Page 47 - Transformation Indaba Report

A Task Team was established. The language policy has been tent feedback about the language policy, which is a crucial
drafted and was submitted to DVC Cheryl Foxcroft for feed- policy that the institution needs, into the Institutional Forum
back. So that is in progress. I’m not sure about this year’s as well as the Transformation Committee. (RA Levendal)
developments (2022) but I do know there has been consis-

In terms of our conversations about institutional culture
– are all ‘voices’ fully represented so that I have a plat-
form and can contribute to the platform because
somebody has an interest in my contributions? (Khanyi)

Authentic and honest reflections is easy for us to gloss over. ethos of Nelson Mandela at different levels of the univer-
We need to honestly assess ourselves against a holistic set sity? Those were some of several issues we looked at. If I
of indicators, particularly as it relates to culture. Culture can give an honest assessment, I would say we’re in it for
is mostly in-tangible and “slippery”. the long haul. There has been tangible progress in terms of
moving in many of these areas but in many respects there’s
What the meta-analysis sought to do was less about the still a lot of work that must be done. The only way we can
quantitative indicators because institutional culture is quite know if we’re moving in the right direction is by hearing
difficult to measure, from a quantitative perspective. We voices. It’s only through the voices of our multiple stake-
looked at some of the domains for example: whether our holders that we will know whether it’s being experienced on
learning and work environments are inclusive; whether our the ground or is it just remaining an aspiration in our V2030.
language policy is promoting multilingualism; in all function-
al domains, not only the classroom but beyond the class- V2030 engagements feedback: “Heather, this has been such
room, to whether we’re living the South African identity an awesome experience, but it shouldn’t be an event.It
as a university; and how is that African identity translating needs to be an ongoing exercise”. An ongoing exercise,
into our university spaces; the way we relate to one another where we deliberately and intentionally create spaces, for
in terms of institutional culture; how are students and staff different voices within the university and beyond the univer-
experiencing the institutional culture on different campus- sity, to express themselves on where do they want to see
es. Andre correctly said earlier there’s universities within the university going; how do they see us doing that; what
the university, so there’s sub-cultures as well but is that can they bring and contribute to that to their journey in
sub-culture in line with our transformative values-driven terms of taking us forward and deepening institutional
institutional culture; how are we investing our resources; culture that is inclusive and builds social cohesion.
does our resource allocation show evidence of our commit-
ment to a transformative institutional culture; how are we If colleagues want to read the meta-analysis and give me
engaging with our stakeholders; are we responding to what further comments and feedback, that would be awesome,
our stakeholders raise; how are people given the opportu- as to where you think the university still needs to go in terms
nity; how are the different voices given space and oppor- of institutional culture. That’s taken very seriously by the
tunity to voice their opinions/concerns/views about institu- institutional WG led by Nandi and Andre. They in turn are
tional culture; are those voices heard and responded to; on the Executive Management Committee and they feed
to what extent are voices being responded to in terms of into that structure and the Deanery, as it relates to issues
action; how we manage talent within the university that still need lots of work. (H Nel)
amongst our students and staff; how are we living into the

NelsoN MaNdela UNiversity • traNsforMatioN iNdaba • 2022 41