Dear colleagues and students

To realise Vision 2040 and our aspirations of becoming the leading research-intensive university on the African continent, we must enhance our academic excellence and administrative effectiveness and efficiencies. To champion these initiatives, we have established the role of Pro Vice-Chancellor (Pro-VC).

The role of Pro-VC at Stellenbosch University (SU) is a prestigious, strategic leadership role designed to support and enhance institutional priorities without overlapping with, or intercepting existing roles within the University’s governance, management and academic structure. The Pro-VC is expected to act as an ambassador of the University and the Vice-Chancellor, both internally and externally, nationally and internationally, embodying and promoting a specialised niche domain of work and the institution’s values and strategic priorities.

The role involves representing SU in national and international forums, cultivating relationships with stakeholders, and contributing to the University's academic enhancement and financial sustainability through innovative strategies and initiatives.

While the role holds significant influence, it operates complementary to the roles of Directors, Senior Directors, the Registrar, Chief Directors, Deans, Deputy Vice-Chancellors (DVCs) and the Rectorate, ensuring that existing mandates and delegations are respected and supported rather than superseded. The Pro-VC role is thus catalytic in nature, providing thought leadership, integration and strategic execution to propel key initiatives forward.

I would like to inform you that the University has commenced the appointment process of Pro-VCs, with the first two being Pro-VC: Quantum Technology and Artificial Intelligence and Pro-VC: Institutional Efficiency. 

Prof Francesco Petruccione, the Director of the National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Sciences and Professor of Quantum Computing at SU, will assume the role of Pro-VC: Quantum Technology and Artificial Intelligence. Prof Wikus van Niekerk, the Dean of Engineering at SU, will assume the role of Pro-VC: Institutional Efficiency.

In his capacity as Pro-VC: Quantum Technology and Artificial Intelligence, Prof Petruccione will play a pivotal role in setting direction and building SU’s reputation as a leading force in the quantum space and embracing the future possibilities of artificial intelligence, balancing academic excellence with real-world impact. The Pro-VC: Quantum Technology and Artificial Intelligence will report to the DVC: Research, Innovation and Internationalisation, with an additional reporting line to my office.

As Pro-VC: Institutional Efficiency, Prof Van Niekerk will work in and with relevant institutional environments and colleagues to improve the overall effectiveness and efficiency of institutional operations, focusing on aspects such as agility and continuous process improvement. The Pro-VC: Institutional Efficiency will report to the Chief Operating Officer, with an additional reporting line to my office.

Please join me in congratulating Professors Petruccione and Van Niekerk in serving our institution in these roles and wishing them well.

Best regards

Prof Deresh Ramjugernath
Rector and Vice-Chancellor

More about the Pro-Vice-Chancellors:

Prof Francesco Petruccione joined SU as a Professor of Quantum Computing and Director of the National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Sciences (NITheCS).

He was born in Genova, Italy and began his journey in the field of physics at the University of Freiburg, where he received both his PhD and “Habilitation” degree.

He held various positions at the University of Freiburg until his promotion to adjunct professor in 2001. His pursuit of quantum physics led him to South Africa, where he was appointed Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in 2004. Recognising his contribution to the field, he was granted the South African Research Chair for Quantum Information Processing and Communication in 2007. At UKZN, he also served as the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Big Data and Informatics. In 2020, he was tasked to set up the NITheCS, serving as its interim director until he was appointed director in 2024.

Petruccione is a member of various scientific societies, including the Academy of Sciences of South Africa, the Royal Society of South Africa and the African Academy of Sciences. 

Prof Wikus van Niekerk, Dean of Engineering at SU, holds a PhD from the University of California at Berkeley and an Executive MBA from the Graduate School of Business at the University of Cape Town. He is also a Registered Professional Engineer with the Engineering Council of South African.

After holding the Sasol Chair in Vehicle Engineering at the University of Pretoria, he joined SU in 2000. At SU he has been Head of the Mechanics Division, Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Institute for Thermodynamics and Mechanics. He was the founding Director of the Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies and played a leading role to establish research, education and training programmes in renewable energy and influence funding and policy on a national level. 

Van Niekerk is regularly consulted by industry on a variety of areas including renewable energy systems and technology; solar, wind and ocean energy; and energy policy and research strategy. He is an honorary fellow of the South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering and a fellow of the South African Academy of Engineering.

