About Us: Driving Community Engagement

Driving Community Engagement at MUT: Our Strategic Location

Community engagement, a core function alongside teaching, learning, and research at MUT, involves the active participation of the university community—including academic and support staff, students, and alumni—in strategic partnerships with the broader community.

At MUT, we value a culture of openness and accessibility, the creation of value and improved quality of life, active communication and collaboration with community stakeholders, and the delivery of positive services at all levels. Engagement initiatives aim to transform the lives of individuals and communities through meaningful interaction with MUT’s stakeholders by building relationships, engaging in dialogue focused on shared goals, and extending university knowledge, resources, and expertise to advance society.

Community engagement is guided by the MUT Goal 3: Excellence in community engagement, which is informed by the National Development Plan (NDP Vision 2030), provincial imperatives, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the New Growth Path framework (2009), with an emphasis on entrepreneurial skills.

Our Strategic Vision for Community Engagement at MUT

MUT’s VISION is “To be a transforming, equitable, sustainable and academically excellent University of Technology anchored in its communities.” To demonstrate its commitment to this vision, MUT has established and resourced a Community Engagement and Development (CEAD) Directorate to coordinate and monitor all community engagement activities at the university. The Directorate identifies areas of collaboration between communities and MUT and establishes partnerships to leverage limited resources.

Faculty Leadership on Community Engagement

Professor Alfred Msomi

Dean, Faculty of Applied and Health Sciences

Dr Kevin Ramsarghey

Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences

Dr Richard Chidzonga

Dean, Faculty of Engineering

Dr Sikwela Misery Mpuzu

CE Faculty Representative
Faculty of Management Sciences

Professor Kuben Naidoo

CE Faculty Representative
Faculty of Applied and Health Sciences

Sanjivi Naidoo

CE Faculty Representative
Faculty of Engineering

CEAD Directorate Staff

Dr Mfanozelwe Shozi

Deputy Director

Professor Busisiwe Nkonki-Mandleni

Director

Dr Ikponmwosa David Ighodaro

Researcher: Community Engagement

Dudu Thobile Mbhele

Community Liaison Officer

Shabalala Senamile

Administrative Officer

Dr. Popoola Oluwaseun Oluwabunmi

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

MUT an affiliate of SAHECEF

MUT is an affiliate of SAHECEF (South African Higher Education Community Engagement Forum), a platform that enables South African higher education institutions to collaborate and exchange knowledge on community engagement and engaged scholarship. The forum aims to strengthen engagement practices in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) by promoting innovation through research and experimentation.

SAHECEF advocates the use of community engagement to address societal challenges and promote inclusive development. It facilitates collaboration across South African universities to share best practices, co-create knowledge, and launch joint initiatives.

SAHECEF also collaborates with international organisations such as the Talloires Network and the Engaged Scholarship Consortium promoting global learning and exchange of community engagement practices.

Membership offers opportunities for collaboration, access to curated resources and events, and connection to a national network of peers committed to community engagement.