Professor Adam Habib resigns as vice chancellor of Wits

JOBURG – Habib has taken up a position as the director of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) based in London.

February 18, 2020

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Wits Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Adam Habib has resigned. Photo: File

Professor Adam Habib, the vice-chancellor and principal of the University of the Witwatersrand, has announced his resignation and will leave the university at the end of December 2020.

In a statement, Habib said he’s leaving the position to take up an offer to serve as the director of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) based in London as from 1 January 2021.

Habib said, “I was approached to apply for the SOAS position at the end of last year. I threw my hat into the ring and was surprised when they offered me the post. After much deliberation with my family and considerable engagement with the Wits Council and the Executive, I have agreed to accept the offer. My decision was not made lightly – I am a proud leader and champion of Wits University and South Africa, and will continue to fly these flags high.”

Habib has been at the helm for nearly eight years and under his leadership, he has gone through the fees-must-fall movement, management finances at the university and increase in graduation numbers at the university. Habib highlighted some of the successes of the last few years, ” In 2019 we graduated over 9 500 students, the most in the university’s history. In line with the Wits’ aim of becoming an increasingly postgraduate university, we enrolled 15 000 postgraduate students last year. Our research outputs have increased from 1 200 units in 2013 to just under 2 000 in 2020, without compromising on quality.”

Chairperson for of Wits Council Isaac Shongwe congratulated Habib on his new venture saying, “He is a dynamic leader, who has without a doubt made a significant contribution to Wits and the higher education sector, both locally and abroad. His fearless, forthright commentary and his general robustness have left our university, and South Africa, a richer intellectual space, for which we are grateful.”

Watch:

📣IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Watch Professor Adam Habib, Vice-Chancellor, share his thoughts on leaving Wits University at the end of 2020. He will take up the position of Director at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London. Full video: https://t.co/zHyJwdJFXa pic.twitter.com/hn5QpoSFWv

— Wits University (@WitsUniversity) February 18, 2020

Twitter had a mixed reaction on his resignation:

This is a great loss Professor Adam Habib… Most of the times we Black people do not realize and appreciate our Giants on whose shoulders we ought to stand. Go well. You are an international giant. I understand not to be appreciated by own until your own suffers yo abscence….

— Fumai Mufakose : Taurotragus Oryx (@FumaiGavin) February 18, 2020