Prof Hennie Goede.
The North-West University (NWU) Council has appointed Professor Hennie Goede, currently serving as the executive dean of the Faculty of Theology, as registrar designate. The appointment was made during an extraordinary Council meeting held on 22 May 2025. The date from which Prof Goede will commence his duties as registrar designate will be determined and communicated very soon to ensure a smooth transition at the Faculty of Theology. On such determination, Prof Goede will work alongside and report to the current registrar, Prof Marlene Verhoef, until 31 December 2025.
Prof Goede will officially commence his term as the NWU registrar on 1 January 2026 for a five-year period, concluding on 31 December 2031.
The NWU Council extends its congratulations to Prof Goede and wishes him success in his new role. Council is confident that Prof Goede’s wealth of knowledge and experience in both academic and faculty administration will make an invaluable contribution to the NWU as it implements the new strategy – taking the NWU forward: 2024 and beyond.
As executive dean, Prof Goede has played a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction of the Faculty of Theology during the past six years. He serves on the university’s Senior Management Committee, the Senate and various subcommittees. He currently chairs the Senate task team on post-graduate enrolments and is also a member of the Council on Higher Education (CHE) Review Panel for Private Higher Education Institutions.
Prof Goede’s association with the NWU began in 2003, when he was appointed as locum tenens in Greek at the former Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education. Between 2008 and 2016, he served as minister in the Reformed Church. Since 2016, he has held various academic and leadership roles in the Faculty of Theology at the NWU, including as senior lecturer, subject chair, acting executive dean and as executive dean since 2019. In 2024, he was promoted to associate professor in New Testament Studies.
Prof Goede’s academic journey began at the former Rand Afrikaans University (now University of Johannesburg), where he earned BCom and LLB degrees in 1992 and 1995 respectively, after which he practised law as an attorney. He thereafter pursued honours degrees in Theology and Bible Translation at the former Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education (North-West University), both completed in 2002. This was followed by two master’s degrees, obtained in 2003 and 2005, and a doctoral degree in Greek at the NWU in 2011.
Prof Goede’s professional career reflects his multifaceted expertise, spanning law, the ministry and academia. In addition to his pastoral and legal experience, he has supervised and co-supervised numerous master’s-degree students.
His scholarly work has been widely published in academic journals and edited volumes, and he has presented research at both national and international conferences.
Once again, I wish Prof Goede well on his new journey at the NWU. The NWU Council has full confidence in his abilities and knows that he will add value to the extensive role of the Office of the Registrar and the NWU, says Bert Sorgdrager, Council Chairperson.