Earlier this year, the college announced that Dr Vuyani Sindo would be the new Vice-Principal Development. This raised questions for many people who enjoy a relationship with GWC—from alumni to supporters. Underlying most of those questions was why we need two Vice-Principals. To answer that question and show why the institution of this role is an important step in the college’s larger strategy, we need to answer two related questions.
Firstly, what does the Vice-Principal Academic, Dr Jonathan More, do? In his own words, “My role is to oversee and monitor matters as they relate to our curricular activities. I chair the Faculty Board, which is responsible for planning and implementing our curricula across four accredited programmes. As the chair of the Faculty Board, I lead and manage the faculty. I am also the chair of the Teaching and Learning Committee, a sub-committee of the Faculty Board which is responsible for monitoring the college’s quality assurance processes.”
Secondly, what is entailed in Dr Sindo’s role as Vice-Principal Development? As our Principal, Dr Mark Dickson puts it, the Board of GWC instituted this role with the “purpose of creating both dedicated oversight and leadership for key strategic external and internal development initiatives, which will always be arising as the college responds to its environment and also seeks to constructively influence the same.”
Such a role, admits Dr Sindo, carries a “heavy responsibility.” Yet after much prayer and counsel, he accepted it, saying, “It allows me to serve GWC at a different level that also aligns with my strengths.” While Dr Sindo will continue with his present teaching commitment and serve as the Head of Biblical Studies, the new role includes oversight of faculty onboarding and development.
Furthermore, another responsibility of the role is the development of external stakeholders. Dr Sindo will work closely with Dr Dickson in representing GWC to key strategic networks, partnerships, and associations. This extends to exploring new networks while developing existing ones. Finally, the Vice-Principal Development works as part of the college’s ambassadorial team in building targeted donor-stakeholder relationships at the global level.
As you can see, there is much to do, and the institution of a second Vice-Principal role is crucial for the college’s internal and external growth. So please join us in praying for Dr Sindo as he steps into this role and takes on its various responsibilities and challenges.
by Graham Heslop