Isibhengezo: Ukuqeshwa kweSandla seSekela Ngqonyela:

Boogxa bam ababekekileyo nabafundi

Ukuze sifezekise uMbono ka2040 kunye nomnqweno wethu wokuba yeyona yunivesithi inkqenkqeza phambili kuphandonzulu kwilizwekazi laseAfrika, kufuneka siphucule ukugqwesa kwethu ezifundweni kunye nokusebenza kakuhle kolawulo. Ukufezekisa la manyathelo, siye saseka izikhundla zobuSandla seSekela Ngqonyela (iiPro-VC).

Indima yeSandla seSekela Ngqonyela kwiYunivesithi yaseStellenbosch (iSU) yindima yobunkokeli ehloniphekileyo, enobuchule neyilelwe ukuxhasa nokuphucula imisebenzi ephambili yeziko ngaphandle kokungqubana okanye ukuphazamisa iindima esele zikho zokuphathwa kweyunivesithi, ulawulo nolwakhiwo lwezemfundo. ISandla seSekela Ngqonyela kulindeleke ukuba sisebenze njengonozakuzaku weyunivesithi kunye nowe Sekela Ngqonyela, ngaphakathi nangaphandle, kuzwelonke nakumanye amazwe, siqulathe kananjalo sikhuthaze indawo ekhethekileyo yomsebenzi kunye neenqobo zeziko nemisebenzi ephambili ngobuchule.

Le ndima ibandakanya ukumela iSU kwiiforam zesizwe nezamazwe ngamazwe, ukuhlakulela ubudlelane nabo bachaphazelekayo, nokuba negalelo ekuphuculweni kwezifundo zeYunivesithi nozinzo lwezemali ngokusebenzisa izicwangcisoqhinga namaphulo amatsha.

Ngelixa le ndima inefuthe elikhulu, isebenza njengexhasa iindima zabaLawuli, abaLawuli abaKhulu, uRejistra, abaLawuli abaziiNtloko, iiNtloko zeeFakhalthi, ooSekela Nqununu, necandelo leNqununu, iqinisekisa ukuba izigunyaziso nemiyalelo ekhoyo iyahlonitshwa kwaye iyaxhaswa endaweni  yokuba kumiselwe okunye endaweni yezo zinto. Indima yeSandla seSekela Ngqonyela ke ngoko, kwangendlela esekwe ngayo, iluncedo olungundoqo, ibonelela ngobunkokeli obungqiqo ichubekileyo, umanyano, kunye nokuphunyezwa kwesicwangcisoqhinga sokuqhubela phambili amaphulo abalulekileyo.

Ndingathanda ukunazisa ukuba iYunivesithi iqalisile ngenkqubo yokuqeshwa kweePro-VCs, ezimbini zokuqala zona izezo zePro-VC: yezobuChwepheshe beKhwantam (Quantum Technology) neziXhobo zokuFumana Iinkcukacha neyePro-VC: yokuSebenza kakuHle kweZiko. 

UNjing Francesco Petruccione, uMlawuli weZiko leSizwe leThiyori neNzululwazi yezobuChwepheshe (Theory and Computational Sciences) noNjingalwazi wezobuChwepheshe beKhwantam (Quantum Computing) eSU uza kuthatha indima yePro-VC: yezobuChwepheshe beKhwantam (Quantum Technology) neziXhobo zokuFumana Iinkcukacha.  UNjing Wikus van Niekerk, iNtloko yeFakhalthi yezobuNjineli eSU, uza kuthatha indima yePro-VC: yokuSebenza kakuHle kweZiko.

Kwisikhundla sakhe sobuPro-VC: yezobuChwepheshe beKhwantam (Quantum Technology) neziXhobo zokuFumana Iinkcukacha, uNjing Petruccione uza kudlala indima ebalulekileyo ekumiseleni isikhokelo nasekwakheni udumo lweSU njengenkokeli ephambili kwikhwantam yomhlaba (quantum space) kunye nokwamkela amathuba exesha elizayo eziXhobo zokuFumana Iinkcukacha, ngokulungelelanisa ukugqwesa ezifundweni nokuba nefuthe kwihlabathi lokwenene. IPro-VC: yezobuChwepheshe beKhwantam (Quantum Technology) neziXhobo zokuFumana iiNkcukacha iza kusebenza phantsi kweDVC: kuPhando, uYilo lweziNto eziNtsha nezaMazwe ngaMazwe aphinde kwangaxeshanye asebenze phantsi  kweofisi yam.

