Council Statement on Separation Agreement Between VC and NUL

IT IS ANNOUNCED FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION THAT AT ITS MEETING OF 17 APRIL, 2019, THE COUNCIL OF THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF LESOTHO ENDORSED A SEPARATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE VICE-CHANCELLOR, PROFESSOR NQOSA LEUTA MAHAO AND THE UNIVERSITY, AHEAD OF THE EXPIRY OF HIS CONTRACT IN NOVEMBER 2019. THE SEPARATION WILL TAKE EFFECT FROM 1 JUNE, 2019.

OVER THE LAST FOUR AND HALF YEARS AS VICE-CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY, PROFESSOR MAHAO HAS DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF AS AN OUTSTANDING AND VISIONARY LEADER WHO SPEARHEADED A SERIES OF GAME-CHANGING INITIATIVES RE-POSITIONING THE UNIVERSITY AS A PREMIER INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING IN THE SUB-REGION.  KEY TO THOSE THAT CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO HIS RESOURCEFULNESS ARE;

• THE REVIEW OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES AND INTRODUCTION OF NEW ONES TO RESPOND TO NATIONAL DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS AND THEIR ACCREDITATION WITH THE COUNCIL OF HIGHER EDUCATION (CHE);

• THE ROLL-OUT OF OPEN AND DISTANT LEARNING (ODL) MODE AT THE INSTITUTE OF EXTRA-MURAL STUDIES TO REACH OUT TO BASOTHO ASPIRING TO LEARN WHEREVER THEY MAY BE;

• THE ENHANCEMENT AND EXPANSION OF POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMMES FOOTPRINT IN ALL FACULTIES AND INSTITUTES OF THE UNIVERSITY TO MEET OBJECTIVES SET OUT IN THE 2015-2020 STRATEGIC PLAN. CURRENTLY NUL HAS 42 ACTIVE POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMMES;

• THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MOSHOESHOE I PEACE AND LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE (MPLI) OPENING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEADERSHIP TRAINING DRAWING FROM THE RICH BASOTHO HISTORY WHILE ALSO ARMED WITH 21^ST CENTURY COMPETENCIES;

• THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF LESOTHO WATER INSTITUTE (NULWI) TO HARNESS RESEARCH AND TRAINING IN WATER MANAGEMENT, ENGINEERING AND ECONOMICS IN LIGHT OF THE SOCIO-POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF WATER AS A KEY NATIONAL RESOURCE FOR LESOTHO;

• AS PART OF THE GROWTH OF ACADEMIC OFFERINGS, IMPORTANT PROGRESS HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE IN THE CONCEPTUALISATION OF ENGINEERING PROGRAMMES AS WELL AS IN THE MOTIVATION AND DESIGN OF THE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING BUILDING;

• INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS TO ASSIST IN THE LAUNCH OF NUL SPORTS ACADEMY HAVE ALREADY COMMENCED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF COURSE OFFERINGS AND WITHIN A YEAR PROGRAMMES IN THIS AREA WILL HAVE BEEN ACCREDITED AND ROLLED OUT;

• ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF LESOTHO INNOVATION HUB AND THE CONCEPTUALISATION OF THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF LESOTHO INDUSTRIAL PARK TO LAY A FOUNDATION FOR THE UNIVERSITY’S CONTRIBUTION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL PRODUCTIVE ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIAL BASE;

• ESTABLISHMENT OF TLOUTLE HOLDINGS (PTY LTD) AS A COMMERCIAL ARM TO STRENGTHEN THE UNIVERSITY’S QUEST TO BROADEN ITS REVENUE BASE;

• IN THE SPACE OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE, A HEAVY BACKLOCK OF FINANCIAL AUDITS AND QUERIES HAS BEEN CLEARED TO A POINT WHERE NUL’S FINANCIAL AUDITS ARE NOW ALMOST UP-TO-DATE;

• UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, THE UNIVERSITY ENJOYED THE LONGEST SPELL OF INDUSTRIAL STABILITY;

• HE LEAVES AT THE POINT WHEN A NUMBER OF INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES ARE BEING EXPLORED THROUGH THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP MODE TO ADDRESS, AMONGST OTHERS, PROVISION OF STUDENT ACCOMMODATION AND A SPORTING COMPLEX.

PROFESSOR MAHAO RE-JOINED NUL AFTER WORKING IN A NUMBER OF SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES, WHERE HE OCCUPIED VARIOUS EXECUTIVE POSITIONS ALL OF WHICH ADEQUATELY EQUIPPED HIM WITH THE NECESSARY ADMINISTRATIVE PEDIGREE TO SERVE AT THE HELM OF OUR UNIVERSITY.

WHILE COUNCIL HAS COMMENCED THE SEARCH FOR A SUCCESSOR VICE-CHANCELLOR, PROFESSOR MAHAO WILL BE HANDING OVER THE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE RUNNING OF THE UNIVERSITY TO ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR ‘MANTHOTO LEPHOTO, THE CURRENT PRO-VICE CHANCELLOR. COUNCIL, ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY, TAKES THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK PROFESSOR MAHAO FOR HIS ILLUSTRIOUS SERVICE TO THIS IMPORTANT NATIONAL INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING AND WISH  HIM SUCCESS IN HIS FUTURE ENDEAVOURS.