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We’d love to hear what the name Nelson Mandela means to you as our University prepares to embrace the name of one of the world’s greatest icons.

How do we live Nelson Mandela’s legacy? How do we make his name come to life?

Please share with us.

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Posted on 11 April 2017 12:12:48

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anon | 02/07/2017 08:00:34
Thanx 4 da xcellent services.

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anon | 07/06/2017 11:22:49
One of the questions asked at one of the conversation sessions was "What does the name Mandela mean to you?"There would be a number of answers mentioned, however, one that comes up is "transparency". It's unfortunate that there has been little transparency about the costs of the whole signage work. We are bemused by the fact that some departments are able to roll over their budgets while others are told to spend it or you will loose it, meaning that there are double standards around budgeting and financing. It may not be so, but the mere perception of its existence is not well clarified. Apart from buildings that may adorn the name on the front, there has been a general lack of building nomenclature (e.g. room numbers, etc.) that has not taken place for a few years which I think does not need waiting for the official launch.

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anon | 27/05/2017 15:20:19
Interesting times ahead for the old NMMU to the new Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. I have been in the NMMU for two years, as a senior academic. Of course, I completed my Masters and Doctoral degrees in the same university. I have had a benefit of interacting with the university as a student, as a parent while my daughter studied here and also as an employee.

I hold a view that a lot has been done to establish a new identity of the NMMU post the 2005 merger of the former Vista University, Port Elizabeth Technikon and University of Port Elizabeth. And more still needed to be done to consolidate the NMMU identity post-merger as the independence accorded to faculties (and some schools) and campuses tends to entrench some behavioural elements of past entities. Some disparities in resource allocation and operational service standards can still be seen from one campus to the other thus resembling institutions of origin. At institutional culture level, inter-racial and inter-disciplinary relationships have not yet matured into a single, coherent and definitive institution. Spates of racial utterances within the institutional operations and academic programmes have been cited, from time to time. A pattern of staff regrouping along racial and ethnic lines have been observed in some institutional activities, and in galvanising support towards motions to be raised in institutional committees. Unconsciously so at times we have observed employees in the midst of conversation with all suddenly switching to their mother tongue languages "Xhosa," Afrikaans," in a manner that cuts off others from engaging the same conversation. You would then see the cut initiating their side conversation, in their home language, drifting away from the rest. Small things, at times done unknowingly, but that matter most in diversity management an organisational change.

Transformation is, in deed, a journey.

It will thus be necessary that both employees, students and stakeholders of the NMMU do not regard the new name of the university, Nelson Mandela University as just different from the old university by simply omitting 'Metropolitan' and the rest remains the same.

The new name holds serious implications for the university. Such implications cannot be responded to through cosmetic programmes, with intention to be seen as pro. The new name calls for a thorough going process of institutional change. University stakeholders will be part of the change process, as in all attempts to maintain performance standards of old university that served a minority population group require embracing a responsibility of a new university that serves all. That will be in keeping with one of the ideals of Nelson Mandela.

Talking about Nelson Mandela ideals, and one being of service to all, certain anti-service to all tendencies shall require to be done away with. These include tendencies in some support functions of responding to an enquiry or providing a speedy service to the other subject to the position one holds, the campus where the person is located or to whom the person is aligned within the institution. Nelson Mandela did not serve the nation based on who the person is or how many people in authority he or she knows in an institution. Reasonable, fair and equitable services should be provided to all as if we are al totally deaf and blind. These services extend to teaching and learning, and not just support services. There are growing stories of some lecturers, academic departments and schools that offer 'special lectures' to certain students who are selected on racial and ethnic lines. These students will be selected and organised after hours or during weekends in an excluded venue, with a braai, that is spiced with 'special lectures.' Such practices, if true, shall have to be done away with. A university that services its studentship along racial and ethnic lines cannot be associated with Nelson Mandela.

Nelson Mandela sacrificed 27 years of his life in fighting a cause bigger than himself and his family ... This talks to the core value of commitment, dedication to the core business of the university. Ensuring that institutional goals are realised, with all of us pulling in the same direction. If mountains must be climbed, with all of us willing to do so.

I can go on and on ....

But my point here is that we need to think deeply and critically about the core values of the new Nelson Mandela University and what practical implications these hold for individuals, departments, schools, faculties, campuses, formations and stakeholders.

We need to be honest and frank in approaching these.

We should depart by assessing where we stand today as the NMMU in relation to the emerging identity and core values, and how are we going to proceed in ensuring that we make those values our lifestyle.

