by Gerrit Bester
Prof Nalini Moodley, Executive Dean of the Tshwane University of Technology’s Faculty of Arts and Design since 2018, has been honoured by Higher Education Resource Services – South Africa (HERS-SA) as the winner of the Women in Academic Administration category at the Higher Education Women Leaders Awards held in Cape Town in August. Renowned as one of the foremost women leaders at the University and a mentor to many, Prof Moodley candidly discusses her perspectives on recognition, leadership and the role of women in academia in a post-award interview.
How does it feel to be recognised as a leader in academic administration, and what does this award mean to you personally? I am delighted, deeply honoured and humbled by this recognition, especially when women in academic administration are doing amazing work across all 26 public universities. To be recognised on this platform is an indication that my work is highly valued and appreciated nationally.
It is well understood that the responsibility of shaping and guiding the Faculty's future can often be an isolating endeavour. While I may hold a vision for its direction, it is imperative to effectively communicate that vision in a manner that is both academically rigorous and compelling, ensuring it garners the Faculty's support. This support must not be achieved through directive, but rather by demonstrating the intrinsic value and benefits that such a vision will bring to the Faculty as a whole. If the vision fails to gain traction, it loses all significance. Thus, while it is crucial for me as a leader to dream and approach challenges with creativity, I am equally indebted to the remarkable management team who provide the support and openness necessary to realise these aspirations. Their collaboration ensures that the Faculty evolves into a distinguished hub for innovative and thoughtfully designed arts education.
Additionally, while universities and organisations like the National Research Foundation commend outstanding researchers and educators, there seems to be a lack of acknowledgment for the vital contributions of administrators. These dedicated individuals play a crucial role behind the scenes, supporting student success, ensuring the curriculum remains relevant and providing staff with opportunities to thrive.
Therefore, it is wonderful for the entire sector that HERS-SA also recognises and celebrates this important aspect of our academic environment.
Can you share some of the key initiatives or projects you have implemented at the Faculty of Arts and Design that you believe contributed to your recognition by HERS-SA? Of course!
In 2018, when I was first appointed as Executive Dean, I initiated the TUT Arts Festival, now in its sixth year, designed to create multiple opportunities for our Faculty.
Firstly, it is designed as an experiential learning platform for students. Secondly, as we no longer have open days to showcase the Faculty to prospective students, this Festival invites schools, parents, teachers, principals and the Department of Basic Education to experience the arts whilst showcasing the amazing facilities that the Faculty houses. Thirdly, this Festival builds strong links with the industry, as many of the industry leaders are alumni and work with us to ensure that we are at the forefront of trends and technology in the creative industries. This is also an extension of the ongoing relationships with the advisory boards. Fourthly, it creates a real-world experience for students to showcase their work and determine their viability as artists, designers and performers. This is done, for example, through the fashion show, the jewellery shop, the various student pop-up shops and the music and dance showcases. This develops an entrepreneurial spirit so necessary for students in the creative industries.
Finally, it is just a moment for the manufacturing of joy for the Faculty as the Arts Campus transforms into an energetic environment living its alter ego as a performer par excellence!
The second project was to raise the profile of gender equity discussions at the University.
Several key developments have taken place here, each progressing in unique ways. I had the honour of serving as the first elected Chair of the Women's Leadership Forum, a position I held for five years. During this period, considerable strides were made in advancing discussions on gender in Higher Education leadership, gender justice development, and establishing platforms for mentoring women aspiring to leadership roles in Higher Education. Through my ongoing commitment to advocating for gender justice, I had the honour of being appointed by the Senate to chair a task team focused on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and to develop a corresponding policy, which we are pleased to say has now been approved.
In addition, I serve as the Research Niche Area (RNA) Leader for 'Addressing GBV through Artivism,' a vital initiative for any university. In May, this RNA successfully hosted our inaugural symposium, which received remarkable feedback. We are currently in the process of compiling an edited book publication featuring the diverse and insightful presentations from that event.
In 2022, I took the initiative to establish Artivism as the thematic focus for our Faculty over the next five years, which culminated in the Inaugural Global Artivism Conference recently hosted at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
I could also mention the:
- Establishment of the Creative Box – an ideation space for staff to collaborate in a bespoke space.
- The renaming of the Faculty from the Faculty of Arts to the Faculty of Arts and Design in 2019, and the reorganisation of departments from six to five to align with the revised Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF) provision.
- Establishment of the Gender Desk on the Arts Campus.
- Introduction of the Dean's Concert, now in its second year.
What challenges have you faced as a woman in a leadership position within Higher Education, and how have you overcome them? One of the most significant challenges women encounters is the need to navigate the multiple roles they fulfil in their lives. In my case, I have had to balance my professional responsibilities with those of being a mother, wife, daughter, manager, leader, administrator, teacher, student and researcher. To manage this effectively, I have been intentional in cultivating an ecosystem of support, encouragement and compassion.
However, it must be said that generally, one faces numerous obstacles on your journey to achieve anything worthwhile.
