Dear UJ community,
This week, our University conferred an honorary doctorate on Mr Pitso Mosimane, one of Africa’s most decorated football coaches. The conferral, part of UJ’s Winter Graduation season, was in recognition of Mr Mosimane’s exceptional contributions to sports, his exemplary leadership and his steadfast commitment to excellence and innovation. The honorary doctorate also highlighted his influential role in elevating South African football to the global stage, further cementing his legacy as one of South Africa’s most influential and respected sports figures.
Football as a powerful tool for social transformation
Beyond his on-field successes, Mosimane has been a tireless advocate for community and youth development, using his platform to drive positive change through the Pitso Mosimane Soccer Schools and the Pitso Mosimane Foundation. As he aptly put it, “Football is a powerful tool for change, it is a source of hope, and a platform to educate and inspire the next generation.” The honorary doctorate ceremony was attended by dignitaries and luminaries from the football fraternity and other sectors. Among them was Danny Jordaan, President of the South African Football Association (SAFA), his predecessor, Molefi Oliphant, and prominent football administrator and businessman Jomo Sono. Prominent African soccer personalities and Mosimane’s friends, such as Kalusha Byalwa (Zambia’s former African Footballer of the Year) and Aliou Cissé (Senegal coach), were also in attendance.
I thank the Executive Dean (Acting) of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Prof Annie Temane, and her team for the honorary doctorate conferral. As indicated at the ceremony, I hope that through our strong relationship with Mr Mosimane, we can leverage his knowledge and expertise in football to improve the UJ football teams. During this graduation season, more than 1800 graduates will cross the stage to receive their qualifications. Of this number, 990 are undergraduates, 1020 are postgraduates, including 142 Honours, 738 Master’s and 140 doctorates.
UJ set to transform legal education with a virtual reality courtroom
In other exciting news, our University is breaking new ground in legal education with its trailblazing Virtual Reality (VR) Courtroom Game launched last week on Friday, 19 July 2024. Through this, UJ is set to transform traditional teaching methods, offering students a dynamic and immersive learning experience that blends theoretical knowledge with hands-on practice. This cutting-edge initiative marks a first for South Africa and is a groundbreaking development for the entire African continent.
In South Africa, legal education has traditionally followed a structured approach, categorising law into distinct disciplines rooted in Roman tradition. However, this method often overlooks the interconnectedness of legal issues within the country’s complex constitutional democracy. The VR Courtroom Game tackles this issue head-on by plunging students into realistic legal scenarios that mirror actual cases. Congratulations to our colleagues in the Faculty of Law for this innovation, in partnership with the Johannesburg Business School (JBS) Innovation Lab.
UJ hosts colloquium on Whistleblowing and Social Change
In celebration of South Africa’s 30 years of democracy, our University hosted a significant colloquium on 18-19 July 2024, exploring the role of whistleblowing in combating corruption and fostering social development. The colloquium, titled Breaking the Chains of Corruption: Whistleblowing as a Catalyst for Social Development in South Africa, provided a platform for dialogue among academics, practitioners, policymakers, and civil society representatives. Discussions covered international standards for whistleblower protection, strategies for supporting whistleblowers in weak legal environments, and the political economy of whistleblowing, among other critical themes.
The event established UJ as a critical player in whistleblowing research, facilitating collaborations with individuals and institutions previously unaffiliated with the University. I thank the SARChI Chair in Social Change, led by Professor Ashwin Desai, and the Centre for Social Development in Africa (CSDA), with co-ordination by Dr Ugljesa Radulovic (Department of Sociology) and Dr Anthony Kaziboni (Centre for Social Development in Africa), for organising such a successful event. To read more about this, click here.
2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Lastly, I wish UJ athletes and alumni who are part of Team South Africa who will be representing the country in the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris all the best. In all, Team South Africa will be represented in 19 different codes by 138 athletes. The inclusion of UJ students shows our commitment to sports development. These Olympians and Paralympians are inspiring role models for current and future UJ students. Although the Paris 2024 Olympics only officially has the opening ceremony this evening, the competition started on Wednesday, 24 July 2024, with Team SA involved in rugby sevens action at the iconic Stade de France. Best wishes to you all!
Ke a leboha, ngiyabonga, thank you, baie dankie!
Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi: Vice-Chancellor and Principal
Times mentioned in this newsletter refer to the South African time zone.
