TIMS has a specific mandate to open up and stimulate the conditions for the University to explore the academic expression of Mandela in its full intellectual and social complexity. It has the task of helping the academic community of Nelson Mandela University and its intellectual and activist partners outside the University comprehend the meaning and significance of the social, political and moral figure of Mandela and what the process of embodying Mandela in the life and mission of the University will mean for its future and for the future of the South African university. In terms of this, it will serve as the primary site for the assembly, coordination and consequent articulation of the University’s Mandela-informed work, the repository of Mandela-related activity and, most significantly, a critical touchpoint for exploration of the figure of Mandela. It seeks to do so in intellectually and ideologically inclusive, tolerant and self-reflective ways.
Our Story
To commemorate what would have been former president Nelson Mandela’s 99th birthday on July 18, the institution announced that it would be dropping the “Metropolitan” part of its name in 2017. The naming of the University after Tata Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela aimed to move the institution beyond its geographical location and, also, importantly, to invest in the University the formative ideal of producing and disseminating knowledge in service of society. Since then, Nelson Mandela University has been engaging in the process of reflection and debate with its major stakeholders on what bearing the name Mandela may mean.
Following the University’s acquisition of its new name, Nelson Mandela University, the institution’s Council debated the meaning and implications of our University being named after South Africa’s first democratically-elected President. Council reflected on the moral and social responsibility associated with embracing this name, its implications for our identity and strategic choices, as well as transformations we need to make to align ourselves more appropriately to the name. A proposal for a transdisciplinary institute was put forward as the entity that would hold together this work. The decision was rooted in the persuasion that carrying the name ‘Nelson Mandela’ brings a responsibility to offer something unique.
In 2019, the University hosted a Mandela Colloquium; it was a significant step in the process of conceptual thinking around the Mandela name. The colloquium also explored the possibilities of a critical ‘Mandela Studies’ programme and formulated the thematic groundwork for the idea of a Transdisciplinary Institute for Mandela Studies (TIMS).
Later, in the same year, the Nelson Mandela University Council decided to put in place a transdisciplinary institute for ‘Mandela Studies’. Since its formal conception, the institute has striven to be a hub and engine for ideas, lines of enquiry, and modes of engagement with the university and the world. TIMS continues to engage with various aspects of Mandela University, stimulating critical thought and ideas on the University's institutional identity and culture.
Mission
Through transdisciplinary and collaborative engagements in and outside of the University, the institute seeks to harness the transformative value of the Mandela social figure by developing intellectual frameworks that inform social policy and enlarge our political, cultural and ethical imaginaries.
Vision
As a critical entity in a University which has committed itself to the ideals of social justice in South Africa and the world, TIMS seeks to be a global scholarly hub for the transdisciplinary exploration of the social figure of Nelson Mandela.
Principles
Transdisciplinarity refers to an approach that transcends traditional academic disciplines and integrates diverse perspectives, knowledge systems, and ways of thinking to explore complex topics and problems. Transdisciplinarity is the commitment to transcend disciplinary silos and integrate diverse perspectives. By bridging academic, professional, and lived experiences, Transdisciplinarity enables more holistic understanding and inclusive problem-solving. We actively seek out collaboration across disciplinary boundaries. We value the knowledge that emerges from the synthesis of diverse viewpoints, theoretical frameworks, and methodologies. Through open dialogue and critical self-reflection, we gain deeper insight into complex issues. Transdisciplinarity guides our strategy to be intellectually versatile, ideologically tolerant, and ethically mindful. We believe integration of knowledge across disciplines and sectors is imperative for social impact.
Social Engagement is the commitment to positively contribute to society. We believe the purpose of knowledge is to empower communities and advance the public good. Our strategy is to listen to and learn from diverse stakeholders to co-create solutions to real-world problems. We value engagement with society that is active, ethical and transformative. Through reciprocal partnerships, we aim to dismantle barriers to inclusion and equity. Social Engagement drives us to share ideas and research beyond academia to increase access to knowledge. We believe the university has a civic duty to collaborate with external partners in pursuing social justice. Our engaged scholarship promotes lifelong learning and community wellbeing. We are driven by humanistic values of care, compassion and conscience.