POSTGRADUATE
ORIENTATION AND WELCOME 2026
28 – 30 JANUARY 2026
UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, MAIN CAMPUS
Wednesday, 28 January 2026
Welcome Day
Old Mutual Sports Hall
Braamfontein East Campus
All PG Students registered PG degree for the first time April 2025-Feb 2026
08:00 -09:30 Arrival and Registration Attendees
10:00 -10:15 Opening Remarks
10:15 -10:30 Student Representative Address by the Postgraduate Association (PGA) Council
10:30 – 10:50 Welcome Address
Mr Jerome September Program Director Dean of Student Affairs
Mr Mahloromela Seabi Postgraduate Association
Prof. Lynn Morris Deputy Vice- Chancellor: Research and Innovation
10:50 – 11:00 Closure Procession leaves stage
Academic Information Session 1
Old Mutual Sports Hall
Braamfontein East Campus
All PG Students registered PG degree for the first time April 2025-Feb 2026
11:00 – 11:10 Context and Tone Setting
11:10 – 11:30 Student life Component
11:30 – 11:45
Student Breakaways to respective venues
Prof. Jennifer Fitchett Program Director Head of PGRDO
Mr Tshegofatso Mogaladi Deputy Dean of Student Affairs
Academic Information Session 2 Great Hall
Master’s by Research and PhD Students Only (Registered PG degree for the first time April 2025-Feb 2026)
11:45 – 12:00
Postgraduate Research and Development Office Prof. Jennifer Fitchett Program Director Head of PGRDO
12:00 – 12:15 Graduate Online, Learning and Development (GOLD)
12:15 – 13:15
Panel Discussion: WitsApp: Online Innovations in the Wits Postgraduate Community
Tasneem Hassem Simoné Dahms Verster Lesego Molefe
Chair: Prof Jennifer Fitchett
13:15 – 14:15 Lunch Break
14:15 – 14:45 The Library and You: PG Research Support Frameworks
14:45 – 15:15 Scholarships and Research Funding Literacy
15:15 – 15:30 Closing Address
Cocktails on Concourse SMH Concourse
Lazarus Matizirofa Aaron Tshikotshi
Dr Yolanda Davids Deputy Director: Research
Prof Garth Stevens DVC: People Development and Culture
Strictly by invitation to 250x PG Students (Registered their degree for the first time April 2025-Feb 2026)
16:00 – 19:30
Networking opportunity with refreshments
• Live Band
• Exhibition-style Setup
• Cocktail Reception
Solomon Mahlangu House Concourse
Thursday, 29 January 2025
WITS-CARTA Workshop: PhD Students Only (Registered degree for the first time April 2025-Feb 2026)
08:00 – 17:00
• Finding your way in the knowledge terrain: questions and methods.
• Interdisciplinary workshop: refining essential research skills
• Complex thinking and generating knowledge for the 21st century.
Resource Centre, School of Public Health, Parktown Education Campus
Friday, 30 January 2025
Postgraduate Association (PGA) Social Programme (Registered PG degree for the first time April 2025-Feb 2026)
14:00 – 18:00
PGA Social Program - Sip and Engrave Registration for event – Strictly between 1pm – 2pm.
Faculty of Science
PG Welcome Programme Friday, 30 January 2026
Gate House GH001, Braamfontein East Campus
09:00 – 09:30 Dean’s welcome address Prof Nithaya Chetty
09:30 –09:45 The PG experience at Wits Prof Moira Bode
09:45 –10:15 Generative AI guidelines for PGs Prof Ritesh Ajoodha
10:15 –10:45 Tea Break
10:45 – 11:15 Avenues of Support for FoS PG students Dr Akulina Chihobo
11:15 – 11:30 Postgraduate Association (PGA) Miss Afika Matandela
11:30 – 12:00 Q and A Session PG Students
12:00 –13:00 LUNCH For catering purposes, please RSVP to Nerrene.Bentley@ wits.ac.za by 25 January 2026
Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment PG Orientation Programme Friday, 30 January 2026
Wits ARM Building, WAB3 Program Director: Desmond Klenam, PhD
09:00 – 09:20 Welcome
09:20 – 09:40
09:40 – 09:50 Introduction to Faculty Staff
09:50 – 10:10
Prof. Cuthbert Musingwini Acting Dean
Roadmap through Postgraduate Studies Prof Nthabiseng Maledi Assistant Dean: Postgraduate Studies
Research and Innovation in the Faculty Prof Geoffrey Simate Assistant Dean: Research and Innovation
Introduction of the Graduate Records Management Mr Bongani Gumede FEBE Registrar
10:10 – 10:20 Break
10:20 – 10:30 Introduction to Engineering Library Salome Potgieter Librarian
10:30 – 10:40
Introduction to Architecture and Built Environment libraries Katlego Chiya Librarian
10:40 – 10:55 The role of the ADU in the Postgraduate journey Prof. Rodney Genga Director ADU
10:55 – 11:25 Soft skills and competencies to be a successful PG student in EBE ADU Team
11:25 – 11:55
11:55 – 12:10
Postgraduate Studies: Learn to question so that you can question to learn To be confirmed!
