The switch from the traditional on-campus event to online sessions for as many as 6000 first-year students on both its Gqeberha and George campuses is for safety reasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Faculty Welcomes will culminate in the official welcome by the Vice-Chancellor Professor Sibongile Muthwa at 9am on Saturday 6 March.
Orientation too will be offered in a virtual format for health and safety reasons and will run from 8 March.
Welcome Event Webpage
For your convenience, all the online links to all these events and other related links will be added as they become available to the Academic Welcome Events webpage.
Virtual Welcome Events
Three Components
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Faculty Welcome (Dean’s Address and Faculty Meet and Greet) – eight online sessions to be hosted between 1 to 5 March culminating in the
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VC Welcome Address (6 March) followed by the
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First Year Success Orientation Programme from 8 March which is broken into:
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Thrive at Nelson Mandela University – a generic welcome programme arranged by the Orientation team
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A Faculty, School, Programme welcome in which academics introduce incoming students to the programme requirements
Faculty Welcome
While the Faculty Welcome of the Dean’s Address and Faculty Meet and Greet session is traditionally held immediately after the VC’s Welcome Address, the University has decided to host these information sharing sessions first to guide and reassure parents about the study journey ahead, given the many concerns because of the pandemic.
They will be hosted virtually, with an invite to be sent directly to the prospective students, with the times and links provided to the sessions.
The pre-recorded Dean’s address will be followed by the Faculty Meet and Greet engagement session via an MS Teams Live Event webinar to present an overview of the faculty and give students, parents and interested parties an opportunity to ask questions via the Q&A facility.
Every session will be recorded and shared on the University’s webinar page and You Tube channel for the convenience of those who are unable to attend the online event.
Faculty Welcome Schedule
The schedule for the Faculty Welcome is as follows:
Monday 1 March at 17:30
Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences
Tuesday 2 March at 17:30
Faculty of Engineering, the Build Environment and Technology
Wednesday 3 March at 17:30
Faculty of Education
Wednesday 3 March at 19:00
Faculty of Law
Thursday 4 March at 17:30
Faculty of Health Sciences
Thursday 4 March at 19:00
Faculty of Humanities
Friday 5 March at 17:30
Faculty of Science
Friday 5 March at 19:00
George Campus (address from the Campus Principal included)
As shared, work is underway to support the faculties in hosting these sessions with individuals appointed to help produce and host the sessions. This includes the provision of supporting information, links to important sites (like finance, accommodation and registration), along with branding and other guidance.
VC Welcome
A pre-recorded address by our Vice-Chancellor Professor Sibongile Muthwa welcoming new students and their families will premiere live on our university YouTube channel at 9am on Saturday, 6 March.
Orientation
Further communication will follow about the comprehensive programme for orientate all new students, especially in terms of what is in place to help everyone transition into an online world.
Communication & Marketing