By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The University of Pretoria’s vice-chancellor and principal, Professor Tawana Kupe, has resigned six months before his term was due to end in January 2024.
Kupe leaves the university on 31 July, six months before his term was scheduled to conclude, said UP Council Chair Kuseni Dlamini in a communication to staff.
“While the process to find his successor will begin immediately, appropriate interim arrangements that will help facilitate the smooth functioning of the institution will be put in place,”he said.
Dlamini said he was confident that these interim arrangements, coupled with the expertise and dedication of the UP staff, would enable the university to operate at the highest level.
“We all remain committed to upholding the university’s mission, values, and long-term objectives and will work tirelessly to maintain our momentum,”he said.
On behalf of the Council, Dlamini thanked Kupe for his contributions to UP during his tenure.
Kupe has been hailed as a visionary leader, and was conferred his PhD by the international university for his work in “building academic partnerships across the African continent and the globe, and for his leadership in the transformation of higher education at a global level”.
He has been the vice-chancellor and principal of the University of Pretoria since January 2019.
He holds BA Honours and Master’s degrees in English from the University of Zimbabwe, as well as a DPhil in Media Studies from the University of Oslo in Norway.