Message from EBE PG Association
12:00 – 13:00 Lunch
13:00 – 15:00 School Specific Orientations
Faculty of Humanities
PG Orientation Programme
Friday, 30 January 2026
Humanities Graduate Seminar Room
Ground Floor, Southwest Engineering Building Braamfontein East Campus
Program Director & Assistant Dean: Prof Samuel Ravengai
09:00 - 09:15 Opening Remarks Prof Samuel Ravengai
09:15 - 09:35 Address by Faculty of Humanities Dean Prof Mucha Musemwa
09:35 - 10:45 Information Session: Faculty Registrar Hale Modau
10:45 - 11:00 Humanities Post Graduate Association presentation PGA
11:00 - 11:45 Library Tour Prof Samuel Ravengai
CLM Postgraduate Orientation Programme for Full Research Students Friday, 30 January 2026
Chalsty Auditorium, Wits West Campus Master of Ceremonies: Prof. Danie de Klerk
08:30 to 09:00 Arrival and registration
09:00 to 09:05 Opening remarks Prof. Danie de Klerk
09:05 to 09:20 Welcome address by the Dean Prof. Jason Cohen
09:20 to 09:35 Introduction to postgraduate studies in CLM Prof. Olorunjuwon (Michael) Samuel
09:35 to 09:50 Support and initiatives offered by the Postgraduate Association Ms Kefilwe Phala
09:50 to 10:05 Administrative matters and the CLM Postgraduate Handbook Mr Owen Naicker and Ms Nasreen Abdullah
10:05 to 10:20 Introduction to CLM Libraries Ms Patience Mapitsa
10:20 to 10:30 Brief comfort break
10:30 to 10:45
10:45 to 11:00
11:00 to 11:20
CLM T&L Unit: Research writing development and support
Dr Pia Lamberti Ms Marike Kluyts
CLM T&L Unit: Research methodologies development and support Dr Anushka Ajith Dr Tish Taylor
PhD graduates reflect on their postgraduate experiences in CLM
11:20 to 11:45 Question and answer session
11:45 to 11:55
Brief introduction to representatives from CLM schools
11:55 to 12:00 Closing
Dr Relebohiseng Matubatuba Dr Tulani Mafulela
Facilitator: Prof. Danie de Klerk
Prof. Danie de Klerk
Prof. Danie de Klerk
Light Refreshments and Networking in the Chalsty Centre Foyer
Faculty of Health Sciences
Postgraduate Orientation Programme Friday, 30 January 2026
Wits Marie Curie Lecture Theatre, Medical School Parktown Campus
09:00-09:20
09:20-09:40
09:40-10:00
Welcome and Introduction to the Faculty Professor Gill Nelson Professor Aletta Millen
Introduction to the Postgraduate Office Staff and Handbook
Introduction to the Postgraduate and Academic Support, Courses, Writing and Biostatistics Support
10:00-10:20 Break
10:20-10:40 Wits Health Sciences Library (WHSL)
10:40-11:00 Office of Student Success (OSS)
Ms Henda van der Walt Ms Palesa Khumalo
Ms Modie Maumela
Professor Elena Libhaber Dr Depika Dwarka Mr Qiniso Mkhize
Ms Boitumelo Masilo Mr Devind Peter
Ms Eileen Maleka Dr Constance Khupe Ms Ziphozakhe Kili
11:00-11:20 Postgraduate Association (PGA) Ms Almaas Dolley
11:20-12:00 Q & A Session PG Students