1 Introduction EXECUTIVE DEAN’S In 2025, the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture (FADA) continued to advance the strategic objectives of the University of Johannesburg, aligning its academic, research and engagement activities with the University’s Strategy 2035. At the same time, the faculty remained responsive to the evolving demands of the creative industries, the rapid pace of technological change, and the broader social and economic challenges shaping higher education. Across its three campuses and nine academic departments, the faculty continued to produce graduates who are both technically proficient and critically engaged, supported by a strong academic and professional staff cohort, specialised facilities, and an integrated approach to teaching, research, creative practice and public engagement. A defining feature of the year was the impact of changes to the University’s admissions framework. The shift to a centrally managed, APS-based system broadened access and strengthened the academic profile of incoming students. However, it also had an unintended negative impact on student retention, particularly in the first year, where a proportion of students entered programmes for which they were not adequately prepared or appropriately aligned. The faculty has responded proactively by strengthening academic support mechanisms and developing revised admission processes for implementation from 2026. These include additional measures to assess programme fit and student motivation, aimed at improving retention and throughput while maintaining equitable access. Teaching and learning continued to evolve in response to developments associated with the Fourth and emerging Fifth Industrial Revolutions. Curricula across the faculty were progressively recalibrated to integrate digital technologies, artificial intelligence and new forms of creative production, while retaining a strong emphasis on critical thinking, material practice and social relevance. This balance remains central to the faculty’s teaching and learning strategy.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjU1NDYx