WHO WE ARE
Strategic Plan (2024 – 2028)
We are purposeful, intentional and strategic in everything we do – Community driven, digitally enabled!
OUR CONTEXT
Community driven, digitally enabled!From a college status in 1959 to a fully-fledged excellence-driven and highly competitive institution, the University of Limpopo (UL) has shaped the country’s development on many fronts over the past 60 years, with several firsts – from launching Africa’s first fully-fledged Optometry degree in 1974 to becoming a centre of resistance to segregation in the mid-1980s and establishing democratic South Africa’s first medical school in 2015.
The University, affectionately known as Turfloop, has long been recognised as a centre of excellence, with its alumni gaining illustrious leadership skills and relevant industry knowledge while on campus. This responsiveness is facilitated by the University’s strategic intent, which is centred on the pursuit of a total radical transformation, similar to that of a caterpillar to butterfly, in which the University markedly wove its enterprise from a “historically disadvantaged institution” (HDI) to a world-class African University. The University continues to make incalculable contributions to the higher education sector by focusing on areas identified globally as having the potential to drive economic development and significantly contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). South Africa’s first pilot plant in manganese beneficiation – Lithium-Ion Battery (LIB) Precursor Pilot Plant Facility – is one such programme, with a R30-million investment to tap into manganese ore reserves and energy storage. South Africa has 80% of the world’s high-grade manganese ore reserves. This resource has enormous potential for mineral beneficiation (and cathode materials) in the country.
Engaged scholarship is the beating heart of the University’s academic enterprise, and a future UL will be one that integrates teaching and learning, research, and community engagement to produce well-rounded graduates who will respond innovatively to personal, local and global challenges. The integration is complemented by focused collaborations with industry partners for bursaries, work-integrated learning opportunities, research, social impact and sponsorships for the development of arts, sports and culture.
With the audacious goal of “finding solutions for Africa,” the University, through its four faculties of Health Sciences, Humanities, Science and Agriculture, and Management and Law, has made significant strides in recent years.
These range from receiving research chairs to increasing (National Research Foundation) NRF-rated researchers and developing curricula that are responsive to the development needs of the 21st Century.
Our responsive aspirations:
- Produce socially and economically relevant and responsive graduates
- Create an environment that enables students to reach their full potential
- Become an employer of choice
- Produce well-rounded graduates and engaged academics
- Improve the quality of lives in communities
- Advance the knowledge economy
- Improve partnerships with local and international stakeholders and collaborators
- Remain the safest, most efficient, ethical, transparent and accountable Institution
- Become a world-class African University
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
Community engagement or engaged scholarship is, and will remain, at the heart of the University of Limpopo’s enterprise beyond 2028. The Rural Development and Innovation Hub (RDIH) at UL is expanding its network of integrated community-engaged scholarship programmes.
The majority of projects are aligned with curriculum development and/or research, with a strong emphasis on incorporating the community’s voice into projects. To align with our vision of “finding solutions for Africa”, UL’s eight strategic goals position the institution as one of the most relevant institutions of higher learning, with an academic enterprise that resonates with community needs and innovation that remains the leading catalyst of socioeconomic development.
Goal 1: Improve the quality of teaching and learning at the University
Improve the quality of teaching and learning at the University
Ensuring that the PQM, teaching resources, and environment respond to the real and
felt needs of society and the professions by bringing innovative teaching and learning
methodologies and student support services in order to produce qualified, competent,
career-oriented, and entrepreneurial graduates who are economically and socially
relevant and responsive (knowledge, skills, and attitudes). This will require the
University to invest in the digital transformation of key processes in order to take
advantage of the opportunities and lessons learned from implementing emergency
remote multimodal teaching and learning. Optimising UL’s operations and product
offerings with a special focus on improving the student experience.
- Achieve quality pass, throughput, and graduation rates
- Enhance the provision of quality blended teaching, learning, and assessment
- Optimise the PQM for relevance, responsiveness, and viability
- Introduce new short learning programmes
- Develop new programmes with a focus on mining, ICT, insurance and related
services - Maintain accreditation of all our programmes
Goal 2: Improve student support and development services
Create an environment that enables students to reach their full potential both in academics and extramural activities.
- Develop and implement quality academic, wellness and graduate support measures for students
- Assist students in career choices and success in finding employment or embarking in entrepreneuship upon graduation from the University
- Improve residences, recreational and sports offerings and infrastructure
- Improve student experience by promoting a student-centred culture amongst
all employees of the University
Goal 3: Attract, recruit, retain and develop quality academics and professional support staff
A high-calibre professoriate that reflects the gender and racial demographics of South Africa, supported by a network of professional and administrative staff with pre-requisite qualities.
- Advance the scholarship of teaching for academic staff
- Enhance the profile of academics
- Enhance the diversity of staff
Goal 4: Strengthen the role of community engagement as a core function of the University
Well-rounded graduates, engaged academics. Improved quality of life in communities.
- Implement integrated Teaching and Learning, Research, and Community Engagement projects
- Introduce free online courses for the youth
Goal 5: Improve the University’s research standing and status
Conducting cutting-edge research that advances the knowledge project and contributes to the resolution of African and global challenges. Ensuring that UL’s new and existing international partnerships (particularly with other African states) are optimised in order to infuse intercultural and global dimensions to teaching and learning, research, and community engagement—to give meaningful expression to our motto.
Improve the quality of University’s research output through the following initiatives:
- Develop and Implement a strategy for strengthening research at the University
- Increase the University’s publications output
- Increase the percentage Master’s and Doctoral enrolments
- Reduce the average time (years) to completion for Master’s graduates
- Increase the number of post-doctoral fellows
- Increase the number of rated researchers
- Increase the number of research chairs
- Increase international mobility opportunities for staff and students
- Establish a Centre for Postgraduate Studies
- Establish an African Institute
Goal 6: Improve UL’s overall branding, communication, partnerships and diversity
Improved image, reputation and perceptions about the University. Improved partnerships with local and international stakeholders and collaborators.
- Strengthen communication and overall branding of the University
- Build and maintain strategic partnerships and involve key stakehoders
- Ensuring that the University has a diverse and balanced staff and student mix,
attracting quality local and international scholars and professionals - Participate in and improve University rankings
Goal 7: Enhance the level of governance and administration within the University
Technology is continuously changing and therefore the University will take an agile
approach and make incremental improvements to systems and processes as required.
There will be a focus on investment in the digital transformation of key processes in
order to take advantage of the opportunities and lessons learned from implementing
emergency remote multimodal teaching and learning. UL’s operations and product
offerings will be optimised to ensure they are student-centred, with a special focus on
accessibility and inclusivity. The University will also invest in advanced data analytics
for improved planning and data-driven decision-making.
- Create a safe and conducive environment for excellence by ensuring that UL is an ethical, transparent, and accountable Institution.
- Improve overall internal control systems.
- Foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement by establishing a Directorate for Transformation and Innovation that will assist Faculties and support departments to give effect to the vision of UL.
Goal 8: Diversify the University’s sources of income for sustainability, growth and competitiveness
Using strategic, innovative and entrepreneurial approaches to attract and create diverse sources of income in order to improve the University’s financial autonomy and be able to grow and implement aspirational projects for the benefit of students, staff and the community.
- Improve the generation of 3rd stream income
- Promote a culture of alumni giving back to the university through donations
