About Us
Aligned to the Nelson Mandela University’s Vision 2030 Strategic Intention, to
achieve “transformative engagement” the Hubs of Convergence (HoC) is a
project located within the Engagement and Transformation Portfolio (ETP).
The HoC endeavours to co-create “physical spaces where the University meets
the community to engage on common platforms to find solutions to problems
that affect our immediate communities,” Muthwa (2018).
Currently, the HoC is mandated to lead and manage the Community
Convergence Workstream (CCW) as an institutional response to Covid-19.
Our Story
The 2018 inaugural speech by the Vice-Chancellor was the catalytic moment for
the establishment of the HoC. Subsequently, this provided more impetus for the
Nelson Mandela University to reposition itself as a transformative,
responsive university in service of society.
Various iterative engagements with internal and external stakeholders have
since followed. Part of these conceptual engagements included a multi-
stakeholder convergence - Indibano Ngezimvo on the 3rd May 2019 which
invited the voices of society into the thinking around the HoC.
To achieve its ambition of co-creating a socially just world, the University has
established the ETP to give expression to the interplay between engagement
and transformation and their interlinkages with research, learning and teaching.
Through its programmatic work, the HoC is starting to demonstrate how the
convergence between the university and community is possible.
Mission
Our mission is to strengthen the positioning of engagement and transformation
as a strategic priority for the University to respond to the grand challenges of
society by complementing, facilitating, supporting, and developing
engagement related work, research and learning and teaching.
Vision
We envision the HoC to be a collaborative multi-stakeholder space of
exploration for the positioning and re-positioning of the engagement and
transformation interface, as a feasible and doable option for reimagining our
institution as a University in service to society.
Principles
We, The People
The HoC space offers members of the team, and the various communities it
engages with, the space to be creative and own their ideas; and to operate within
flexible hierarchies which are natural and dynamic, based on the individuals
talent and not their title or tenure.
The HoC supports diversity of thought, background and culture, where every
voice matters. It is our mission to evolve as individuals by learning and
unlearning, embracing tensions and conundrums, and strengthening the
bonds of community.
Dr Bruce Damons
Director, Engagement Office
Oyama Mkaza
Senior Manager
Amy De Raedt
Project Lead
Tafadzwa Chizu
Project Assistant