Prof Wim de Villiers, Dean of the University of Cape Town's (UCT) Faculty of Health Sciences, was appointed the new Maties Rector and Vice-Chancellor by the Stellenbosch University (SU) Council earlier today.
De Villiers (55), a Matie alumnus and medical doctor who studied and worked in England and America for 24 years, succeeds Prof Russel Botman, who passed away unexpectedly in June. He becomes the University's 12th rector (although the title of this post has changed a number of times through the years). He will take office in 2015, but the exact date is not known yet [1 April has since been confirmed]. In the meantime, Chief Operating Officer Prof Leopoldt Van Huyssteen will stay on as acting Rector and Vice-Chancellor.
"I feel honoured and am very thankful for this opportunity," De Villiers said about his appointment. "Stellenbosch is a jewel in the crown of higher education in South Africa, and with the right leadership and good teamwork we can reach new heights, both locally and internationally."
Mr George Steyn, Chairperson of the SU Council, said De Villiers's appointment heralds a new era for the University. "We are looking forward to Prof De Villiers breaking new ground – also in the run-up to our centenary in 2018. Not only is he an excellent academic and manager, but he has the necessary insight and vision to be a worthy successor to Prof Botman."
De Villiers was "born and bred in Stellenbosch", the youngest child of the late Prof AB de Villiers, who would later become Dean of Law at SU, and Mrs Gera de Villiers (née Klomp) of Kroonstad. He matriculated from Paul Roos Gymnasium in 1977 with top marks in the then Cape Province, and passed his MBChB at SU cum laude. He received the Francie Van Zijl and Chancellor's medals for academic achievement.
He decided to "spread his wings" and obtained a DPhil in Immunology at Oxford University, England, in 1995. He then went to America to gain more experience – at the University of Kentucky Medical Centre in Lexington. He later also obtained a master's degree in health-care management from Harvard University.
"I thought I would stay for 18 months, but it turned out to be 18 years! It was worthwhile, though."
In the USA De Villiers practised as a gastroenterologist and also established himself as a respected researcher in this field. He was included in the publication Best Doctors in America, and held a number of senior positions at the University of Kentucky, including Head of Gastroenterology, and Administrative Head in the UK HealthCare organisation with an annual budget of more than $1,2 billion.
"Then the pull of the fatherland became too strong to resist," and he accepted the dean's post in Cape Town in July 2013. Now he is looking forward to the next chapter in his career.
"I have a long association with Stellenbosch, and am pleased to make a contribution to my alma mater. I come from far, but am also from here. I received a wonderful education and had many opportunities thanks to Stellenbosch. Now it is my responsibility to plough back."
De Villiers sees SU as a "mature university" that has to "compete globally". He is impressed with the fact that Maties moved into the top 300 universities on the Times Higher Education rankings for 2014/15.
"I realise that rankings are problematic in certain respects, but they are the global academic currency of our time. By focusing on our strengths we can reach even higher. The SU brand is undervalued."
He supports academic excellence in all three of the University's core activities – research, learning and teaching, as well as community interaction – but is also in favour of differentiation.
"Each university cannot do everything. We must distinguish ourselves through excellent research that is locally relevant and globally competitive. We also need to increase our number of postgraduate students."
He believes that the University's new policy on multilingualism, which was adopted by the University Council on 22 November and makes provision for increasing the lecture offering in both Afrikaans and English, will help attract more international students and lecturers.
"We must just make sure that the language policy and plan are implemented correctly. I realised overseas what Afrikaans means to me, so I am glad that we are extending it academically – but this is also necessary for English, which provides access to the rest of the world."
De Villiers wants students to receive an excellent education that will give them a competitive advantage as graduates in a rapidly changing world. The latest technology will have to be harnessed to this end, because virtual learning and teaching are becoming increasingly important.
"At the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, there is a slogan on the wall: 'The interest of the patient is the only interest'. We could just as well adapt this to, 'The interest of the student is the only interest'."
De Villiers believes Maties should offer a student experience that is "pleasant, welcoming and hospitable" – "in an inclusive environment". He is "committed to continued transformation to address the inequalities of the past", and supports the University's Institutional Intent and Strategy.
"I am enthusiastic about the path on which Prof Russel Botman placed SU, and find the University's Vision 2030 inspirational. Implementation will no doubt come with its challenges, but it will be an honour for me to lead this process."
De Villiers regards himself as an optimist: "I see the glass as being half full, not half empty". He says he is a "team player who listens well and consults widely". He also knows that "in the end someone needs to take the difficult decisions", but realises that leading a large institution "is a long-distance race, not a sprint".
De Villiers likes to stay fit. "I discovered marathons in my middle age and have run the 'Big 5' – Boston, New York, London, Chicago and Berlin". He also enjoys mountain biking. He is married to Catherine, and they have two daughters and a son – Katusha (33), Braam (30) and Gera (26) – as well as two grandchildren.
Steyn thanked all the candidates: "In this process the Selection Committee was in the fortunate position to compile an impressive shortlist of highly-qualified candidates. We appreciate the efforts of everyone and the time they devoted to Stellenbosch through their applications, preparations and presentations."
Photographer: Anton Jordaan
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