 23 January 2025 | Story: Tebello Theledi. Photo: Supplied.
1 minute read time.
The Vaal University of Technology’s (VUT) Student Support Services (SSS) aims to equip student leaders with the tools, knowledge, and experience to develop strong leadership abilities. Therefore, the Student Life and Governance (SLG) Office organised the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) Strategic Training Workshop in Magaliesburg between 10 and 13 January 2024.
This workshop highlighted effective leadership and collaboration within the university community, emphasising the importance of student representation.
As an institution that strives to be people-centred, the Vaal University of Technology places a high premium on leadership development. The calibre of student leadership that VUT seeks to produce is one that can function in diverse situations, including a world characterised by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). Moreover, this means that a leader ought to find their independent voice both within and outside group and shared ideological dogma.
To begin, the workshop started with a team-building exercise to improve communication, morale, and teamwork on Friday, 10 January 2025. The following two days were dedicated to strategic planning, which involved drafting the SRC operational plans for the year 2025.
In his presentation, the Executive Director of SSS, Dr Sibusiso Mchunu, highlighted the essence of student leadership, SRC participation in university governance structures, the importance of reading as a student leader, and the significance of strategic communication for success.
Other topics presented by facilitators included the role of student leadership, student learning and development, balancing leadership responsibilities with academic performance, and building community—amongst other critical strategies for an effective SRC term.
Speaking on the workshop, SRC President, Mr Nkosinathi Nkosi, expressed his satisfaction with the programme: “We are grateful for such a workshop that significantly adds to our development,” he said. He emphasised that the training would strengthen the SRC’s role as the voice of students on campus.
Following this workshop, the SRC aims to actively contribute to academic excellence and proactively address student issues while fostering the development and growth of student life at VUT.
It is worth noting that the SRC is the highest decision-making student body at the university, subject to VUT policies and procedures. It represents students in accordance with the Higher Education Act and the Statute of the Vaal University of Technology. The council comprises 14 registered students elected annually in a campus-wide election, with four Faculty Chairpersons and one Postgraduate Chairperson yet to be elected.
The SRC holds office for a maximum of 12 months, running various programmes for student development and representing students on key university committees throughout its term. Notably, the SRC concluded its member constitution on Friday, 6 December 2024.