University of Pretoria (UP) Graduate Announcement

PASGR is pleased to announce the graduation of three of its collaborative Doctoral Public Policy students at the University of Pretoria:

• Stewart Ngandu
• Impi Rungano Kuhlengisa
• Marumo Omotoye

These graduates were beneficiaries of a Partnership for African Social Governance and Research (PASGR) PhD scholarship programme, which is funded by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. This initiative provides  financial, peer and academic support to early career policy researchers in Africa.

Since its establishment, the doctoral programme has benefited from the collaboration, guidance and mentorship of host institutions including the University of Ibadan, the University of Nairobi and the University of Pretoria. This support enabled successful completion of the Doctoral in Public Policy programme by the three students. Stewart Ngandu’s thesis titled “A Systems Approach Towards a Framework for Utilising Evaluative Knowledge in the National Policy System,” was supervised by Prof Tyanai Masiya. Impi Rungano’s thesis,“Towards a Policy Advocacy Framework for the Co-production of Anti-corruption Reforms in Botswana,” was also supervised by Prof Tyanai Masiya and Dr Stellah Lubinga. Marumo Omotoye’s thesis, “The Applicability of the National Framework for Municipal Indigent Policies to Different Municipal Categories in the Eastern Cape,” was supervised by Prof Natasja Holtzhausen. The graduates join a growing cohort of Doctoral in Public Policy alumni, who are making significant contributions to Evidence Informed Decision Making (EIDM) across the continent. To date, the University of Pretoria has graduated eight students from this programme.  

PASGR extends its gratitude to the leadership of the University of Pretoria, particularly the Vice Chancellor, Prof Francis Petersen, Prof Gerda van Dijk, Dr Stellah Lubinga, and all colleagues from the School of Public Management and Administration (SPMA) for their steadfast support of the students.  This achievement reinforces our partnership with the university as we continue to implement this vital programme.

We congratulate the three graduates for their remarkable academic achievement and welcome them to the African Social Science community, where they will engage with critical continental public policy issues.