Unfortunately for me, one of these obstacles have been other women who want to pull you down to ensure your failure. This is the well-researched phenomenon popularly recognised as the Pull Her Down (PHD) syndrome and I have had the misfortune of experiencing many of these. In fact, I have also experienced women who like to assert their authority by putting other women down (often known as the Queen Bee syndrome). Regrettably, I have also encountered bullying in my role as a manager and leader. This experience has reinforced the importance of standing firm in one's convictions and maintaining a clear sense of direction, ensuring that no external challenges – regardless of their nature – are able to disrupt or derail one's course. As a woman, I have always tried to mitigate obstacles by gaining diverse experiences that empower me to understand systems and processes, such as being nominated by the Senate as a representative to the Council for two terms. It was a sharp learning curve.
But whatever the challenges or obstacles along the way, and there have been many, I have always had the strength, courage and empathy to see the bigger picture, and I suspect that is why I have achieved the few, small milestones I have so far.
In your opinion, what are the most significant barriers to gender equity in Higher Education, and what steps can institutions take to address these issues? I have completed my MBA focusing on these concerns and there are numerous barriers, too many to mention here. However, one of the key concerns is the silence in Higher Education to recognise and accommodate academic motherhood in ways that are consistent with the imperatives of gender equity. For example, opportunities should be created for women to enter Higher Education later in life so that they can raise their families and still find space for their own growth. One of the key drivers for universities is their policies and these should be carefully reviewed to ensure that they are gender equitable and that there is always a voice to review them for gender equity. Blindness to the proximity of gender inequality is crippling and university leaders must be aware of this.
I firmly believe that universities need to establish gender offices or spaces that are solely responsible for engaging on the gender agenda. This space ought to be the custodians of all data on related issues. We cannot expect this to be done elsewhere, where it becomes an 'end of day' business with no will.
Resources – human, financial and infrastructural – are essential if we are to reverse the catastrophic under-representation of women in senior management across the sector.
Finally, we must ensure that our male counterparts are deeply aware of the inequities in the system and are our voices when women are not in the room.
How do you inspire and motivate your colleagues and students to strive for excellence in their academic and professional pursuits? I support and encourage them while creating opportunities for them to shine. In 2022, I set up the Master's and Doctoral Academy to ensure that all staff and students get the full support they need to develop their careers. I strongly encourage my staff to move out of their comfort zones and stretch themselves to realise their full potential.
And, of course, like most leaders, I also try to motivate by example.
What role do you believe mentorship plays in the development of women leaders in academia, and how have you engaged in mentorship throughout your career? Leadership isn't in everyone's DNA – few are born leaders, but most of us shape our leadership by learning from and observing other leaders. You can also learn what kind of leader you don't want to be by keen observation of other leaders. So, whether we are aware of it or not, we all have mentors – some formal and some informal. I have a few and they are remarkable people, honest and supportive – and very likely don’t even know that they are my mentors.
As women, it is critical for us to appreciate the need to mentor others so that as you rise, someone else rises with you. I heard a great phrase the other day "As you rise, send the lift down for the next woman."
Incidentally, I have been a mentor for HERS-SA for a number of years and I am deeply grateful for the lessons I have learnt and am always delighted to hear how my mentees are rising in their positions of leadership and influence. Imagine what Higher Education would look like if every women leader mentored and advocated for another woman – not to be intimidated by it but encouraged by the power of great women leadership.
There are, unfortunately, examples of women in leadership whose actions can be detrimental, often without them realising the broader impact of their self-serving decisions. This is disheartening, as it undermines the positive potential of women leadership.
As Executive Dean, how do you balance administrative responsibilities with the need to foster a creative and supportive environment for students and faculty? My own training is as a creative and I think if you understand the fundamentals of how creative people are driven then this balance is intuitive.
What advice would you give to young women aspiring to pursue careers in academia? Go for it! We need more powerful women in strategic spaces – so get in the door but drive with empathy and compassion. Women have had to operate on the periphery for far too long and we need to move the dialogue to the centre to ensure a more equitable and inclusive space for women in Higher Education.
How do you envision the future of women in academic leadership roles in South Africa, and what changes would you like to see in the coming years? Hmm ... equal representation of women as Vice-Chancellors and Deputy Vice-Chancellors. Equity in senior management across the sector is long overdue. There are many great women leaders and they need to be trusted to lead!
Who are the women that inspire you and why? Professor Thuli Madonsela, who stood for justice in every way imaginable. She was fearless, empathetic and led with integrity and is a lifelong activist for social justice. For me, she is an example of what exemplary women leadership looks like.
I am also inspired by the countless young Indian women who left India as indentured labourers and boarded ships to go to unknown lands in pursuit of a dream of a better life. Their courage was a realisation and manifestation of what Mandela described when he said: "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it."
I am a descendant of those indentured labourers and I am grateful to my great-grandmother for having the courage to leave her home, travel to South Africa and make a home here, ensuring a better future for her generations to come.
How do you balance work and private life? I think there is no difference between work life and private life in this field of work. It’s just that we have to balance the different demands of life.
If your work is enjoyable and you love it – as I do – you'll never work a day in your life!
• The prestigious awards are presented annually by Higher Education Resource Services – South Africa (HERS-SA), a non-profit organisation established to promote gender equity in Higher Education and provide professional development programmes for women in academia and administrative support.