Dear UJ community,

To end what has been an eventful and productive year on a high note has to be one of the most gratifying experiences, both from an individual and collective perspective.

Historic Visit to Liberia

Early on Saturday, I led a delegation from our University to Liberia. The purpose of the visit was to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and Tubman University (TU), one of Liberia’s leading universities. The President of TU, Professor Olu Q. Menjay, and I signed the MoU during the graduation ceremony. Its purpose is to promote student and staff exchanges between our two universities and to strengthen cooperation in areas of common interest, such as engineering and technology, public health, women and development, historical and political studies, and artificial intelligence (AI), to name a few.

I was also honoured to be conferred a Doctor of Science (honoris causa) in recognition of my contribution to the field of AI and the Law. As I have mentioned in the past, my predecessor Professor Tshilidzi Mawrala and I published a book titled Artificial Intelligence and the Law. This book will soon be translated into Arabic and Mandarin. Our next book,Artificial Intelligence and Employment Law, is scheduled for publication next year.

While in Liberia, my delegation, consisting of Professors Bongani Ngqulunga, Daniel Mashao, and Kammila Naidoo paid a courtesy visit to the former President of Liberia, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who was the first woman president in Africa and a Nobel laureate for Peace. We also met with the leader of Senate, the second house of the Liberian Congress, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Special Advisor to the President of Liberia and the Minister of Labour. All of these preeminent leaders commended the partnership between UJ and TU and encouraged our two universities to do even more. They also reminded us of the historical links between Liberia and South Africa, including the role Liberia played during our struggle for liberation.

For us at UJ, our growing partnership with TU and numerous other institutions from the African continent is a practical expression of our strategic vision 2035, which is anchored on three pillars: societal impact and sustainability, global footprint and partnership, and technologies for the future. I am beyond thrilled and deeply grateful for this recognition, which I dedicate to the entire UJ Community. I could not have achieved this without your support and commitment to our objectives, which aim to position the University as a leading institution of higher learning in South Africa and beyond. Click here to read more about this.

2025 Council Awards

Our visit to Liberia took place just after we held the annual UJ Council Awards in honour of community builders and outstanding alumni on Friday, 21 November 2025. The Council Awards are split into two categories, the Ellen Kuzwayo and Alumni Dignitas awards.

The Ellen Kuzwayo Awards, named after the revered anti-apartheid activist and community builder Nnoseng Ellen Kuzwayo, honour South Africans for their impactful contributions to the higher education sector. The Dignitas Alumni Awards, meanwhile, recognise UJ alumni whose achievements and dedication have elevated the university’s reputation globally, inspiring future generations of students to dream big and achieve great things.

Ellen Kuzwayo Awards:

• Dr Nomonde Mabuya: a medical doctor, occupational health specialist, and social innovator who has spent over 30 years improving the health and safety of South Africans.
• Dr Madeline Nyamwanza-Makonese: a trailblazer in African medical history. She is widely celebrated as Zimbabwe’s first female medical doctor.

2025 Dignitas Award Recipients:

• Dr Nkosinathi Sishi: a highly respected public servant with over 38 years of leadership experience in education, governance, and public administration.  He currently serves as the Director-General of the Department of Higher Education and Training and the Accounting Authority of the National Skills Fund.
• Ms Redi Tlhabi: an acclaimed South African journalist, author, and broadcaster with a career spanning more than twenty years. She is also a Political Economy and English Literature graduate from UJ.

Congratulations to all the awardees; their achievements are richly deserved! To read more about this, click here. You can also watch here.

National University Teaching Awards

Our staff continue to make us proud by earning recognition across their areas of expertise. Three of our academics were recognised in the National University Teaching Awards (NUTA) this week. Professor Thembisa Waetjen was recognised in the Experienced Teacher category for 2024, Dr Meagan Finn in the Beginner Teacher category for 2025, and Fatima Ismail was awarded a commendation in the Beginner Teacher category for 2024.

The NUTA award ceremony, recognising excellence in teaching across all 26 public institutions, was held at Emperors Palace, Ekurhuleni, this past Friday, 21 November 2025. The recognition of UJ teachers in these awards is a testament to the support and development offered to enhance academic teaching by the Centre for Academic Staff Development in the Division of Teaching Excellence.

The African Academy of Sciences

In other exciting news, Professor Umesh Ramnarain (Professor, Science Education, Faculty of Education) has been elected as a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS). He is part of the 70 distinguished scholars who were welcomed to the AAS’s Fellowship this week, joining a legacy of scientific excellence and leadership across the continent. These individuals have been selected through a rigorous, merit-based nomination and peer-review process that recognises outstanding achievement and lasting contributions to science, technology, innovation, and scholarship in Africa and globally. Their election affirms both their individual contributions and their shared dedication to using science and scholarship to drive progress and improve lives in Africa and beyond. To read more about this, click here. Congratulations, Prof Ramnarain, well done!

End-of-Year Message

Lastly, as we approach the end of a seminal year in the University’s history, I am reminded once again that what truly makes an institution is its people. Celebrating 20 years of UJ has been a celebration of you. To this end, I express my sincere gratitude to each one of you. To our academic and support/administrative staff, thank you for your commitment to UJ’s remarkable story. Our achievements are only possible through you. To our students, you are the very reason we exist. This is also a moment to look ahead, filled with hope, inspiration, and motivation for the year to come. Thank you for driving us to be better and for continuously striving for excellence and impact. I wish you a safe and wonderful festive season and a prosperous new year. Take care!

Ke a leboha, ngiyabonga, thank you, baie dankie!

Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi

Vice-Chancellor and Principal