Education is one of the keys that open the doors of global opportunities. Well-educated people are comfortable, and they carry themselves in a manner that exudes confidence wherever they are. Tawana Kupe is one of such. The Zimbabwean South African occupies one of the most sought after positions in any university system because of his numerous professional exploits in South Africa's educational system.
Tawana Kupe is the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Pretoria, South Africa. The professor is a regular face and voice in the South African media space. He is on the board of some international educational projects that promote sharing intelligence among continents.
Tawana Kupe's biography summary
- Birth name: Tawana Kupe
- Year of birth: 1964
- Age: 57 years old (in 2021)
- Profession: Lecturer
- Famous as: Vice-Chancellor of the University of Pretoria and an African representative of the Australia-Africa Universities Network
- Birthplace: Zimbabwe
- Nationality: Zimbabwean
- Sexuality: Straight
- Current residence: South Africa
- Ethnicity: African
- Body build: Fit
- Eye colour: Black
- Hair colour: Black
- Marital status: Married
- Spouse: Name not known
Bio
Who is Tawana Kupe? Tawana Kupe is a professor with more than two decades of working experience within Africa and outside. He was born and bred in Zimbabwe. So, how old is Tawana Kupe? Although details about his day and month of birth are not available, Tawana Kupe's age will be 57 in 2021. He was born in 1964.
Although not much is known about Tawana Kupe's family and background, the professor insists that his parents, who were school teachers, were the first academics he ever came across. Consequently, he took after them in this regard and went on to become a university professor. This was a childhood dream he has now realised through determination and diligence.
He is the co-founder and African representative of the Australia-Africa Universities Network. The initiative encourages partnerships between African and Australian researchers to drive global changes.
Is Tawana Kupe married?
Yes, he has a wife, and the union is blessed with two kids. His wife and child relocated along with him when he accepted his first job in South Africa at Rhodes University. Mrs Kupe had to spend some period as a housewife after the relocation since she was yet to obtain a South African work permit like her husband.
Tawana Kupe's qualifications and career
Tawana's educational journey from being just another schoolboy to becoming a doctor took over 20 years. He obtained a bachelor and master's degree in English from the University of Zimbabwe and a doctoral degree in Media studies from the University of Oslo in Norway.
Professor Tawana’s first job was teaching English at the University of Zimbabwe. Two years later, he applied for a job at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa, and taught media studies there. Then, he got another job appointment and moved to the University of Witwatersrand.
His most extended period of work experience was at the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa. It was at this university that the young professor honed his leadership skills. He occupied various administrative and executive roles and rose to the position of associate professor. He held the rotating Vice-Principal post for a year and served as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Advancement, Human Resources and Transformation.
More so, between 2013 and 2014, he served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Finance and Operations. It was after then that he eventually became the Vice Principal responsible for running the university.
Appointment as VC, University of Pretoria
Towards the end of 2018, Tawana Kupe's CV helped him become the newest Vice-Chancellor of the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He became the first black person to occupy this office.
However, Kupe begged to differ because, according to him, the former vice-chancellor, Cheryl de la Rey, is described as a coloured woman in the South African cultural context. He resumed the position officially in January 2019 and continues to occupy the office to date. While explaining the reason for his consideration, the Chairperson of the UP Council, Ms Futhi Mtoba, said:
We believe that Professor Kupe comes to the position with considerable experience at executive level and is the best candidate to lead the University into the future.
Tawana Kupe's net worth
Tawana Kupe has been in the academic environment for more than 20 years and built an impressive fortune for himself. Tawana Kupe's salary put his net worth at an estimated $200,000.
Tawana Kupe's contact details
You can contact the professor through the University of Pretoria using the details below:
- Postal Address: University of Pretoria, Private Bag x 20, Hatfield 0028
- Prof Tawana Kupe's email address: Tawana.kupe@up.ac.za
Alternatively, by following Tawana Kupe's Twitter account or his other social media platforms, including his LinkedIn profile, reaching him may be easier.
Tawana Kupe is an academician who believed in the achievability of his boyhood dreams. Since he became an academic, he has made several impacts that were recognised and well appreciated. The University of Michigan awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2019 because of his exemplary works and character.
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