THE Vice-Chancellor, Prof Mqhele E. Dlodlo, addressed postgraduate students in the Graduate School of Business (GSB) during a welcome virtual function for the new intake for the 2021/2022 Academic Year in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Business Administration in Strategic Management (BASM). The following is the full speech.
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IT is with immense pleasure that I welcome the 2021 cohorts of Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Business Administration in Strategic Management (BASM) to the National University of Science and Technology (NUST). Congratulations on deciding to study with us.
Founded in April 1991, about 30 years ago to be precise, NUST is one University with giant footprints. Our graduates are recognised globally as leaders in various fields. We strive to achieve our vision of being a world class university in science, technology, innovation, entrepreneurship and business development, spearheading industrialisation and locally and beyond. So, once you associate with NUST, you will forever THINK IN OTHER TERMS in whatever you do.
I address you as leaders from all spheres of life, seeing our Graduate School of Business (GSB) programmes are earmarked for leaders in society. There are different explanations with regard to where leadership originates from and who prompts it. Some say leadership is an art, others say it is talent. There are those who say it is a science. Yet others believe leadership is from God. Whatever the different schools of thought on leadership, there are common attributes that great leaders exhibit. They transform people, are intelligent, they display charisma, possess foresight and vision and have will power. Great leaders constantly spruce up and sharpen their leadership skills. Therefore, by choosing to study with NUST, you have made the right decision if you aim to be great leaders.
Also, as leaders you must lead from the front like the matriarch of an elephant herd who takes the lead in sensing where there is water, food and danger while the rest follow. To lead successfully, you need to be more knowledgeable than most of your colleagues and be able to reason and make intelligent judgement. One of the ways of cultivating this is dedicating your time to acquiring knowledge. Our mandate is human capital development for industrial and socio-economic transformation, with a bias towards science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) based solutions. In executing our mandate, we are guided by the new educational policy, Education 5.0 that stands on five pillars of teaching, research, scholarly community engagement, innovation and industrialisation. These pillars are crucial in the implementation of the National Development Strategy 1 towards achieving the country’s Vision 2030. I strongly believe that you are furthering your studies not only to grow your careers but to contribute meaningfully to national development. Together, we can make a difference in society.
May I take this opportunity to invite all of you to activity participate in the research activities of our Research and Internationalisation Officer (RIO). We also invite you to utilise our Innovation Hub, where innovative ideas are incubated and grown into commercial businesses.
As NUST students, you are our greatest customers – our Kings and Queens. You are not dependent on us but we are dependent on you; for without you, there is no University. You are not an interruption in our work but the purpose of it. We are not doing you a favour by serving you, but you are doing us a favour by giving us an opportunity to serve you. We are, therefore, committed to creating the most conducive learning environment in the context of the Covid-19 induced challenges. University Management operates an open door policy, which places dialogue at the top of options to solve issues. In fact, we invite you to offer strategies to improve on the performance of our NUST, your NUST.
Ladies and gentlemen, you are studying with us at a time when NUST is undergoing a transformation curve in various fronts. For example, we are at an advanced process of upgrading our internal systems to offer smooth and timely services such as admissions, registration and fees payments. You will surely experience improved services once the upgrades are completed. You will soon witness infrastructural developments on campus, as we embark on finishing the construction of buildings that have for years been an eyesore, as well as new buildings. I therefore invite you to participate in the growth of NUST in whatever ways possible.
Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of NUST Council, Senate, Management, Staff and the entire student population, I welcome you all to NUST. Enjoy your career journey with us!
I thank you! Siyabonga! Tinotenda!