/ 24 June 2009

Top contenders in race for UP vice-chancellor

A list of 13 names has been compiled for the post of vice-chancellor of the University of Pretoria.

Among the names distributed to students and staff for their input, ahead of the selection meetings of the senate and the institutional forum on May 21, are chief executive of the Council on Higher Education Cheryl de la Rey, former University of KwaZulu-Natal deputy vice-chancellor Ahmed Bawa and chief executive of Higher Education South Africa Duma Malaza.

Following this, a shortlist will be compiled.The process comes after the resignation of university’s vice-chancellor, Calie Pistorius, earlier this year.

Pistorius leaves after two terms at the helm and will become vice-chancellor of the University of Hull in the United Kingdom.

There are three foreign candidates on the list: physicist Chandan Bhunia from India, Hassan Hassan from the West University of Scotland and Prem Masir, pro vice-chancellor of the University of Guyana, West Indies.

Candidates from inside the university include dean of economics Carolina Koornhof, dean of health sciences Thanyani Mariba and executive director Antony Melck, who is former vice-chancellor of Unisa, as well as Sibusiso Vil-Nkomo, who has been adviser to the exiting Pistorius.

Other applicants include Human Capital Systems chief executive Kenneth Pailman,
pro vice-chancellor of the University of Johannesburg Derek van der Merwe and acting president and chief executive of the National Research Foundation Albert van Jaarsveld.