Prof. Gawie du Toit, newly appointed campus head of Akademia’s Paarl Campus, believes in always being ready in a vocation-driven manner. This mindset is reflected in Du Toit’s pioneering career journey of more than 35 years and will also illuminate his new chapter in the Western Cape from 2026. This comes after he served as the dean of the Faculty of Education from 2019.

Du Toit and his wife Erna – a respected education expert in her own right, will establish themselves in the Paarl in the second half of the year. Du Toit looks forward to this prospect and says that over the course of his life he has been blessed to experience several new career moments. These highlights include service as researcher, department head, curriculum developer, programme director, senior manager, dean and now also as campus head.

This is what the role of campus head will look like

According to Du Toit, in his new capacity he will help establish and care for the nature and essence of the Paarl Campus, mindful of the heart of Akademia. In this light, Du Toit explains that to promote institutional unity and responsible management, the campus principal has a dual focus.

Firstly, to ensure a relationship of commitment and functional linkage between the institution’s Pretoria and Paarl campuses, and secondly, to help develop the unique nature, culture and experience of the Paarl Campus with care and sensitivity. The latter includes the servitude impact of the institution in the Western Cape on the local communities.

“The function of the campus head will play a crucial and guiding role at campus level and thus help to ensure that the new dynamic unlocked by the establishment does not exist in isolation but rather be supported and enriched by an already established Akademia culture,” says Du Toit.

Regarding his dream for this new campus Du Toit hopes that this campus – in conjunction with the larger Akademia family, will be an unashamedly Afrikaans study home, true to the classical idea of the university system. Along with this, he envisions that the campus will be locally relevant while functioning as a world-class academic space.

The excitement of a new beginning

“There is something incredibly vital at the start of something new. And to be able to be a part of the establishment of a new campus, with all the possibilities it holds, is like being at the beginning of a career for me,” says Du Toit.

For him, this energy is contagious, and he looks forward to entering a new phase of life. “I see this new chapter not as an ending, but as a deepening and an opportunity to put the knowledge and wisdom of years at the service of young people, colleagues and a brand-new academic community. It is a joy not only to build, but also to be part of something much bigger as a mentor,” says Du Toit.

The Akademia heartbeat

Regarding his career at Akademia as dean, there are three major highlights for him.

He explains that in the higher education context, academic programmes form the foundation on which any institution functions. With this in mind, it was first and foremost a great privilege for him to be able to make a contribution to future-oriented programme development, both within and outside the faculty context. These processes did not only involve the design of curricular content, but also the visionary planning of learning experiences that are relevant to the contemporary higher education landscape.

Secondly, it was particularly close to his heart to establish programmes that not only aim to transfer knowledge, but that address the student’s holistic development as a person. The latter focuses on mental deepening, character formation and calling awareness.

A third highlight was Du Toit’s role as mentor, especially with regard to academics that find themselves in higher education for the first time. In this regard, the focus was placed on the development of their academic identity and practice.

Wishes for a future of hope and commitment

What message does he have for prospective Fonties* who are also on the eve of a new phase in life?

“Akademia is an institution that not only pursues academic excellence but also takes education seriously. We don’t just build campuses. Together we build hope and connection to communities, to character, and to the future,” Du Toit concludes.

*Fonties refers to students that study at Akademia. The proper noun is derived from the institution’s motto, Ad futurum per fontes – from the sources to the future.