Group photo: Vice Chancellor’s Excellence Research Awards recipients
The University of Venda honoured its top-performing academics and researchers at the 2025 Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Awards, which took place at Premier Hotel, Thohoyandou on 21 November 2025, celebrating outstanding achievements in Teaching and Learning, Community Engagement, and Research. The ceremony highlighted the university’s continued commitment to excellence, impact-driven scholarship, and its strategic vision of positioning UNIVEN for relevance and societal transformation. In his foreword, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Bernard Nthambeleni, applauded staff who “inspire through the full spectrum of academic excellence” and reaffirmed the university’s mission to create knowledge that is “impactful, inclusive and transformative.”
Prof Fulufhelo Netswera, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Postgraduate Studies at UNIVEN, opened the event by thanking attendees for honouring the invitation. He described the Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Awards as “a vital gathering in the daily life of a university” that recognises outstanding contributions in research, teaching and learning, and community engagement.
Prof Fulufhelo Netswera, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Postgraduate Studies at UNIVEN
Prof Netswera noted plans to expand categories of excellence awards next year so that “all those who are doing outstanding work in the university get the recognition that they deserve.” He stressed the importance of fostering a culture of excellence across all areas, including sup-port services, remarking, “If we don’t support the talent, if we do not recognise those who excel, everybody sits back and says, well, it doesn’t matter whether I do well or not.”
Prof Bernard Nthambeleni, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of UNIVEN
Prof Bernard Nthambeleni, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of UNIVEN, emphasised that research excellence is the foundation of a strong university, stating, “There is no way you will find a pow-erful university with very weak researchers.” He reflected on strategic changes, including the creation of a dedicated Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Postgraduate Studies position, which has driven significant progress in research outputs and postgraduate enrolments. High-lighting achievements, he noted that UNIVEN now boasts “about 46% of teaching and research staff with PhDs” and has increased PhD graduations to nearly 90 annually. Prof Nthambeleni urged continued commitment to innovation and timely completion of postgraduate studies to secure funding and enhance competitiveness, adding, “We must ensure that our centres of ex-cellence and research institutes don’t just exist on paper but function effectively.” He concluded by encouraging researchers to pursue NRF research chairs and funding opportunities, affirming, “The future of this university depends on the strength of its research and innovation.”
Dr Prince Nevhutalu
In his Keynote address, Dr Prins Nevhutalu began by acknowledging the leadership and research-ers at UNIVEN, commending their commitment to progress and collaboration. He emphasised that transformation requires collective effort, stating, “If we hunt as a pack, like the lions do, we are going to make major progress in the university.” Reflecting on his experience at the NRF and other institutions, he highlighted systemic exclusion of Black universities from research funding and opportunities. He urged historically disadvantaged universities to insist on representation in decision-making panels and to leverage current goodwill and funding opportunities, warning, “This window is not going to remain open forever.” His message was clear: transformation must be intentional and strategic.
Dr Nevhutalu further outlined practical steps for achieving global competitiveness. He empha-sised the importance of leadership, efficient support systems, and “purposeful recruitment” of top academics, citing how one strategic appointment could transform the entire university. He called for relevance in research, urging scholars to focus on local strengths: “Venda is your exper-iment, when you begin to touch the past from your own back door, you’re going to become the best in the world.” He concluded with a powerful reminder that progress depends on decisive action: “The future is what we create today. It will not happen by chance.” His keynote challenged UNIVEN to move beyond the label of a historically disadvantaged institution and become a locally rooted, globally competitive university.
The 2025 Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Awards at the University of Venda celebrated outstanding achievements across teaching and learning, research, and community engagement. In Teaching and Learning, the overall winner was Dr Mantwa Madiba (Faculty of Management, Commerce and Law), recognised for her innovative approaches and academic leadership. Other notable honourees included Prof Shonisani Agnes Mulovhedzi for excellence as a professor and Dr Mer-cy Mushwana for her contributions as a lecturer. In Community Engagement, awards were pre-sented to Ms Recheal Nthangeni Mathungeni for Engaged Teaching and Learning, Dr Shonisani Tshivhase for Community-Based Research, and Prof Mulovhedzi for Social Responsibility Proj-ects. Dr Shonisani Ramashia and Mr Mpho Edward Mashau were celebrated for advancing Open Inclusive Innovation, reflecting UNIVEN’s commitment to societal impact and inclusive growth.
