Vice Chancellor

Vice-Chancellor A FIVE (5) YEAR CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT

The University of Fort Hare is a South African national treasure, an African intellectual landmark, and a recognised symbol of the power of education to transform lives and societies. For more than a century, the University of Fort Hare has occupied a distinctive place in the intellectual, political, and social landscape of South Africa and the African continent.

The University now seeks a new Vice-Chancellor to lead the institution into its next chapter of organisational transformation and excellence, while navigating the complexities and challenges facing higher education in South Africa and globally.

Reporting to the University Council, the Vice-Chancellor serves as the University’s senior academic and executive leader and accounting officer, providing strategic, academic, administrative, and institutional leadership across UFH’s campuses and communities.

• Champion and deliver a compelling new strategic direction
• Advance student experience, holistic student development and success
• Strengthen academic excellence across the three core academic pillars of learning and teaching, research, and social engagement;
• Build a high-performing, professional, ethical and accountable institution underpinned by a culture of excellence;
• Promote sound governance, financial sustainability, institutional resilience and responsible stewardship;
• Strengthen resource planning, optimise infrastructure management and advance responsible technological innovation and digital transformation;
• Demonstrate ethical and effective leadership and uphold the University’s governance framework and institutional values;
• Unite the University community around a shared vision, purpose and set of strategic priorities;
• Expand strategic partnerships and resource-mobilisation networks, strengthen the University’s influence and enhance its performance and sustainability;
• Foster purposeful and mutually beneficial relationships with internal and external stakeholders and
• Strengthen the University’s contribution and impact in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, across the African continent and globally.

The University seeks a distinguished academic and executive leader of high integrity. Candidates must hold a doctoral qualification and must have at least 10 years’ relevant experience in the higher education sector and/or the National System of Innovation (NSI).

Candidates must have at least 10 years’ senior leadership experience, at least five years of which should have been at executive level, such as Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Executive Dean or Dean, with comparable executive responsibilities or a similar senior executive role within a university or comparable institution in the higher education and/or NSI environment.

Candidates must have a proven track record in strategic leadership, institutional stewardship, academic and research leadership, governance, people management, financial oversight, stakeholder leadership, fundraising/resource mobilisation, and executive credibility within the broader higher education and/or NSI environment.

The successful candidate must demonstrate a high level of strategic foresight, executive judgement, and the ability to lead a complex, multi-campus, and transformation-oriented institution.

A strong commitment to student success, academic freedom, transformation, inclusion, and the public purpose of higher education is essential.

The appointment will be made by the University Council in accordance with the University’s Statute, applicable legislation, and institutional policies.

The University of Fort Hare is committed to employment equity, transformation, and excellence. In line with the University’s employment equity and transformation commitments, preference may be given to suitably qualified candidates from designated groups.

The University reserves the right to conduct appropriate verification and due diligence processes and/or not to make an appointment.

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