Prof Sijekula Mbanga
Chair for Human Settlements

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anon | 15/05/2017 11:23:24
What NELSON MANDELA means to me:
N-oble
E-mpowering
L-eader &
S-aver
O-f the
N-ation

M-emorable
A-ccomodating
N-oble
D-emocratic, diversed
E-nthusiastic
L-eader
A-luta continua

Yours Faithfully
Y. V. KAVE

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anon | 14/05/2017 18:12:33
The new name comes with a lot of weight, weight that is going to require a collective effort out of the entire university community, Nelson Mandela Bay community and South Africa. The responsibility in the embracing of this new name and legacy need not be solely placed on us, the students but society as a whole as this University belongs to us all and brings change to enrich us all. However, we as the students, staff and academic staff need to fully grasp with the reality that our university is stepping unto new frontiers, frontiers that are going to enrich us, create new opportunities and to better our society. Some of us are going to graduate Cum Laude, some Summa cum laude and some "Thank-You-Lorda" from what will become one of the greatest institutions, named after a man that gave his all to give our country and its people; a SUMMA CUM LAUDE SOCIETY! That's what his name means to me, it stands for excellence, it stands for greatness, it stands for unity. His name and its brand on the walls and gates of this university will bring about a new sense of belonging to the many international students that cross the shores to enrol at our school. His name on our Graduation Certificates will demand great respect, not from just the university community in South Africa, but the global stage- a stage, that this man left an impact on. An impact that would go on for decades to being recognised as one of the greatest Selfless sacrifices any man could've done, all in the name of LIBERATION! His name and legacy will carve out a new kind of student in South Africa. A new culture within these campuses. A new drive and motivation to never let anyone tell you otherwise! His moral force, will be felt across the lecture halls of this university all through the name embedded on these walls. We are graduating into a market place that is not willing to just hire any graduate, but THEE GRADUATE! That is what the new name is going to change, that's what his legacy is going to do for us- ELEVATING OUR STATUS as not just a University, but a WORLD CLASS INSTITUTION that puts EXCLLENCE at the forefront of its operations! If this man was still alive, he would ask of us one thing and one thing only: WHEN YOU GRADUATE FROM THIS UNIVERSITY, GO BACK TO SOCIETY AND ENRICH THEM!

That's what Nelson Mandela means to me.

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anon | 13/05/2017 20:14:08
I have been at NMMU for 2 years now I love the spirit of UBUNTU living among the students. It`s nice to see students reaching out to the students who have little.
And what the VC Derick Swarts did, fundraising money on the #trailblaizer for students to complete their studies just shows how the University is living in the ideas our icon Tata Madiba.
since the the University`s name is changing to NELSON MANDELA UNIVERSITY I hope to see stronger unity within the students and the staff in assisting the poor students. Long live the spirit of #UBUNTU.

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anon | 11/05/2017 14:34:02
I enjoyed the video on what the name Nelson Mandela means to different people. Your campuses look lovely.

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anon | 11/05/2017 12:19:54
I like the new name, Nelson Mandela University. Please do something about our Wikipedia Page. It really needs revision especially when it comes to the notable alumni section. I'm sure we have more prominent people out there and would like to project that. Also, we have a very lovely looking campus so maybe include some images! Wikipedia is a very important website and our image needs to be better projected. Thank you and all the best with the launch! - Proud Alumni
REPLY:
Thank you for your input. Yes, we will be updating our Wikipedia page. The notable Alumni that you see on the page appear there because they have mentioned on their Wiki pages that they are Alumni of NMMU.

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anon | 10/05/2017 14:00:45
"Free us all"

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anon | 10/05/2017 11:52:34
Interesting website ... I enjoyed reading the stories about Mandela and the exciting stuff ahead for Nelson Mandela University

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anon | 10/05/2017 11:17:32
There is one thing that is not coming out clear with this change of name. How do some of us who have already graduated from this university benefit from this name in terms of a change of name on our certificates. My concern is that we will forever live with the burden of explaining the difference the Metropolitan made. Is there any plan to change previous certificates? I think this should be the case even if it means paying a fee to have a reprint.

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anon | 10/05/2017 11:02:24
Can you please bring back the letter M?

Nelson Mandela Madiba University. NMU sounds weird.

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anon | 10/05/2017 09:52:34
Nelson Mandela means so much to so many of us. What an awesome honour to bear his name. Now to live his legacy ... let's see the University walk the talk.

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