Dear UJ community,

As an institution of higher learning, the University of Johannesburg has a responsibility to prepare students for a world that is increasingly digital, immersive, and complex. This is ingrained in our mission to transform and serve humanity through innovation and the collective and collaborative pursuit of knowledge. At UJ, as part of our core values, positive societal impact is the key purpose that drives our collective and collaborative academic and organisational activities.

Launch of UJ Library Virtual Reality Lab

On Wednesday, we launched the UJ Library Virtual Reality Lab (VR Lab), the latest in the list of our groundbreaking innovations for societal impact and sustainability projects. Situated at our Auckland Park Bunting Road (ABP) Campus Library, the lab represents a collective commitment to innovation in teaching, research, and societal impact. It will be used for VR demonstrations and immersive experiences. It will assist with the development of VR and augmented reality (AR) applications for teaching, research, and student projects. Also included are training workshops on VR and AR technologies and immersive content creation, as well as innovation and entrepreneurship support using VR and AR tools.

The VR Lab will also serve as a think tank and collaborative innovation space. The launch is a testament to the fact that libraries are more than places where information is stored; they are dynamic environments where knowledge is created, shared, and experienced. To read more about this exciting project, click here.

UJ hosts Howard University College of Arts and Sciences

Last week on this platform, I emphasised the importance of connecting with, and establishing, strategic partnerships with other universities in Africa and across the world. Against the backdrop of a successful visit to Kenya last week, where I led a UJ delegation to the 2nd Primary Health Care (PHC) Congress at Amref International University, our University hosted Professor Rubin Patterson and his colleagues and students from the Howard University College of Arts and Sciences. Our discussions underscored the vital importance of international academic partnerships in fostering innovation and global perspective. Engaging with such a dedicated group of scholars and students reinforces our shared commitment to academic excellence and societal impact. ​

These exchanges are more than just institutional visits; they are the foundation for collaborative research and leadership development that transcends borders. We look forward to the continued growth of this relationship and the impactful work that will undoubtedly emerge from our future collaborations.

UJ to Host Leaders of Universities from across Africa

In the same vein, UJ is set to host a delegation of 16 Vice-Chancellors and senior officials from across Africa this coming Monday, on 16 March 2026. This is the latest of many events demonstrating our commitment to knowledge sharing for societal impact and sustainability. The event, which we are hosting at the request of the Kenyan National Innovation Agency (KeNIA) and the British Council, seeks to strengthen the capacity of university leaders to transform their institutions. During their visit, the delegation will undertake a site visit to many of our Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) sites, such as theUJ’s Technology Transfer Office (TTO), and our recently launched UniPod, where student entrepreneurs and researchers are developing technology-driven solutions to real-world social and economic challenges.

2026 Executive Leadership Programme for Universities (ELDU) Cohort

On Wednesday this week, UJ’s Transformation Division, in collaboration with ourJohannesburg Business School (JBS), welcomed the 2026 cohort of the Executive Leadership Programme for Universities (ELDU). This was during the launch of the ELDU third cohort at The Maslow Hotel in Sandton City. Since its launch in 2023, the programme has strengthened leadership capacity by focusing on character, care, competence, and commitment while equipping leaders to navigate complex institutional realities. Among the speakers was Professor Alistar Mokoena, Executive Dean of JBS, UJ Chancellor Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Mary Metcalfe (Professor of Practice in the School of Public Management, Governance  and Public Policy at UJ), Dr Thebe Ikalafeng (Award-Winning Pan-African Marketing Strategist), and Dr Mzamo Masito, seasoned business and brand executive. As I said in my address, the increasing complexity of higher education leadership requires us to be cautious against superficial approaches to transformation, and I cautioned against leadership driven by public visibility rather than substance. To read more about this, click here.

Honorary Graduates

As we continue with our Autumn Graduations, we will this coming Monday (16 March 2026) confer an honorary doctorate upon the former First Lady of Namibia and an accomplished lawyer, entrepreneur and globally recognised advocate for health equity, Her Excellency Monica Geingos. She is amongst the eight exceptional leaders that the University will honour this year, whose work advances human dignity, social justice, and transformative development, values that remain central to the University’s mission as a globally engaged African institution.

The honorary doctorate is conferred on H.E Geingos in recognition of her exceptional leadership, commitment to health equity, and advocacy for social and economic development across Africa. While she was Namibia’s First Lady between 2015 and February 2024, she reshaped that role by integrating her professional expertise in economics, governance and development into impactful advocacy programmes addressing youth vulnerability, HIV stigma and structural inequality. For a full list of distinguished individuals to be conferred with honorary doctorates, click here.

Celebrating UJ Sport Graduates

I am also delighted to share that some of  UJ Sport stars were among our graduates this season. This shows that our sportsmen and women can manage their balance between sports and academics. Among them is former SPAR Proteas captain and current UJ Netball Head Coach, Bongiwe Msomi, who graduated with an Advanced Diploma in Business Management. Her UJ Netball team captain, Cornelia Mupenda, graduated with the same qualification cum laude. The pair were joined by the former UJ Senior Men’s Team captain, Siyemukela Ndlovu, who graduated with a Diploma in Small Business Management. Please also join me in congratulating Kim McDonald, a student-athlete in the Sports for Students with Disabilities Club. Click here to read more about this.

First Semester VC Campus Engagements

I thank all our staff members from the Auckland Park Kingsway (APK) Campus and other neighbouring University sites who attended the VC Campus Engagements on Monday. Next week is the turn of our colleagues at the Doornfontein Campus (DFC) and Soweto Campus (SWC). For the DFC Campus, we will meet on Monday, 16 March 2026, at the Exam Centre, Second Floor, John Orr Building. For our colleagues at the Soweto Campus, we will meet at the VIP Lounge, Imbizo Hall. I will be joined by members of the Management Executive Committee (MEC) and the Executive Leadership Group (ELG). If there are any specific issues you would like addressed or any questions you would like answered, please send them to bernicem@uj.ac.za.

Kea leboha, ngiyabonga, baie dankie, thank you!

Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi: Vice-Chancellor and Principal

Times mentioned in this newsletter refer to the South African time-zone.