Complexities of Leadership in the 21

Director and Programme Developer

DR STAN HARDMAN

Dr Stan Hardman has broad experience in school education, education administration and the NGO sector. He also has business involvement in education. His focus is on leadership education with in a Systems Thinking and Complexity Science framework. Within this is his interest on inter-sector partnerships, their theorisation, application and the ethical implications. His focus has been on education innovation and the creative inspiration of others rather than on self.

The Leadership Dialogue, is an organisation dedicated to resilient leadership learning for a better tomorrow through using systems thinking and complexity science.

B.A., M. Ed (Natal), Dip Spec Ed (UNISA) P G Cert. in Cross-Sector Partnerships (Programme for Industry) Cambridge), D.B.A. (UKZN)

Director and Programme Developer

Topic: Partnerships: Universities and Business

Presentation Overview: Change is ubiquitous, with Higher Education being no different. Universities as leading institutions in Higher Education have multiple mandates three of which are (i) critical engagement with knowledge in relation to the human condition and ii) preparing students for professional life in the emerging context and (iii) providing continuing professional development for those in the workplace. These three are directly connected to the relationship between business and universities. This relationship is a complex one involving ideology, conceptualisation, policy frameworks, hierarchy and institutional arrangements and cannot be reduced to stereotypes. It implies multiple arrangements which require flexibility and agility. In this paper, the focus is on the processes of (i) reframing, (ii) resources, (iii) relationships and (iv) reagents. Key ideas include mind set, nexus, bridging institutions, inter-group agility and social reagents.

Chief Executive Officer - Durban International Convention Centre

LINDIWE RAKHAREBE

Lindiwe Rakharebe joined the Durban International Convention Centre as Chief Executive Officer at the beginning of April 2015. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Management Leadership from the University of the Free State as well as other several qualifications in Marketing Management and Management Development. Prior to taking the reins at the Durban ICC, Lindiwe served in a management capacity for all four of South Africa’s major banking institutions.

Topic: A Success Story!

Presentation Overview: Lindiwe’s leadership style is characterised by love, respect and open communication. She believes that success is ultimately the result of diligent management, strong collaborative relationships and an attitude of perpetual learning. Lindiwe’s talk will focus on her passion for leadership and how she is able to bring out the best in the teams she leads. She will impart insights into her unique style of motivation and inspiration and will be sharing lessons she has learnt from her own experience as a woman in leadership in the business world. Over her 30 years in the corporate environment, Lindiwe has repeatedly proven her ability in strategic management and leading high-performance teams. Lindiwe places a premium on customer service and respect, as well as the importance of work-life balance. Her areas of expertise include strategic planning, research, marketing, community liaison, policy development and the principles of good corporate governance.

Research and Postgraduate Support Director and DVC: Engagement (Acting) - (DUT)



PROFESSOR SIBUSISO MOYO

Professor S Moyo holds a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Natal, Durban and a Masters in Tertiary Education Management from the LH Martin Institute, University of Melbourne Australia. As a scholar, she has published widely in the Mathematical Sciences and continues to supervise and mentor Masters and Doctoral students. She has also served as Guest Editor of the Mathematical Methods in the Applied Sciences Journal (published by John Wiley & Sons) and Journal of Engineering Mathematics (published by Springer). She is also responsible for developing staff programmes to assist staff complete their PhDs and delivering short courses on Research Methodology, Research Design, Data handling techniques and Modelling techniques.

Her current research projects involve applications using group theoretic techniques in problems arising from nonlinear phenomena with applications in Mathematical Biology and Financial Mathematics. In addition, her current areas of interest also extend to strategic research that aims to inform research and postgraduate policies within the higher education sector, promoting mathematics amongst the youth and mentoring young women to become leaders in their chosen fields of interest.

