Join us to celebrate the start of Wits’ 100th year, with three former Wits Vice-Chancellors sharing their stories and discussing how Wits’ first 100 years inform its second century. Click here to register. Happening on 1 March 2022 at 19h00.

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Speakers

Professor Colin Bundy | Former Vice Chancelleor & Principal @Wits University

Colin Bundy is a Wits alumnus (BAHons 1967) and former Wits Vice-Chancellor and Principal (1997 – 2001). He retired in 2010 from his position as the first Principal of Green Templeton College, University of Oxford. Colin had moved to the UK to become Director and Principal of the School of Oriental and African Studies (2001–2006) and during that time also became Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of London (2003–2006). Prior to joining Wits he had been Vice Rector (1994-1997) at the University of the Western Cape. Colin came to prominence as an historian with the publication of “The Rise and Fall of the South African Peasantry” in 1988. Colin continues to teach and publish. In addition to his BAHons (Wits), he holds a BA from the University of Natal and an MPhil and DPhil from the University of Oxford where he was a Rhodes Scholar at Merton College and later a Beit Senior Research Scholar at St Antony’s.

Professor Loyiso Nongxa | Former Vice Chancellor & Principal @Wits University

Loyiso Nongxa was the first black Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits, a position he held from June 2003 to May 2013. He was also South Africa's first black Rhodes Scholar at Balliol College, and he obtained a D.Phil from the University of Oxford in 1982. More recently he served as Chairperson of the National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF) from 2014-2018. Born in the Eastern Cape, he matriculated from Healdtown College with distinction as the top matric student in South Africa in 1972. He studied at the University of Fort Hare (UFH) prior to Oxford. He has lectured mathematics at UFH, the National University of Lesotho, the University of Natal and the University of the Western Cape (UWC). At UWC, he held the post of Professor of Mathematics, and he was later appointed Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences. He was appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research at Wits in October 2000, and Vice-Principal in April 2002, prior to becoming Vice-Chancellor.

Professor Adam Habib | Former Vice Chancellor & Principal @Wits University

Adam Habib is a Wits alumnus (BAHons 1989) and former Vice-Chancellor and Principal (June 2013 to December 2020). As of January 2021 he is Director of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. Prior to joining Wits he was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) which he joined in 2007 and held two different DVC portfolios over two periods of office. He worked at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) as an Executive Director from 2004 – 2007 and as Professor of the School of Development Studies at the University of Natal from 2001 – 2003. From 1989 – 2001, he served in various capacities at the University of Durban-Westville. A Professor of Political Science, Adam is renowned particularly in South Africa as a public and media commentator. Adam obtained his Masters and Doctoral qualifications in political studies from the City University of New York. He also holds a Masters and BA from the University of Natal.