By Staff Reporter
The University of Pretoria (UP) has appointed former minister and educator Naledi Pandor as honorary professor in education.
UP has described the appointment as “strategic and important”. Pandor, who is a PhD graduate of the faculty, joins UP’s Centre for the Advancement of Sustainable Higher Education Futures, where she will contribute – without remuneration – to research, and student and staff development.
“Professor Pandor is a leader whose impact on education, policy and innovation, and whose unwavering commitment to advancing higher education and sustainable development, aligns perfectly with the mission of the centre,” said UP Vice-Chancellor Prof. Francis Petersen.
“It is truly a privilege to have someone of her calibre joining our academic network in this esteemed role.”
The university’s Registrar has issued a formal note confirming that Pandor is permitted to use the title of “Professor”.
She received a PhD in Education from UP in 2019 after completing her doctoral thesis, titled ‘The contested meaning of transformation in higher education in post-apartheid South Africa’.
“Her passion for education stems from her background as a teacher and a lifelong curiosity about the field,” Petersen said. “Through her research, Prof. Pandor explored the vast and rewarding landscape in education, while acquiring academic and research skills.”
He added that the honorary professorship was not only a testament to Pandor’s academic abilities and remarkable contributions to transformation, but also to her excellence as a leader with strong ethical values.
“Balancing the responsibilities of a Cabinet minister and PhD student was no easy task,” Petersen said.
“She meticulously planned her schedule and dedicated every available moment outside work and politics to her studies, even reducing her public engagements. Despite the challenges, she remained committed to her academic goals.
Petersen said UP looked forward to learning from Pandor’s vast experience and engaging in meaningful collaborations that would shape the future of higher education.
The former minister has described her “an incredible honour”.
“My experience as a student for four years matured me in significant ways and prepared me for international relations,” she said, recalling how defending her PhD thesis, for example, was part of a learning experience in standing her ground.
Pandor said she had received several offers since retiring but did not take any of them seriously until her former PhD supervisor, Prof. Chika Sehoole, then Dean of the Faculty of Education at UP, expressed interest in nominating her as a professor with the faculty.
The new Dean of the Faculty of Education, Prof. Lindelani Mnguni, has welcomed Pandor, agreeing that the faculty and the entire university would benefit from the strategic and important decision to recruit a leader of her stature.
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