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Key UN leader on women and gender issues receives her Doctorate at Warwick

hon gradThe University of Warwick was proud to award Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women, an Engineering Doctorate at its degree ceremony on Wednesday 22nd January. This was not an honorary degree but one for which she studied as a student at WMG at the University.

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka was Deputy President of South Africa from 2005 to 2008 and was the first woman to hold this position, and at that point the highest ranking woman in South African’s history. In 2010 she was offered her current role at the United Nations by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

She studied for her EngD with WMG at the University. WMG’s education programmes are world renowned and the Engineering Doctorate combines doctoral-level education with real business relevance. The focus of her doctorate project saw her researching mobile learning facilitated ICT teacher development in resource-poor nations. She gained her Batchelor’s degree, in social science and education, from the National University of Lesotho in 1980 and her Master's degree, in philosophy, from the University of Cape Town in 2003.

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka comments “I very much enjoyed my time at Warwick, it was both demanding and rewarding. I have learnt such a lot from my fellow research students, experts and practitioners in the field of technology-enhanced learning. Without the help and enthusiasm of the participants in my study or the support and guidance of my supervisor, Professor Neailey and staff at WMG, I wouldn’t have been able to complete my project. I also want to thank Professor Lord Bhattacharyya for his support through the four years of my doctorate, it has been invaluable.”

WMG Director Professor Lord Bhattacharyya said: ”I am delighted that Phumzile chose WMG to study her engineering doctorate. It has been a pleasure working with her over the last four years and watching her develop her study into such a worthwhile project. I wish her success in her next role at the UN, although I know she will do a fantastic job.”

The University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nigel Thrift, adds: “Warwick graduates tackle some our world’s biggest challenges. Phumzile has been doing precisely that – and she has achieved a doctorate too. That is remarkable.”

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Lisa Barwick, WMG, University of Warwick
Tel: 024 76 524721 or 07824 540845
L dot Barwick at warwick dot ac dot uk



For further information please contact:

Lisa Barwick, WMG, University of Warwick
Tel: 024 76 524721 or 07824 540845
L.Barwick@warwick.ac.uk