NjengePro-VC: yokuSebenza kakuHle kweZiko, uNjing van Niekerk uza kusebenza kwiindawo ezichaphazelekayo zeziko kunye noogxa bakhe ukuphucula ukusebenza nokusebenza kakuhle kwemisebenzi yeziko, egxininisa kwimibandela efana nokukhawuleziswa nokuphuculwa kwenkqubo okuqhubekayo. IPro-VC: yokuSebenza kakuHle kweZiko iza kunika ingxelo kwiGosa eliyiNtloko leMisebenzi, kunye nokunika ingxelo eyongezelelweyo kwiofisi yam.

Ncedani nizibandakanye nam ekuvuyiseni nooNjingalwazi uPetruccione noVan Niekerk ngokusebenzela iziko lethu kwezi ndima kwaye nibanqwenelele impumelelo.

Ngokuzithoba

UNjing Deresh Ramjugernath

INqununu neNgqonyela

Okubanzi malunga nabo baziZandla zeSekela Ngqonyela:

UNjing uFrancesco Petruccione uzibandakanye neSU njengoNjingalwazi wezobuChwepheshe beKhwantam (Quantum Computing) noMlawuli weZiko leSizwe leThiyori neNzululwazi yezobuChwepheshe (National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Science) (NITheCS).

Wazalelwa eGenova, eItali, kwaye waqala uhambo lwakhe kwifiziksi kwiYunivesithi yaseFreiburg, apho wafumana khona iPhD yakhe nesidanga so”Phuculo mgangatho” ("Habilitation").

Wasebenza kwizikhundla ezahlukeneyo kwiYunivesithi yaseFreiburg de wanyuselwa ukuba abe nguNjingalwazi ngo2001. Ukufuna kwakhe ikwantam fiziksi (quantum physics) kwamkhokelela eMzantsi Afrika, apho wathi waqeshwa njengoNjingalwazi weThiyori yeFiziksi (Theoretical Physics) kwiYunivesithi yaKwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) ngo2004. Kuqondwa igalelo lakhe kweli candelo, wanikwa isikundla sikaSihlalo woMzantsi Afrika kuPhando lokuSetyenziswa koLwazi lweKhwantam noNxibelelwano (South African Research Chair for Quantum Information Processing and Communication) ngo2007. E-UKZN, ukwasebenze njengoSekela Ngqonyela weDatha eBanzi noLwazi lweNkcukacha (Big Data and Informatics). Ngo2020, wanikwa uxanduva lokuseka iNITheCS, esebenza njengoMlawuli wayo wethutyana de waqeshwa njengomlawuli ngo2024.

UPetruccione ulilungu lemibutho eliqela yezenzululwazi, kuquka iAcademy of Sciences yaseMzantsi Afrika, iRoyal Society yaseMzantsi Afrika, kunye neAfrican Academy of Sciences. 

UNjing Wikus van Niekerk, iNtloko yeFakhalthi yezobuNjineli eSU, unesidanga sePhD awasifunana kwiYunivesithi yaseCalifornia eBerkeley neseMBA kwezoLawulo awasifumana kwiSikolo sezoShishino kwiYunivesithi yaseKapa. UkwayiNgcali yezobuNjineli eBhaliswe kwiBhunga lobuNjineli boMzantsi Afrika.

Emva kokubamba iSihlalo sakwaSasol kubuNjineli beZithuthi kwiYunivesithi yasePitoli wazibandakanya neSU ngo2000. E-SU ube yiNtloko yeCandelo looMatshini, uSihlalo weSebe lezobuNjineli booMatshini kunye noMlawuli weZiko loGuquguquko lobushushu (Thermodynamics) nooMatshini. Waba nguMlawuli ongumseki weZiko leZifundo zaMandla oMbane aHlaziyekayo noZinzo (Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies) kwaye wadlala indima ephambili ukuseka uphando, imfundo kunye neenkqubo zoqeqesho kumandla ombane ahlaziyekayo kwaye unefuthe kwinkxasomali kunye nomgaqonkqubo kwinqanaba likazwelonke. 

Amashishini afuna iingcebiso rhoqo kuVan Niekerk  malunga neenkalo ngeenkalo eziquka iinkqubo zamandla ombane ahlaziyekayo kunye nobuchwepheshe; amandla ombane welanga, awomoya namandla ombane wolwandle; kunye nomgaqonkqubo wamandla ombane nesicwangcisoqhinga sophando. UliQabane eliBekekileyo leZiko loMzantsi Afrika lobuNjineli booMatshini kunye neQabane leZiko loMzantsi Afrika lobuNjineli.