Building a future in South Africa

May 2005

Leading South African educator Professor Tyrone B. Pretorius has taken the helm at Monash South Africa.

Report: Diane Squires

When Tyrone Pretorius first visited Monash South Africa, he was impressed initially with the striking buildings and grounds. And after spending just half an hour at the campus, the new pro vice-chancellor was convinced of its potential and the strong role it could play in the future of South Africa and of Monash.

Professor Tyrone Pretorius: "Monash South Africa will be a wonderful, unique and highly sought after institution."

Professor Pretorius wants Monash South Africa to be further integrated into the country's higher education sector. "Monash South Africa should be a campus that understands and embraces its role in the development of South African society," he says. "As well, the campus should embrace its obligation to the broader Monash to be a world-class facility offering high-quality teaching and research.

"When these two things come together, when you have an institution committed to the development of South Africa and the university, Monash South Africa will be a wonderful, unique and highly sought-after institution."

With a background in psychology, Professor Pretorius has doctorates from the University of the Western Cape and the University of the Orange Free State and a postdoctoral fellowship from Yale University.

He has published extensively in the areas of coping and stress and remains an active researcher, also holding several government and higher education sector appointments.

Before taking up his position at Monash in April, Professor Pretorius was deputy vice-chancellor (Academic) at the University of the Western Cape, where he had earlier spent 10 years as dean of community and health sciences.

He says he was attracted to Monash by its international status, its reputation and the challenge that being part of a new campus would provide. "I like the idea of all the exciting challenges that await me at Monash South Africa, particularly as the campus is still in the early stages of development."

Professor Pretorius replaced Professor John Anderson, who returned to Australia in April to take up the position of pro vice-chancellor (Business and Industry).

As founding pro vice-chancellor, Professor Anderson saw the campus develop from bare earth in 2000 to a state-of-the-art campus with more than 700 students.

For the first time since opening for classes in 2001, Monash South Africa has this year exceeded student target numbers. Although Professor Anderson is pleased he is leaving the campus in good shape, he understandably feels a sense of loss at leaving the site that, by his own admission, has been one of his greatest achievements.

"This is one of the biggest projects I've been involved with. It's been good to work outside Australia and experience a country and culture outside my own, but also to look at my own country and culture from outside its borders," he says.

"I've enjoyed the campus, the team at Monash South Africa and the spirit of development there.

"I feel confident that we have a working campus. There is still a way to go, but it is well established now and has momentum."

Action: For more information, go to the Monash South Africa website.