Leadership development is actively underway
- Wits University
Two new leadership programmes were piloted in 2025, and more opportunities will open in 2026.
Leadership development in higher education is crucial – as the world shifts and changes at rapid pace, our leaders need to navigate a melting point of challenges, resource-constraints, human dynamics, and evolving technologies. The active investment in learning at various leadership levels is therefore a vital undertaking. In 2025, supported by funding from the ETDP SETA, the Human Resources Development Unit (HRDU) launched a leadership development pipeline. This pipeline will expand and grow beyond pilot stage and into maturity during 2026 and beyond.
The two programmes which commenced in September include:
- The Supervisory Development Programme (SDP) in collaboration with Wits Plus, and
- The Management Development Programme (MDP) in collaboration with Common Purpose South Africa
A total of 54 leaders at these levels are undertaking the pilot journey. By all accounts, the opening modules and sessions have delivered both personal and professional value already.
In 2026, the aspiration is to include a Team Leader level, as well as a Senior Leadership Development Programme, thereby expanding the pipeline further.
The SDP and MDP will roll out again in the new year, and therefore, if you want to develop your leadership and management skills, be sure to stay tuned!
For any additional information, please reach out to Zama Xulu at the HRDU on Nokwazi.xulu@wits.ac.za
Related content:
Opening cross-boundary synergies across Wits
