Marianne Merten
Outgoing University of Cape Town (UCT)head Dr Mamphela Ramphele is confident she leaves behind a world-class institution of academic excellence in Africa.
The student activist turned university vice-chancellor is set to take up one of four World Bank managing director posts towards the middle of next year. She will be responsible for human development, education, health and social services. Ramphele is the first South African and woman to be appointed to such a senior post in an international agency.
In an exclusive interview with the Mail & Guardian, Ramphele said transforming UCT has been crucial to show there is excellence in Africa and the developing world. After four-and-a-half years heading what she calls “the premier university in Africa”, UCT has finally developed a vision for itself. And this process has been tricky.
“Cape Town often sees itself as a little piece of Europe stuck to the continent,” she said. “The university had to address what it means to the African. The university, I believe, has found its African feet.”
Ramphele said the often severe criticism from academics and workers of the rationalisation and transformation processes was expected. But the programmes have received the support of the university senate and council.
During her tenure as vice-chancellor, the number of faculties was reduced from 10 to six, an aggressive affirmative action policy was implemented, deans were given more managerial duties and non- academic functions like cleaning and gardening were handed over to contracted- out private companies.
“Some have reacted very negatively. But there is the need for academic institutions to become part of modern life. I wasn’t surprised to get criticism. I think it is also healthy to see voices of dissent. It’s a celebration of academic freedom.”
UCT had to secure enough resources to ensure excellent standards of teaching and research. “I think academic institutions have traditionally been run like monasteries with some paternal figure taking decisions after a collegial forum talked until midnight. There was no focus and a lack of direction.”
Looking back at her 15 years at UCT, first as research fellow from 1986 and later as administrator, Ramphele said it had been “an amazingly exciting time for professional growth – from activist to academic to executive”.
But she would not be drawn to comment who her successor would be, except to say she would not leave the university until the vice-chancellor had had sufficient time to find his or her feet.
Acting UCT council chair Tony Farr said the university was under tremendous pressure to find a new vice-chancellor. “We do not have a successor at the moment.”
Former president Nelson Mandela has congratulated Ramphele on her appointment – despite his obvious disappointment that she would move to Washington DC, she says.
Ramphele is excited about her new job at the World Bank. “What one did as a student activist now can be done on a global scale,” she said. Yet she is also aware the appointment to the “inner cabinet of the World Bank” will bring criticism as the bank’s policies have been slammed over the years.
Ramphele said she wants to mobilise more resources for human development and find ways in which the bank can strengthen already existing programmes, especially in Africa.
Asked about her future pay packet, Ramphele laughs: “I don’t know. I assume they will pay me enough to survive, but I have not spent sleepless nights on it.”