Topic: University Engagement (Towards Developing Models for Shared Leadership in South African Higher Education Institutions)

Presentation Overview: The South African higher education landscape has undergone a number of changes over the last decade and in more recent times – periods of disruptive changes. The current issues have to deal with massive expansion and demand for access, transformation, equity, funding for the majority of under privileged students, responding to government priorities, funders and internal and external pressures, and the rise in private higher education providers to mention a few. Within this context I try to understand what effective approaches and programmes are required in developing leaders of high quality that can deal with the complex higher education landscape. I look at the roles that distributed leadership as part of the shared leadership debate can play to enhance leadership skills and create enabling university environments. I further argue that responding to regional, national and international pressures while focusing on the main institutional missions of teaching and learning, research and engagement require a number of effective drivers of which inclusive shared leadership is central.

Former Vice-Chancellor (President) - Cape Peninsula University of Technology

PROFESSOR BRIAN DE LACY FIGAJI

Professor Brian Figaji studied at the universities of the Western Cape (UWC), Cape Town (UCT), University of South Africa (UISA) and Harvard University in the USA.

He practiced as a professional engineer for 10 years in both contracting and design and then joined Peninsula Technikon which subsequent to the merger of 2004 became known as the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Prof Figaji served the institution for 25 years, with 10 of these years as Vice-Chancellor (President). He left the institution in 2004 in opposition to the pending merger.

Among the many positions he held the most relevant positions were as:

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  Member, and later Vice-President of the Engineering Council of South Africa;
  
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  Member of the South African Council on Higher Education;
  
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  Representative of SA on the UNESCO Executive Board from 2005 to 2009;
  
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  Chair of the SA National Commission for UNESCO from 2009 to 2013; and
  
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  Member of the Council advising the President on National Orders (National Presidential Awards) until 2014.
  

Prof Figaji is also a Fellow of the Society for Professional Engineers, Fellow of the Institute for Civil Engineers, Fellow of the Academy of Engineering and a member of the Academy of Science of SA.
In the context of civil society, he serves on education trusts as well as various boards including performing arts, Blood Transfusion Services, Scout Association as well as a body serving the needs of war-blinded individuals. He is also the non-executive Chair of one of the large fishing companies in the country and is also the Chairman of Wesgro.

Topic: Engaging Transformation in Higher Education

Presentation Overview: Since the dawn of democracy, educators in SA have been preoccupied with the issue of transformation even though there has never really been a nationally accepted definition of what we mean by transformation. However, from the objectives set by the Department of Education and the strategic plans of higher education institutions, there has been a push in a particular direction for change. In the beginning, the major focus was on access, equity and redress. As these aspects were being addressed, new areas requiring transformation unfolded. So, while there has been much progress, there is no definitive measure that could help institutions gauge the extent to which they have succeeded, and how far they still need to go on specific areas of focus. Fundamental to the change agenda of any programme of transformation are the people who have to contribute to the building of this new form. In higher education, this translated to the students, academic staff, research staff, management, workers and all those who are employed within the institution to support the teaching and learning mission. All these constituent parts need to work together if transformation is going to be effective and long lasting. Inevitably, this brings us to the need for effective institutional leadership at a number of levels. A leadership model that adopts a team approach will be proposed as the vehicle for engaging with transformation in higher education.

Postdoctoral Researcher - Quantum Research Group - University of KwaZulu-Natal

DR ADRIANA MARAIS

Dr Adriana Marais studied theoretical physics and philosophy at the University of Cape Town. She completed her MSc summa cum laude in Quantum Cryptography at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and was awarded her PhD in Quantum Biology at the same institute in 2015. She is a member of the Quantum Research Group established by Professor Francesco Petruccione at UKZN and plans to continue doing research in Quantum Biology, specifically studying quantum effects in photosynthesis as well as the origins of prebiotic molecules and life itself.

