Annualreport 2007
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ANNUAL REPORT 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS Message from the Chancellor ........................................................................................ 02 Report of the Chairperson of Council ............................................................................. 04 Report of the Vice-Chancellor and Principal .................................................................. 10 Academic Review ............................................................................................................ 16 Academic Review: Faculty Reports ................................................................................ 39 Report on Information and Communication Systems Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Finance.................................................................................... 61 Strategic Institutional Planning Review.......................................................................... 62 Report on Quality Assurance .......................................................................................... 63 Report on Advancement ................................................................................................. 66 Report on Human Resources Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Human Resources and Operations ......................................... 71 Report on Operations Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Human Resources and Operations ......................................... 77 Report on Sport .............................................................................................................. 80 Corporate Governance Review ....................................................................................... 82 Institutional Forum Report ............................................................................................. 89 Report on Risk Management .......................................................................................... 91 Financial Review ............................................................................................................. 104 Report on Internal Administrative/Operational Structures and Controls ...................... 105 Statement of Responsibility of Members of the Council ................................................ 106 Annual Financial Statements ......................................................................................... 107 Report of Independent Auditors on Factual Findings (Annexures 1 to 4) ....................... 108 1 MESSAGE FROM THE CHANCELLOR South Africa's young democracy – only in its fourteenth year – remains fragile, challenging and inspiring all at the same time. All institutions of higher learning have a responsibility to prepare tomorrow's leadership as well as to be models of transformation for society. The University of Johannesburg is only in its fourth year as a merged institution of higher learning with an ambitious vision to become Africa's premier institution of learning and teaching excellence to generate new knowledge while engaging with core issues affecting the broader society, to make the University more inclusive, more tolerant and a shining example for racial integration and appreciation of diversity (see Annexure 1). The Council reviewed the overall governance performance of the University's executive leadership and the institution achieved a rating of 4.67 out of a possible rating of 5 points. Our academic staff are stretched to the limit and beyond as we demand more and more from them to respond to the challenges of governance (4.05), research output (4.72) and, in particular, employment equity, which received a poor rating of 2.2. Not only the numbers of applicants but also those of admissions have increased significantly as compared with the numbers in 2007, which confirms that the UJ as a brand is growing its attractiveness and appeal to young people, while their parents have confidence that the UJ will offer their children a unique South African experience (see Table 27). The institution's strategic imperatives and thrusts for 2008 have been reviewed and refined, and some new ones have been added. These will be discussed in detail in the Council's report and will underpin the key performance areas of the institution for the 2008 academic year. The University offers a comprehensive learning experience and remains the only institution of higher learning to offer academic and technical choices in fields that are critical for a developing economy. We are the first campus to offer all levels of qualifications in higher education and our graduates enjoy international recognition. Allow me to give an overview of each of our faculties. The Faculty of Economic Sciences has a distinctive financial focus that sets it apart from other Commerce faculties in South Africa. The Faculty has established itself as a national leader in teaching and producing candidate Chartered Accountants and Chartered Management Accountants. It continues to achieve top results in the Qualifying Examination of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants with an 81% pass rate in 2007. With the ever increasing demand for economists, econometricians and effective decision makers, a range of qualifications have been developed to equip students with relevant quantitative and financial skills. The University's vision is to be a leading provider of education and research aimed at capacity building in the fields of economics, finance and accountancy. The Faculty prides itself in preparing young South Africans to become great professionals and meaningful contributors to society. The Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture continues to receive awards for its creative work and in 2007 established a Research Centre for Visual Identities in Art and Design to become a leader in this field. The Faculty aims to focus on visual expressions of identity as a specialised area of knowledge and expertise in art and design research. The Faculty of Education strongly believes in the power of education to transform human lives and their circumstances. Teaching, learning and community engagement in the Faculty are therefore guided by an ethos of care. What this means is that students who want to pursue a profession in education must be driven by a commitment to make a difference in the lives of those they interact with. The Faculty is particularly proud of its community engagement, which was recognised by the Minister of Education as almost certainly a first for an Education faculty in South Africa. The Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment provides programmes in a range of critical scarce skills that South Africa and the subcontinent desperately needs. It is the first and only faculty in South Africa to offer the full qualification range that includes both an engineering technology trajectory and an engineering science trajectory. It is extremely proud to be the first and only faculty providing integrated engineering skills to the marketplace with graduates who enjoy international recognition. The Faculty is also involved in three flagship projects that involve students and the community: Women in Engineering, the Art of Engineering Exhibition and the Formula 1 in Schools. 2 The Faculty of Health Sciences is recognised nationally and internationally for its accredited qualifications in the fields of Public and Allied Health, Nursing Sciences, Complementary Health, and Sport and Movement Sciences. The Faculty is involved in various community development and outreach programmes through sustainable social investment. The Faculty of Humanities is a vibrant, intense community of intellectuals and students whose passion is to produce new contributions to human knowledge, to impart knowledge and to inspire the creation of new knowledge. The Faculty has two flourishing research centres, the Centre for Social Research and one for Social Development in Africa. The recently established Centre for the Study of Culture in Africa promises to make a significant contribution in this field. The Faculty of Law is a small faculty with an enormous output and excellent reputation. For 2008, it received almost three times more applications from prospective first-year students than could be accommodated. The Faculty's accredited research output annually ranks among the top in the country. The Faculty of Management continues to excel in its programmes by integrating its network of outstanding, committed and dedicated scientists, researchers and academics to become the provider of choice for innovative and socially responsible management scholarship across Southern Africa. This Faculty intends to become a thought leader in the field of Management in a globally complex environment. The Faculty of Science shares President Mbeki's vision of a Renaissance in Africa and believes that science is the gateway to the rebirth of South Africa and the continent. The Faculty draws together innovative education, internationally competitive research and community development into a dynamic synergy that inspires our students to become exceptional scholars who can make an outstanding contribution to our socio-economic challenges. In conclusion, we believe that as an institution we are playing a significant role in shaping the leadership of the future as well as in contributing towards South Africa's transformation challenges. In many ways, our growing alumni are the real measure of the UJ's growing brand and reputation. We are therefore extremely honoured that growing numbers of young people choose the UJ to prepare them for the world of work and for making a contribution