Professor John Mubangizi Appointed Chair of HEQC

BY: .

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Law and Management Studies, Professor John C Mubangizi has been appointed Chair of the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) by the Council on Higher Education (CHE). This is a voluntary function that he will perform over and above his UKZN responsibility as Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

As  Chair of the HEQC, Professor Mubangizi will be responsible for providing leadership to the Committee in its role of, among other things: being responsible for quality assurance and quality promotion; upholding the accountability requirements of higher education provision within the context of quality assurance; protecting the public and students in particular, against poor quality provision and taking appropriate action where necessary; considering and making final decisions on recommendations made by the sub-committees of HEQC; and advising the CHE on matters relating to quality.

Mubangizi is familiar with the work of the HEQC having served as a committee member for the past three years. He takes over the reins from Professor Yunus Ballim who has been appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Sol Plaatje University in the Northern Cape.

‘Over the next three years I hope to continue the good work of Professor Ballim and to provide the necessary leadership and guidance in steering the HEQC to make the right decisions that will result in improving the quality of higher education in South Africa,’ said Mubangizi.

In order to ensure synergy between the HEQC and the CHE, the Chair of the HEQC must also be a member of CHE. Hence, Mubangizi will also serve as a member of CHE during his tenure as Chair of the HEQC.

Congratulating  Mubangizi on his appointment, the Chairperson of the CHE, Professor Themba Mosia, said: ‘I am certain that you will guide the committee with wisdom and ensure that good judgement informs its decisions.’

Commenting on his appointment, Mubangizi said: ‘I feel humbled, honoured and proud to have been given this opportunity and responsibility to provide leadership at this level of the South African higher education system.’

Over the years Mubangizi has been entrusted to also serve in various leadership positions, including being Vice-Chair of the UKZN Senate and sitting on several College and University committees, some of which he chairs. He is an NRF-rated researcher and a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) and also serves as Advisor and Member of the ASSAf Council.

Hazel Langa