A seasoned leader in education, science and technology, with over 33 years of professional experience. Dr Qhobela holds a BSc from the University of Zimbabwe and a PhD from Kansas State University in the United States. He is a citizen of South Africa with deep professional and personal roots on the African continent.
Dr Qhobela has dedicated his professional career to the development and transformation of the South African and African higher education, science, technology and innovation system. His knowledge of the African and international education and higher education and research system is deep and extensive.
Dr Qhobela has held academic positions at Rhodes University and the University of Cape Town; executive leadership roles at the University of South Africa; and senior management positions in the South African Departments of Education and Science and Technology. He is currently a Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of the Free State, in Bloemfontein, the judicial capital of South Africa.
Dr Qhobela is the former Chief Executive Officer of the South African National Research Foundation (NRF), the largest research funding agency in Africa. Amongst others, the NRF hosts the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) Telescope which, when completed, will be the largest and most sensitive radio telescope in the world. The NRF also hosts the South African Isotope Facility (SAIF), the largest particle accelerator facility in the southern hemisphere, at iThemba LABS.
With a doctorate in Plant Pathology, Dr Qhobela has served as the Chairperson of the Board of the South African Agricultural Research Council and a board member of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). Both these organisations have, and continue, to play an important role in the development of the national agricultural research systems on the African continent, thus contributing to one of the priorities of Agenda 2063, of eradicating hunger and achieving food security. The United Nations recognizes that “food security fosters human potential, economic stability and resilient communities”.
Dr Qhobela’s is currently the Chairperson of TENET, the South African Research and Education Network (NREN), which provides high speed Internet and Information Technology services to South African universities and research institutions. NRENs are critical in the delivery of flagship projects of Agenda 2063 such as the Pan-African Virtual and e-University.
Dr Qhobela has also served with distinction on the Boards of the South African Qualifications Authority, the Council on Higher Education and the National Advisory Council for Innovation. The latter two being advisory bodies to the Government on Higher Education and Innovation respectively.
Dr Qhobela’s international networks are extensive and deep, working closely with a range of organisations such as the International Science Council (ISC) and UNESCO for the benefit of the Continent. He is the former chairperson of the Global Research Council (GRC), which comprises of the heads of science and engineering funding agencies of the world, dedicated to promote the sharing of data and best practices for high-quality collaboration among funding agencies worldwide. Dr Qhobela has facilitated and enabled the increased participation and influence of Africa in global science and research organisations.