In 2014, Dr Marais was one of 200 Young South African Achievers recognised by the Mail & Guardian. In 2015, she was one of 15 recipients worldwide of a L’Oreal‐UNESCO International Rising Talent Grant for Women in Science for her research into the origins of life. This year (2016), she is the Royal Society of South Africa 2016 Meiring Naude Medal awardee for a young researcher for fundamentally important high impact research in the field of Quantum Biology. This June, she attended the prestigious 66^th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting as one of 400 most qualified young physicists selected worldwide.

Since childhood, she has dreamed of living on another planet and is currently one of the 100 Mars One Project astronaut candidates in the running to move to the red planet in 2026. She hopes one day to continue her research on Mars, and possibly even contribute to the discovery of evidence that life once existed there.

Dr Marais believes that education comes with the responsibility to share knowledge, and while still on Earth, is actively involved in the promotion of science and space exploration as Special Project Co-ordinator for the Foundation for Space Development South Africa; an exciting initiative of which is the Africa2Moon project. She has given numerous talks since 2014, inspiring school children, teenagers and adults around South Africa and abroad to get excited about science, believe in their dreams and remember Nelson Mandela’s words, “It always seems impossible until its done”.

Topic: ‘M’ Generation in Higher Education (Global Challenges and Interdisciplinary Collaboration)

Presentation Overview: We are living in a unique era, where we are experiencing unprecedented innovation and development in science and technology, as well as global challenges of unprecedented scale and gravity. From basic to higher education, in science, industry, as well as in leadership, we need to acknowledge the role of the interdisciplinary collaboration that will be essential to tackling and solving the challenges that humanity faces this millennium.

Institutional Registrar – (DUT)

PROFESSOR THENJIWE MEYIWA

Professor Meyiwa is the Durban University of Technology’s Registrar and an honorary researcher at the Human Sciences Research Council. She is also an honorary professor with the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s School of Social Sciences. Meyiwa is a Fulbright and National Research Foundation (NRF) rated scholar, with extensive experience in higher education; as an administrator and a researcher. Her areas of research interest include cultural constructions of gender, contemporary human behavioural patterns, and the impact of HIV/AIDS on parenting, women and caregivers. She has more than 15 years’ experience of gender training, research and development and policy analysis, and has worked in South Africa and internationally with organisations and research teams including government organisations, universities and human rights NGOs. She is a member of various parastatals, community and civil society organisations, and is an Advisory Board member of the Rural Women’s Movements, as well as the Chairperson of the South African National Heraldry Council.

Within the above-listed subject fields and research interests, Meyiwa has successfully graduated numerous Masters & PhD students, presented conference papers at national and international forums, as well as published extensively.

Topic: Breaking the Glass Ceiling (Ability and Leadership is Sexless: On Breaking the Glass Ceiling within the Higher Education Sector)

Presentation Overview: Persuaded by Margaret Atwood‘s famous quote; “We still think of a powerful man as a born leader and a powerful woman as an anomaly”, I interrogate South Africa’s pool of well-educated women versus the reality that its higher education (HE) sector continues to be starved of women leaders. Significant rises in the number of women students at undergraduate level have not translated into comparative increases at postgraduate level or in management. This fact has broader social and economic implications; evidently, women continue to face discrimination and their skills and talent are blatantly ignored. In the context of challenges that are currently experienced within our HE sector, mainly the #Fees Must Fall Movement, leaders of the future will have to be visionary and should be real communicators – the ones that genuinely care. This skill is incredibly valuable and incredibly in demand. I argue that women’s potential to bring to leadership and executive positions the skill of being real communicators is greater than that of men. It is crucial to ensure that women academics and higher education managers end up in senior positions by design than by accident - through conscious and deliberate programmes that ensures (not just encourage) that women opt a senior leadership career. I call upon a commitment to increasing the proportion of women in scholarly research and executive positions through recruitment, retention and promotion; towards breaking the glass ceiling within the higher education sector. Arguing that ability and leadership is sexless, I suggest several steps that could be taken to challenge male dominance and offer management training for women.