?After more than a decade as Vice Dean: Research and Internationalisation at Stellenbosch 肆客足球's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS), Prof Nico Gey van Pittius reflects on his term with considerable achievement.
“Making the decision in 2012 between accepting a South African Research Chair Initiative (SARChI) in mycobactomics or taking the Vice Dean position—which would effectively end my research career—was tremendously difficult," recalls Gey van Pittius, a professor of molecular biology who began his tuberculosis research in 1998 during his PhD studies.
Today he has no regrets about joining the FMHS's management team: “As a B-rated researcher at that time, having spent 15 years in research, I thoroughly understood what was required to support and grow research in the Faculty. I believed I could make a significant contribution by identifying gaps, developing others, and making an immediate difference to colleagues who shared my passion for medicine and health sciences research."
Upward trajectory
Gey van Pittius has delivered on these objectives. When he assumed the Vice Dean position, the FMHS's research enterprise was still relatively modest: producing approximately 195 journal article publication units annually (19% of the university's total), with external research funding of around R160 million and 12 to 13 PhD graduates per year.
Since then, the research output has expanded to over 530 journal article publication units annually (30% of the university's total), with external research funding of R550-R600 million per year and 58 PhD graduates annually. The number of National Research Foundation-rated researchers in the FMHS grew from 34 in 2011 to102 in 2023 – representing about 20% of all rated researchers at Stellenbosch 肆客足球.
These achievements are particularly noteworthy given how significantly Gey van Pittius' portfolio has expanded since his appointment: “While initially focused solely on research, my portfolio gradually incorporated several key strategic areas, including innovation (intellectual property management), postgraduate research degrees (Masters and PhDs, previously under Teaching and Learning) and Internationalisation (including strategic partnerships, mobility and international students and staff).
“Furthermore, I serve on, contribute to, and lead numerous research-related institutional committees and strategy/policy-making structures, including chairing the Faculty's Internationalisation Committee, the FMHS Research Committee and the FMHS Committee for Postgraduate Research."
Not without challenges
Financial constraints have posed his greatest challenge since appointment. “Even the most brilliant strategies and plans are meaningless without adequate resources and funding," says Gey van Pittius. “As someone passionate about strategy and continuous renewal, one of the most frustrating challenges has been the inability to implement excellent plans due to resource limitations.
“We operate in an external and internal environment of austerity and downsizing, marked by budget cuts (and power cuts), where we must count every cent while striving to become the leading research-intensive faculty in Africa and a global competitor on par with the world's best. This continuous financial pressure makes it challenging to secure resources for innovation and maintaining our competitive edge."
Another significant challenge, Gey van Pittius notes, relates to resources—specifically, staff members' limited capacity to engage in research and internationalisation activities: “Today's unprecedented time pressure places tremendous burden on our staff, often making research and innovative thinking the first casualties. When brilliant minds lack time to think, excellence suffers."
Numerous successes
Nevertheless, there have been numerous notable achievements. Among these, he highlights the construction of the state-of-the-art Biomedical Research Institute (BMRI), proudly referring to it as “a jewel in the crown" of the Tygerberg campus. The project required over a decade of planning and four years of construction.
The R1.2 billion institute, inaugurated in 2023, represents “the largest investment in biomedical research infrastructure on the African continent to date," says Gey van Pittius. “This massive project has been an absolute privilege to help bring to fruition."
He continues: “We've also completed other significant, though smaller, research support structures and infrastructure projects, such as the Node for Infection Imaging PET-CT facility, the Animal BSL3 Unit and the SU Biorepository.
Supportive team
“I've been fortunate to work alongside colleagues in the Dean's Management Team who recognise and support the vital importance of maintaining a strong research-intensive faculty across all aspects of medicine and health sciences, including teaching and learning, and social impact. The working environment has been exceptionally positive."
Looking ahead, Gey van Pittius sees more to accomplish. “This Faculty has the potential to become Africa's leading research-intensive medicine and health sciences faculty," he says. “Given global demographics projections, Africa is positioned to lead the future of medicine and health sciences worldwide.
“The children of this continent will become tomorrow's medical specialists, scientists, and health leaders, future vaccine developers and entrepreneurs, future policy-makers and philanthropists. Our faculty's mission is developing people. As one of Africa's premier institutions, we are responsible for nurturing this generation of changemakers."
Beyond his extensive FMHS responsibilities, Gey van Pittius chairs the Provincial Health Research Committee of the Western Cape and serves on the National Health Research Committee.
Personal interests
Somehow, he still pursues numerous personal interests. “History is my absolute passion, influencing many of my hobbies," he says. “I've been active in various historical societies over the years. My interests span from pre-history (read dinosaurs) to modern history (I enjoy watching the news as history unfolds)."
Gey van Pittius dedicates considerable time to genealogical research: “I've been a genealogist for over 20 years, having chaired the Western Cape branch of the Genealogy Society of South Africa and edited the genealogy journal Capensis for many years."
He adds: “I am also a philatelist, collecting postal history and stamps from around the world, focusing on the era 1840-1960—the golden age of stamps, in my view. Many don't realise each stamp is a work of art, telling its own historical story of a specific time and place."
For relaxation, Gey van Pittius enjoys gardening and watching historical or zombie movies. He previously pursued long-distance running, completing two Two Oceans and two Comrades ultramarathons.
These days, family time takes priority. “Since the birth of my son Nicolaas in 2016, I've devoted most of my free time to him and my wife Méshelle—time I cherish and won't trade for anything.
“There will be opportunities later to pursue further studies (I plan to do a DPhil in history) and return to my hobbies (my stamps are patiently waiting). But childhood is fleeting, and I don't want to miss a moment with my son."