In Research, the university honoured scholars driving knowledge creation and postgraduate suc-cess. Prof Lindelani Mushaphi and Prof Ntakadzeni Edwin Madala received awards for supervis-ing the highest number of master’s and doctoral graduates, respectively. Publication excellence was led by Prof Lufuno Makhado (Faculty of Health Sciences), Dr Sean Mabitsela (Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education), Prof Ademola Oluborode Jegede (Faculty of Man-agement, Commerce and Law), and Prof Stanford Shateyi (Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture), with Prof Afsatou Ndama Traore recognised as the leading female researcher. Dr Ishmael Obaeko Iwara was named top postdoctoral fellow, while the funding leadership awards went to Prof Pascal Bessong, Prof Nthaduleni Nethengwe, and emerging researcher Dr Gudani Mukoma.
Prof Sylvester Mpandeli (middle) received recognition award
During the 2025 Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Awards, the University of Venda also recognised the adjunct professors at UNIVEN, Prof Sylvester Mpandeli and Prof Stanley Liphadzi, for winning a prestigious global award from the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) for their innovation in irrigation structures. This international accolade not only honours their contribution to sustainable water management but also elevates UNIVEN’s profile on the global stage.
Honoured researchers with exceptional publication outputs photographed with UNIVEN Vice Chancellor and Principal, Prof Bernard Nthambeleni (left), Prof Lufuno Makhado, Prof Stanford Shateyi and Mrs Julia Sigama representing Emeritus Prof Lillian Mammino
The Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University, Prof Bernard Nthambeleni also honoured researchers with exceptional publication outputs, awarding Prof Lufuno Makhado (7.6 units), Emeritus Prof. Liliana Mammino (6.3 units), and Prof Stanford Shateyi (5.6 units) for achieving more than five DHET-accredited units. Each recipient received a certificate and a R100,000 cash prize, underscoring the university’s commitment to recognising research excellence and promot-ing high-impact scholarship.
The overall significance of the 2025 Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Awards showcased UNIVEN’s growing research strength, deepening community impact, and commitment to innovative, stu-dent-centred teaching. The awardees embody academic excellence, societal relevance, and transformation, positioning UNIVEN as a rising institution that advances local relevance and global competitiveness.
Prof. Sebi Lekalakala-Mokgele, UNIVEN’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Learning
Prof. Sebi Lekalakala-Mokgele, UNIVEN’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Learning, con-gratulated the award recipients on their outstanding achievements in teaching and learning, research, and community engagement. She affirmed that “teaching and learning is the core of every university,” praised educators for innovative approaches, and reminded researchers that “research is about meaning, solutions, impact, and progress.” Highlighting community engage-ment as “the soul of UNIVEN,” she urged awardees to mentor others, collaborate widely, and remain “ambassadors of excellence.”
Dr Mmboneni Muofhe, DDG at the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, and Prof Sylvester Mpandeli, Senior Research Manager at the Water Research Commission
Dr Muofhe urged the university to lead in digitisation and AI, stressing that “knowledge must drive economic growth.” Prof Mpandeli highlighted over millions of rands invested in collabora-tions and announced new initiatives, including a Centre of Excellence and a student exchange programme, affirming, “The success of this university is my success.”
Mr Botwe Kraziya, UNIVEN Chief Operating Officer
Emphasising the role of support services, he committed to opening dialogue and hosting work-shops to understand research needs better.
Mr Kraziya highlighted the need to improve UNIVEN’s share of national research outputs and stressed that “working together, we can figure it out,” reminding all that their efforts are trans-forming lives and shaping future leaders.
In the picture: Some of the NRF Rated Researchers pose for a photo with the UNIVEN Executives
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