Dr Skhumbuzo Clement Mtetwa, please give us a brief overview of your career to date and whether the studies will be able to assist in terms of the development of your career or bring solutions to what you are seeking to achieve?
After my primary and secondary education. I pursued a diploma in Information Technology at the Bahá’í University of Technology. My academic journey continued as I obtained an MBA from MANCOSA and participated in several executive programs at the University of Pretoria and GIBS.
These educational experiences have significantly shaped my professional path, particularly in my collaborations with scientists and technology professionals. I am deeply passionate about empowering young people, especially those from rural backgrounds to access quality education. Education is the key to transforming lives.
As I embark on my PhD journey, I am committed to leveraging my knowledge and experiences to give back to my community. My goal is to inspire and support the next generation, ensuring that young individuals can pursue their studies and improve their circumstances.
What is the most significant challenge you have faced during your doctoral journey at The DaVinci Institute and how did you overcome it?
One of the most significant challenges I faced was achieving a work-life balance. This task can be particularly demanding, especially for someone who is a family person and a husband. Balancing work responsibilities, parenting, and academic pursuits can be exceedingly difficult. Initially, I struggled to adjust and find balance in my life.
However, a conversation with a friend proved enlightening. He advised me that even dedicating just one page a day to my studies would be sufficient. Inspired by this advice, I began waking up each day at 2:00 am and dedicating the two hours from 2:00 am to 4:00 am to my academic work. By committing to this routine, I realised that focusing on just one page a day could enable me to complete my PhD within three to four years. This approach not only made my goals more manageable but also instilled a sense of accomplishment in my daily life.
How did your journey impact the way you think as you were starting your PhD?
Well, it has changed a lot from just engaging with your peers. A simple thing is responding to a question in a meeting. People can tell that this guy has an incredibly good knowledge, your opinion matters, especially when you speak with empirical evidence, people can listen to you. You are also able to pay more attention to detail. You can be able to substantiate your answers with evidence. It changes the way you do things, the way you talk, and the way you address people.
It changes a lot, and the respect that you get from your peers as well, because when you are doing a PhD, it is no child’s play. Yes, of course. I mean, doing a PhD in management of technology and innovation,
One of the key frameworks there is TIPS™, because it is the management of technology. You are not only producing innovative ways, but you also need to understand how technology can be managed. My study was about the implementation of the different technologies in the higher education sector. Looking at the current challenges that the higher education sector is facing in terms of intake, and just to adopt these technologies, we have quite a bit of them. The TIPS™ framework must be implemented as part of the studies so that the management of technology is well taken care of, so that the students and the lecturers, going forward, including the institutions, can be able to implement these technologies.
What advice would you give to someone or incoming doctoral students who are embarking on this journey, based on the experience that you have gained from your studies?
I know studying for a PhD sounds like a big thing, or that now you must stop your life, focus on studying. No, you can still do everything else that you do while you are studying for a PhD. You just need to dedicate an hour per day to your studies. That is enough. You will be able to finish. So, you can still balance your life. You do not have to stop everything. Balance your life but just dedicate some time. Every day, just dedicate one hour to take the minutes, to read, to get in the journal, all that again. You will be able to accomplish your studies.
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