23 Transformation FADA actively embraces transformation as a core value, influencing teaching, learning, and research across the faculty. Exploration of race, gender and culture is integral to our work, and is embedded in our fundamental belief in the notion of art, design, and architecture for social justice. 2024 initiatives include Interior Design Lecturer Ms Sadiyah Geyer’s ‘Women in the Built Environment’ initiative. This initiative, featuring female professionals from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds, critically examined colonial legacies in design education and practice. Interactive sessions and panel discussions fostered dialogue on local knowledge, indigenous practices, and gender inclusivity; aiming to explore how the built environment, design practices, and education can break away from colonial frameworks. Through their Wom+n In Tech initiative, the Industrial Design Department continues to narrow the gender gap in design industries by cultivating confidence in women embarking on design technology careers. The Department undertook various workshops throughout 2024, engaging with students and staff from FADA, as well as with high-school learners as a departmental outreach programme. The Art therapy division appointed two permanent staff members and is now headed by Dr Sinethembe Makanya. Dr Makanya’s initiatives include Africanising aspects of the Art Therapy curriculum to make it more relevant to our students and the demographics of the country. While FADA has made progress in increasing Black student enrolment, achieving greater racial diversity among academic staff remains a challenge due to historical demographics and structural inequities. However, significant strides were made in 2024 through targeted recruitment, expanding candidate pools via programmes such as nGAP, appointing Assistant Lecturers, and strengthening mentorship through the AAMP. Despite these efforts, further work is needed to improve representivity at departmental and faculty management levels. FADA will continue its commitment to staff diversity through a structured programme focused on cultural awareness, mentorship and capacity development for designated groups. Faculty Governance and Risk Management FADA maintains effective management through a structured committee system that promotes clear communication and alignment with the University’s strategy. The Faculty Management Committee provides strategic oversight and ensures operational efficiency. It comprises the Executive Dean, Vice-Deans Profs Desiree Smaland Neshane Harvey, Ms Neeradevi Chinnah, Head of Faculty Administration, and Ms Amanda Breytenbach, Strategic Initiatives Coordinator. Meeting weekly, the committee monitors operational matters, tracks strategic initiatives, and ensures alignment with the faculty’s annual performance plan. The Dean’s Committee, consisting of the heads of all academic departments and administrative divisions, plays a vital role in shaping the Faculty’s strategic direction. It serves as a forum for high-level planning, decision-making and the dissemination of institutional information. Through regular engagement, the committee ensures alignment between departmental goals and the Faculty’s broader objectives.
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