow’s leaders, and immersive initiatives that go beyond mere tutorship.
We take a moment to contemplate some of these qualities…
1. Cultivate a culture of resilience, persistence and innovation
Nelson Mandela is admired for his resilient spirit and his persistent pursuit of innovative solutions – his willingness to imagine beyond convention. Here, we endeavour to foster this same spirit among our faculty and students, encouraging them to develop solutions and to expand them further when they work.
Nelson Mandela University student, Siyathemba Charles Mbhele, is an example of perseverance and innovation. Siyathemba’s university career began in 2018 where, as a first-year student, he lived off-campus. He was confronted with the challenge of getting to his early-morning lectures on time. He realised that this was a challenge that many fellow students faced – a realisation that led him to establish a bicycle rental company, Quiqstart.
The young company grew rapidly, offering reliable mobility to students residing off-campus at affordable rates, without the extra costs of car services and fuel. Quiqstart is now an online business offering bicycle rentals, as well as repair and tuning services for privately-owned bicycles.
2. Uphold hope for humanity and a spirit of selflessness
Having endured a tumultuous youth and 27 years of imprisonment, Nelson Mandela’s hope for humanity and his relentlessly selfless service to others remained. Just as he dedicated his life to building a better future for the people of South Africa, we’re committed to using the powers of education to build a better future for humanity.
One of our most important initiatives in this pursuit is the investigation of coastal and intangible cultural heritage, led by Prof Rose Boswell, Anthropologist and Research Chair in the Ocean Cultures and Heritage. Collaborating with research partners in five countries, post-graduate students actively contribute to gaining a greater understanding of humanity’s relationship with the ocean, a critical issue in this time of climate change.
Over and above research publications and findings, our work embodies a strong social justice component. By including local communities in our research as not only study subjects, we treat them as research partners and collaborators.
3. Develop visionaries with missions beyond themselves
Nelson Mandela was a visionary with an acute ability to see the bigger picture and to set goals that were greater than himself. He was a sharer of ideas, not keeping his greatest innovations to himself but rather imparting them to the world so that many may benefit. At Nelson Mandela University, we believe that only the small-minded hoard great ideas, while visionaries perceive how great ideas can change the world.
Latest research tells us that the South African government would need R16 billion to equip all of our schools with computer labs – a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. That’s why Nelson Mandela’s Department of Computing Sciences, led by Prof Jean Greyling, partners with Tangible Africa in the development of affordable computing and coding teaching solutions for scholars.
The initiative develops software that teaches coding and computing skills through gamification. By ensuring compatibility with mobile devices as cheap as R600 each, the Tangible Africa initiative makes coding skills affordable for children and families from all walks of life, while the gaming concept keeps children engaged even outside of school hours.
Let’s have the courage and grit to do what’s necessary
Nelson Mandela was unafraid to do what was right, even when what was right was also hard. He was an advocate for the rights of children to have a good education. He endorsed the entrepreneurial spirit that rose from humble beginnings. He sought out every opportunity to implement social justice. He was a champion for sustainable development and the protection of our oceans.
Despite the incredible odds set against him, Madiba demonstrated extraordinary grit and determination in his pursuit of what he believed to be right. Here at Nelson Mandela University, we’re proud and delighted to see the evidence of Tata’s values running strong through our faculty and our students.
What’s in a name?
We reached out to a selection of Nelson Mandela University alumni and asked them what the name Nelson Mandela means to them. You can hear all of the responses by
following this link, but here are a few of our favourites:
● “The name exudes intelligence, tolerance and stability, grace and poise.”
–Dr. Hanningtone Gaya, Graduation Class of 2012
● “He represents courage and honesty, values that transcend boundaries and politics.”
–Johan Jooste, Graduation Class of 1992 and 1993
● “In his own words, Nelson Mandela represents the dream of an Africa which is at peace with itself.”
–Parmi Nateson, Graduation Class of 2001 and 2002
If you’d like to find out more about our faculties and initiatives, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us at +27 (0) 41 504 1111 or info@mandela.ac.za.