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.

Prof Mosia’s academic work is in quality assurance and governance in higher education. He holds a PhD in Policy Studies, particularly Governance and Transformation in higher education. He has specialist training in quality assurance in medical education, management, law and policy studies. 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. This portfolio includes the strategic management of all extracurricular student development services, health and wellness support, oversight of the community radio station (TuksFM), was well as student life, student housing and sport.

Beyond his specific University portfolio, 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 Themba Mosia served as Interim Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria from 1 August 2023 to 30 September 2024, overseeing the strategic management of the University as a whole.

Prof Mosia is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences and is fulfilled by the leadership training of students. He returned to his post as Vice-Principal: Student Life on 1 October 2024.