Leadership Team Reflects and Reviews Progress at Strategic Mid-Term Session

The University of Venda (UNIVEN) convened a Strategic Mid-Term Review Workshop from 19 to 20 June 2025 at the Radisson Safari Hotel in Hoedspruit. The session brought together members of Executive and Senior Management and key institutional stakeholders to evaluate progress on the current Strategic Plan (2021–2025) and chart a path forward for the upcoming 2026–2030 strategic cycle. Serving as a structured midpoint reflection, the workshop aimed to assess institutional achievements, re-evaluate strategic priorities, and ensure alignment with the university’s long-term goals.

In his opening address, Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof Bernard Nthambeleni stressed the importance of collaboration, introspection, and maintaining momentum. He described the workshop as an invaluable platform to reflect on successes, acknowledge challenges, and recalibrate institutional strategies to remain on track. Core focus areas of the review included the assessment of progress using key performance indicators, identification of internal and external challenges hindering plan implementation, and fostering candid dialogue among senior leaders to explore innovation and performance improvement opportunities.
Key intended outcomes from the workshop included establishing baseline performance data to inform the 2026 strategy and APP metrics, identifying emerging strategic risks, particularly around data integrity and reporting, and drafting sub-strategies for the 2026–2030 Strategic Plan. Participants also reviewed institutional values, grant management systems, and areas requiring urgent attention, such as the implementation of reviewed Annual Performance Plan (APP) Technical Description Indicators (TIDs), improved performance record-keeping, and strengthened oversight mechanisms.

Presentations by various university leaders and experts provided insights into specific strategic themes. Dr Mutshinyalo Ratombo, Director of Strate-gy and Risk, presented a four-year overview of strategic performance from 2021 to 2024. Consultant Dr Glen Barnes (IDSC) proposed measures for enhanc-ing data management and strategic alignment through tools such as PowerHEDA.

Prof Joseph Francis, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Post-graduate Studies, highlighted key strategic interventions aligned with the cur-rent plan, focusing on building research capacity, postgraduate student support, and innovation. He also emphasised the university’s rural development mandate and its vision to transform Thohoyandou into a dynamic University Town.

Prof Sebi Lekalakala-Mokgele, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Learn-ing, shared a reflective overview of the 2021–2025 strategy centred on student suc-cess, inclusive transformation, and innovation. Her presentation outlined a strengths-based, student-centred approach supported by frameworks like Appreciative Inquiry, Design Thinking, and the Psycho-Social Model. She stressed the importance of digital tools, faculty leadership, and trauma-informed pedagogy in achieving academic and social success.University Registrar, Dr Joel Baloyi provided a detailed account of the Registrar’s Division per-formance between 2021 and 2024. Notable achievements included surpassing key targets in student affairs interventions and committee administration, as well as the digitisation of over 56,000 institutional records. Looking ahead, the division’s 2026–2030 strategy, informed by the Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results (SOAR) framework, will focus on student-centred academic systems, digital advancement, compliance, and stronger stakeholder engagement.
In further sessions, Mrs Mavis Madzhie, Director of Financial Management and Reporting, presented the university’s financial sustainability strategy with an emphasis on third-stream income generation and governance. Mrs Uanda Ndou, Director of Human Resources, discussed strategies for talent acquisition and retention.

Dr Phillia Vukea, Director of Grants Management, delivered a comprehensive strategic review of DHET earmarked grants, infrastructure and efficiency grants (IEG), and the University Capacity Development Programme (UCDP), identifying both progress and ongoing challenges in grant management.

On the second day, Prof Nthambeleni presented the draft Strategic Plan 2026–2030, aligned with Vision 2040. The proposed plan aspires to position UNIVEN as an entrepreneurial, re-search-driven, and community-engaged institution that serves as a catalyst for societal change. Rooted in the unique Vhembe Biosphere context, the strategy emphasises innova-tion, student-centeredness, environmental sustainability, and international partnerships. It is structured around four strategic thrusts: student success, entrepreneurship, peo-ple and environment, and internationalisation, with clearly defined, measurable outcomes.
Dr Baloyi also presented the Registrar’s governance strategy for 2026–2030, which will focus on strengthening ethical leadership, oversight, and institutional accountability. Drawing from glob-al standards such as ISO 37000/37004 and the OCEG GRC model, the strategy prioritises im-proved governance capabilities, risk and compliance systems, data quality, cybersecurity, and legal compliance, all while reinforcing stakeholder engagement and long-term sustainability.

Executive Dean of the Faculty of Management, Commerce and Law, Prof Barwa Kanyane, provid-ed a comprehensive recap of the workshop. He commended Executive Management for aligning operational activities with strategic goals and encouraged the submission of outstanding inputs to the Director of Strategy and Risk. He also reinforced alignment with Limpopo Provincial Gov-ernment priorities, especially in mining, agriculture, and the hydrogen economy, and emphasised the importance of evidence-based performance, robust data governance, and a culture of appre-ciative enquiry. He called for improved internal grant management capacity, reduced reliance on consultants, and greater accountability, including mandatory executive sign-off on grant reports.
In his closing remarks, Prof Nthambeleni praised the depth of engagement and consen-sus achieved on the institution’s strategic thrusts, outcome indicators, and refined core values. He called for continued momentum in achieving 2025 performance targets and finalis-ing divisional contributions to the 2026 APP. The next steps include a consolidation workshop in July and Council submission of the finalised 2026–2030 Strategic Plan by September 2025.

Issued by:
Department of Marketing, Branding and Communication University of Venda
Tel: 082 868 2218 / 082 868 1811