Following a rigorous interview and assessment process, the Council of Stellenbosch University (SU) has named Prof Liezl van Dyk as its new deputy vice-chancellor: academic, effective 1 July 2026.
Supplied image: Prof Liezl van Dyk
In this role, Van Dyk will serve as SU’s chief academic authority for learning and teaching. The portfolio includes responsibility for academic planning, curriculum oversight, strategic enrolment management, quality assurance and fostering a transformative academic environment that supports excellence, inclusivity and long-term sustainability.
Van Dyk is a full professor, an NRF-rated researcher and a professionally registered industrial engineer with more than 27 years’ experience in higher education. She holds a PhD in industrial engineering from SU. She currently serves as executive Dean of Engineering at North-West University, where she holds responsibility for academic governance, enrolment planning, financial sustainability, infrastructure development and faculty transformation.
Her experience spans the full undergraduate–postgraduate continuum, including programme design and accreditation, curriculum renewal, research supervision, academic planning and the integration of resources with institutional priorities.
"Prof Van Dyk brings a rare combination of strategic clarity and operational depth," said Prof Deresh Ramjugernath, SU rector and vice-chancellor. "Her experience in aligning academic planning, digital innovation and governance across the undergraduate and postgraduate continuum strongly positions her to guide Stellenbosch University’s learning and teaching enterprise in a rapidly evolving higher education environment."
Curriculum innovation and responsible digital transformation
Van Dyk’s portfolio includes extensive work in technology-enhanced learning, hybrid education models and AI-enabled academic innovation. Her scholarship and executive experience reflect a sustained commitment to advancing teaching excellence while ensuring that innovation is embedded responsibly and in alignment with institutional quality assurance frameworks.
Her vision places particular emphasis on curriculum renewal that is African-rooted and globally connected, as well as the institutionalisation of scholarly teaching and the structured integration of responsible AI into learning environments.
On her appointment, Van Dyk said: "I am honoured to have been presented with this opportunity at Stellenbosch University. SU is globally known for its excellence, inclusivity and innovation.
"It is my aim to enhance the university’s academic excellence and its reputation in learning and teaching via amongst others structural coherence and governance across the undergraduate-postgraduate continuum; advancing teaching excellence, education innovation and curriculum renewal but also to strengthen academic success and, equally important, student belonging."
