Page 52 - Transformation Report 2023
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TRANSFORMATION

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              Through the Workplace Skills Plan and Learning and De-  Competencies were further enhanced by providing op-                             ENSURE ETHICAL LEADERSHIP AND ACCOUNTABILITY THROUGH IM-
              velopment initiatives, job-related competencies and skills   portunities to lower-level employees through on-the-job                    PROVED EFFECTIVENESS OF GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES, INCLUDING
              continue to be undertaken. For the year under review, a   training, acting appointments and secondment to various                       COUNCIL, INSTITUTIONAL FORUM, SENATE, STUDENT SUPPORT SER-
              total of R2 947 812 was spent on human development   roles across Support Services. Employees working in Sup-                           VICES COUNCIL, AND THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL
              interventions involving various SLPs, while R1 317 592   port Services were encouraged to enrol in formal studies.
              was spent on Shared Services Interventions.      The department enhanced its management structures                                                                      •
                                                               to uphold ethical governance and leadership practices.                                                                    Document on the Delegation of Decision-Making
              A training plan was developed and implemented for Sup-  A new governance structure was identified to expedite            Governance and Ethical Leadership              •   Authority
              port Services, inclusive of all occupational levels within   decision-making processes and enhance stakeholder re-                                                         Policy and Guidelines on Access to Information and
              the division, and aimed at enhancing skills and improving   lations.                                                                                                    •   Procedure for University Data Subjects
              performance. Some of the capacity development inter-                                                                   The management of policy reviews became more strin-  •   Risk Management Policy
              ventions implemented included:                                                                                         gent with regular communiques issued to policy owners.   •   Employee Disciplinary Procedure and Code
                                                                                                                                                                                         Privacy Policy
                                                                    Employee Discipline and Code                                     Quarterly reports are submitted to MANCO as part of its   •
              •   Computer Literacy and Vocational training (Cleaning,                                                               oversight. In addition, a Practice Note outlining the policy   •   Consolidated Assessment Policies and Procedures
                 Horticulture and Catering).  Law Enforcement Train-           of Conduct                                            review process/criteria was developed and approved by   •   Grievance Policy and Procedure
                 ing for Protection Services team. Business Adminis-                                                                 MANCO in 2023 and is available on the Institutional Reg-  •   Nelson Mandela University Committee Framework
                 tration Certificate which is equivalent to NQF Level 4                                                              ulatory Code (IRC).                                 Management of Incidences of Students’ Pregnancy
                 (Matric level) rolled out and achieved an astounding   The disciplinary procedures guidelines have been de-                                                          •   in Residences
                 94% pass rate for employees at PL 13 – PL 16.  veloped and will be used to operationalise the revised               To  enhance  institutional  governance  processes,  refine-  •   Entertainment, Travel and Subsistence Policy
              •   Administration and financial related training for em-  Employee Disciplinary Procedures and Code which was         ments were made to the Institutional Governance Stan-  Rules And Procedure for Conferring of Honorary
                 ployees at level PL9 to PL12, where which included   approved in September 2023 by Council. In addition, on-        dard Operating Procedure, with completion expected by   •   Doctoral Degrees
                 the Frontline Leadership Development Programme,   going Employee Relations training workshops were con-             the end of March 2024.                              Occupational Health and Safety Policy
                 Basic Financial Principles and Business Writing Skills.   ducted with line managers to capacitate managers to use
                 The Frontline Leadership Development Programme   their learnt skills in the administration of discipline.           In 2023, discussions were initiated with Internal Audit on
                 was provided to first line managers and supervisors,                                                                combined assurance for the governance, risk and com-      Risk and Ethics Advisory
                 closing key competency areas such as business writ-  A Dispute Monitor System has been used to generate the         pliance at the University. The Risk and Ethics Advisory
                 ing skills for new managers, and financial principles   reports used to update HR policies from time to time.       Office with the Internal Audit Department undertook the
                 for middle managers.                                                                                                mapping of roles and responsibilities of all the identified   The risk and ethics advisory function resides with the Reg-
              •   Management and Leadership Development Pro-                                                                         key assurance providers/stakeholders. Following this ex-  istrar’s portfolio.
                 grammes were provided to PL 7 and PL8 employees.                                                                    ercise, the Institutional Combined Assurance Model will
              •   The PL4 – PL5 employees attended Leadership De-                                                                    be drafted/developed. This target is now planned to be   Once CHE consultations regarding the IQMS are con-
                 velopment Programmes.                                                                                               achieved in June 2024.                           cluded and implementation of the framework commenc-
                                                                                                                                                                                      es within the University, the alignment between these
                                                                                                                                     Council approved the revised Rules (which included the   functions and the IQMS will be critical to ensure that com-
                                                                                                                                     Code of Conduct) in November 2023.               bined assurance processes are implemented to address
                                                                                                                                                                                      risk and quality in an integrated manner. Further informa-
                                                                                                                                     General academic rules and Assessment Procedures   tion regarding the risk and ethics advisory developments
                                                                                                                                     were reviewed in 2023 following extensive engagement   can be accessed within the Annual Report.
                                                                                                                                     with stakeholders for implementation in 2024. The review
                                                                                                                                     entailed making the rules less rigid to enable enhanced
                                                                                                                                     quality of assessments.                                 Strengthen Information and
                                                                                                                                                                                             Communication Technology
                                                                                                                                         New and Reviewed Institutional                         Governance Processes
                                                                                                                                              Policies and Procedures
                                                                                                                                                                                      As the University embraces the IR4, issues of ICT gover-
                                                                                                                                                                                      nance are important to ensure that our employees and
                                                                                                                                     In addition to the above developments to enhance in-  students operate within the precepts of law and gover-
                                                                                                                                     stitutional governance, the following policies and proce-  nance provisions. Cybersecurity, detection of fake news
                                                                                                                                     dures were approved and made available on the IRC:  and deepfake, use of AI in the Academy and impact
                                                                                                                                     •   Records Management Policy                    thereof on the academic project are some of the issues
                                                                                                                                                                                      facing Universities.
                                                                                                                                     •   Rules of Council/ ARC Charter
                                                                                                                                     •   Rules of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Univer-  Further information relating to the strengthening of ICT
                                                                                                                                        sity                                          governance processes are reflected in the Annual Report.
                                                                                                                                     •   University Data Subject Request Procedure





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