The Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture (FSEA) held its annual orientation and induction workshop for first year Master’s and PhD students for the academic year 2025, signalling a firm commitment to supporting postgraduate academic excellence and research growth.
Group photo of participants
A key session by Mr Khathutshelo Mashavhathakha, Postgraduate Officer of the Directorate of Research and Innovation, addressing postgraduate students, emphasised the critical role of research as a core function of tertiary institutions, as mandated by the 1997 Higher Education Act, urging innovative and critical research that addresses local, regional, and global challenges. He highlighted the Directorate of Research and Innovation’s mission to develop future researchers through policy implementation, workshops, and publication support, ensuring the timely completion of studies and stressing the importance of ethical research practices, requiring an ethical certificate before starting research to ensure data integrity.
Prof Lutendo Murulana, Deputy Dean Faculty of Science Engineering and Agriculture
The orientation offered a holistic view of the postgraduate experience, with input from mul-tiple institutional units. Ms Ivy Khangale, an Information Librarian of the Library Services, Ms Khathutshelo Phadziri-Scholarly Communication Librarian, and Head of Student Gover-nance, Mr Andisani Mathelemusa contributed to discussions on student governance and leadership development at the University of Venda. His presentation focused on foster-ing responsible postgraduate student leaders through active participation in the SRC and postgraduate committee elections and addressed challenges like low female representa-tion and urged students to engage in university structures to resolve issues collaboratively.
This was complemented by Dr Refilwe Pila-Nemutandani, a Clinical Psychologist from CHETL, who emphasised the importance of addressing basic needs like food security and emotional safety to enhance academic performance and foster effective supervisor re-lationships. She highlighted the role of the Academic Development Unit, e-learning, Dis-ability Unit, and counselling services in supporting students, urging them to seek help for per-sonal and academic challenges, including career development and soft skills like project management. Dr Pila-Nemutandani stressed self-awareness, leadership, and accountability, en-couraging students to own their UNIVEN identity, build self-esteem, and engage with opportu-nities like the South African Graduates and Employers Association (SAGEA) for career mapping.
A highlight of the morning was the series of talks delivered by the Faculty of Sience, Engineer-ing and Agriculture’s senior research professors. Prof Michael Chimonyo delivered an insight-ful address on the “Characteristics of a Successful Postgraduate Student,” candidly highlighted the lack of academic support from researchers and the institutional undervaluation of research, despite its recognition as a core function under the 1997 Higher Education Act. He challenged students to be problem-solvers, engage with real-world issues relevant to their fields, and align with the university’s niche areas, emphasising that disengaged students should consider leaving.
Following this, Prof Pascal Bessong guided attendees on effective time management, a skill es-sential for meeting submission deadlines and balancing research workloads. He highlight-ed the importance of critical thinking and time management in achieving academic success and ensuring value for the investment in education, whether self-funded or through bursaries.
Prof Ntakadzeni Madala walked students through the MSc and PhD journey, from proposal development to thesis submission, offering practical insights and motiva-tion drawn from years of mentoring researchers. Prof Madala stressed the impor-tance of respecting supervisors, reading extensively, engaging with peers, and bal-ancing academic and personal life to avoid isolation and imposter syndrome.
Prof Lutendo Murulana led an in-depth session on the assessment and ap-proval of research proposals, the structure of departmental and universi-ty research committees (DHDC, FRIIC, UHDC), and the ethical approval process.
Prof Murulana noted the rigorous administrative process for postgraduate students, high-lighting the importance of reading academic papers and understanding four key poli-cies: postgraduate training, research and innovation, research ethics, and anti-plagia-rism. He said students must complete a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with their supervisors, present their proposal at a departmental seminar, and submit docu-ments like the R1 form, proof of registration, and an agenda proving seminar attendance, with any proposal changes requiring re-approval to ensure alignment with the final thesis.
For ethics and examination, Prof Murulana detailed the ethics review process, catego-rised into three levels based on project complexity, requiring forms like R7 and soon, mandatory ethics training certification. He said quarterly progress reports are cru-cial for tracking progress and addressing challenges early. The NEC manages exam-iner reports, concealing examiner identities and Masters marks, with final results ap-proved through DHDC, FRIC, and UHDC, officially communicated only by the exam office.
The workshop also provided a platform for students with an open discus-sion where challenges experienced within MSc and PhD programmes were open-ly discussed. Students engaged in such a fruitful dialogue, asking questions and shar-ing concerns, which were noted for future faculty planning and student support.
In closing, Dr Siphiwe Mhlongo, Head of the Department of Earth Sciences, closed off delivering a heartfelt vote of thanks, commending the faculty and participants for their active engagement.
The induction marked a critical milestone for UNIVEN’s FSEA and its grow-ing community of postgraduate scholars. By offering clarity, support, and inspi-ration, the faculty has not only welcomed its new cohort but also laid a strong foundation for a thriving, innovative, and research-led academic environment.
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