Wits School of Governance

VACANCY: ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR/SENIOR LECTURER (GOVERNANCE)

The Wits School of Governance is seeking an accomplished academic to join our interdisciplinary team as an Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer in Governance.

We are looking for a scholar with a strong track record in teaching, research and postgraduate supervision, and demonstrable expertise in governance, particularly in areas related to Political Economy and Development.

This is an opportunity to contribute to a leading institution advancing public-sector education, public policy, democracy and governance across Africa.

Closing date: 28 August 2026

Applicants must submit their applications via the Wits I-Recruitment platform. Applications submitted via email will not be accepted.

Apply here: https://shorturl.at/fYKxR

Applications for the 2027 Intake are now open!

Take the next step in your career with a Postgraduate Diploma in Management from the Wits School of Governance. Study in one of the following specialisations:
🔹 Public and Development Management
🔹 Public and Development Sector Monitoring and Evaluation
🔹 Security
Whether you're looking to grow as a leader, strengthen your professional expertise, or contribute to better governance, our programmes are designed to equip you with the knowledge and practical skills to make a lasting impact.

Applications close: 30 September 2026. Apply today and shape the future of governance.

Ready to take the next step in your career?

Applications for the 2027 Master's in Management programmes at the Wits School of Governance are now open! Choose from the following fields of study:
• General
• Development and Economics
• Governance and Management
• Public Policy
• Public and Development Sector Monitoring and Evaluation

Our flexible 50% Coursework | 50% Research model is designed for professionals who want to strengthen their leadership, policy, governance and research skills while making a meaningful impact.

Applications close on 30 September 2026 For enquiries email [email protected]. Become part of Africa's Leading School of Governance.

The Wits School of Governance and the Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority partnered to host a dynamic learning experience focused on building an ethical, capable and development-oriented public service.

Public service trainees had the opportunity to engage with experts on:
-Public policymaking
-Public finance
-Governance and accountability
-Ethical leadership
-Service delivery and development

The discussions highlighted the critical role that young public servants play in shaping a responsive, accountable and citizen-centred public sector.

A heartfelt thank you to all our speakers, participants and partners for contributing to a meaningful and impactful programme. Together, we are investing in the next generation of leaders who will help strengthen South Africa’s public service and advance the goals of the National Development Plan 2030.

Registration is now open for the AfricaLics 2026 International Conference!
Join leading scholars, policymakers, industry leaders, and development practitioners in Johannesburg, South Africa for one of Africa’s premier platforms on innovation, learning, and inclusive development.

Why attend?
• World-class keynote speakers
• High-level policy dialogues
• Cutting-edge research presentations
• Networking with delegates from across Africa and beyond
• Welcome cocktail, exhibitions, and conference dinner

Be part of the conversations shaping Africa’s innovation and development future.

Register now: https://africalicssouthafrica.witsevents.co.za/register

The Wits School of Governance, in partnership with Parliament's Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), co-hosted a successful Symposium on Migration and Social Cohesion at the University of the Witwatersrand.

The symposium brought together policymakers, government, diplomats, international organisations, academics, civil society and migrant community representatives to explore evidence-based approaches to migration, social cohesion and regional cooperation.

A key outcome was the resolution to establish the symposium as an annual platform to advance dialogue on migration, promote evidence-based policy, strengthen regional cooperation, combat misinformation and support safe, orderly and regular migration across the continent.

The discussions reaffirmed the importance of collaboration, the rule of law, human dignity and social cohesion in addressing the opportunities and challenges of migration in South Africa and Africa.

To watch the symposium visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGYGz-TZqBI

WitsSchoolOfGovernance

Symposium on Migration and Social Cohesion, 26 June 2026 Parliament of South Africa, in partnership with WitsSchool of Gove...

Join the Wits School of Governance for a book launch dialogue with Professor Saleem Badat on his critically acclaimed new book, “Roads to Rhodes and Beyond”: Universities, Social Activism and Knowledge. The discussion will explore universities, social justice, leadership, transformation and knowledge production in South Africa, drawing on Professor Badat’s experiences as an academic, activist and university leader.

-Register here: https://forms.gle/gaJteRURTnaqoc1y9
-Date: 25 June 2026
-Time: 18:00 (SAST)
-Venue: Humanities Faculty Room, Wits University Main Campus
In conversation with Prof Garth Stevens, Prof Themba Maseko and Dr Thelela Ngcetane-Vika. Chaired by Prof Robbie van Niekerk.

Professor Themba Maseko, Head of the Wits School of Governance, contributed to our Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management's newsletter dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the 1976 youth uprising. Thank you Wits Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management for the opportunity.

Read his personal account of this historic period in South Africa's history:

What began as a peaceful march by thousands of schoolchildren from across Soweto soon descended into violence as heavily armed police confronted the students in the dusty streets of the township. I was a 12-year-old boy in Grade 7 at Belle Higher Primary School in Phiri, Soweto. Like many township schools at the time, ours was severely under-resourced. Classrooms held more than 50 learners. We had no electricity, no library, no textbooks and no sports grounds. The 1976 school year began like any other, until rumours spread that the apartheid government intended replacing English with Afrikaans as the medium of instruction. That changed when teachers arrived in our classrooms and began teaching lessons in Afrikaans. I hated it immediately. The policy had been imposed on us without consultation with parents, teachers or communities. It was clear that the apartheid government intended to use language as yet another tool of oppression and control.

Full story: https://www.wsg.ac.za/news/lest-we-forget-16-june-1976-soweto-uprising-and-international-day-african-child