Prof Themba Mosia

Prof Themba Mosia was appointed as Interim Vice-Chancellor and Principal from 1 August 2023 and is responsible for the day-to-day functioning of the University. He will serve in this role until such time as the process for the recruitment and appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor can be concluded.

Prof Mosia has served the academic enterprise in numerous capacities over more than four decades, including teaching/lecturing, international relations, as head of department, Registrar at various universities, Dean and Vice-Principal/Deputy Vice-Chancellor. His academic work is in quality assurance and governance in higher education.

Prof Mosia holds a PhD in Policy Studies, particularly Governance and specialist training in quality assurance in higher education. He earned his university qualifications in South Africa and the United States of America.

Prof Mosia has held the position of Vice-Principal: Student Life at the University of Pretoria since 2013.

He served as the Chairperson of the Council on Higher Education from 2013 to 2022. He was a Board member of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and served as its interim Chairperson in 2015. He also served as Director and Deputy Chairperson of the Foundation of Tertiary Institutions in the Northern Metropolis (FOTIM), Director of the International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA), and in numerous other structures and bodies in national and international higher education and the health professions. As General Manager of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), he operated in multiple structures and functions in the area, and provided training to the Professional Boards on quality assurance in the health professions. He chaired accreditation visits in medical education in the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, India and The Seychelles.

In 2011-2012 Prof Mosia was the Administrator/Vice-Chancellor of one of South Africa’s largest universities. He has served the Council on Higher Education in various capacities since its inception, chairing some institutional audit panels and accreditation assessments/site visits. In 2016 to 2017 he served as expert advisor to the Commission of Inquiry into the Feasibility of Fee-Free Higher Education in South Africa in the height of the #FeesMustFall movement. Prof Mosia was a member of the expert group that conceptualised and developed the Code of Good Practice and Indicators for Governing Councils of public universities in South Africa and continues to present training sessions for university Council members. In 2022/2023 he led a team to conduct an independent assessment of the affairs of another public university with a view to advising the Minister on the source and nature of problems, and measures required to restore good governance and management.

Prof Mosia is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences and is fulfilled by the leadership training of students.