PROF. MOTLATSI MOLATI
Acting Vice-Chancellor
Professor Motlatsi Molati is the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Lesotho. He assumed duty on 1st August, 2026.
His substantive post is the Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology – a role he assumed in January 2025.
He obtained Bachelor of Science (Mathematics & Physics) from the National University of Lesotho (NUL) in 1998 and pursued further studies in Applied Mathematics at the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS); he obtained Bachelor of Science Honours (2001), Master of Science (2003) and PhD (2010).
He joined NUL in August 2003 as an Assistant Lecturer and is currently a Full Professor (of Applied Mathematics). He has taught courses in all years of undergraduate level as well as at Honours and masters levels. He supervises postgraduate students and he is also an external examiner. He served four two-year term as Head of Department (HoD) of Mathematics & Computer Science (MACS). He also served as Senate representative in the 14th Council of the NUL.
During his tenure as HoD, he took the lead in resuscitating BSc Hon (Mathematics) and kick-starting MSc (Mathematics) programmes. The inaugural masters graduate (in the 2020 graduation) was under his supervision. He was part of the team that was tasked by the Senate to address clashes in the teaching time-table and this resulted in MACS developing the time-table generating tool which is currently being used. Around the same time MACS developed the Learning Management System (aka THUTO).
He has been to many regional and international Mathematics conferences, in particular, the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) which he has been attending since 2006. He has held short-term research fellowships at NWU, WITS (in South Africa) and Kyushu University (in Japan). He received the TWAS Young Scientist National Award in 2011 and his PhD thesis was awarded the Rand Merchant Bank Gold Medal in 2010.
VICE-CHANCELLOR’S WELCOME MESSAGE
I welcome all visitors to this website, and may I share with you a few remarks about the National University of Lesotho. Our university is old and yet new; we are small yet big; we are national, yet international; and we are conservative yet dynamic. Let me explain.
Having been established since 1945, we are one of the oldest universities in Africa, with a credible record of huge alumni who have made enviable waves both in the South African sub-region, and the world over in all fields of human endeavor. Yet, we are new because our programmes have been fitted for the attraction of contemporary youths and the need to get them ready for entrepreneurship and great exploits in national and global labour markets.
We are small because our population is cohesive enough to exist as a small family where the interests and welfare of all staff, students, visitors and other stakeholders are sufficiently catered for. We, as a full comprehensive and conventional institution, are big on account of the diverse provisions that we make to enable each stakeholder in the university enterprise to become whatever he or she wants to become in life.
We are a nationally funded institution, a national symbol, a legacy to the African Region. We have become international as expected of universally inclined institutions on account of the functional global relationships we have cultivated over time, our international staff and students, international ratings and the global effect our alumni have made in all areas of human undertakings.
We are conservative because we operate in a policy-driven environment where your rights are guaranteed and your views count typical of the milieu of freedom that characterised the first generation universities as institutions often appropriately referred to as ivory towers. However, we are dynamic as we take the future into focus in the variety and quality of services we render for the benefits of diverse members of society.
If you are visiting this site as a prospective student or staff, you are making the right choice.
If you are already a staff member or registered student, you are in the right place.
If you are a potential collaborator or partner or alumni of the NUL visiting this site, you are here at the right time, because we are reaching out to you very soon, if we have not already done so.
Enjoy the rest of your visit to the NUL website, explore and be positively influenced, as you become a worthy member of our ever-growing family. You are welcome at this platform where you will discover the uniqueness of the national university in the scenic mountain kingdom of Lesotho.
NUL was home for His Majesty, King Letsie III, as well as Queen Masenate of the Kingdom of Lesotho as students; home for the legendary Desmond Tutu as faculty member; home for the late Tito Mboweni, a prominent politician in South Africa, home to the current Vice-Chancellor of Africa’s largest university, the University of South Africa, among other dedicated global academic and professional giants in industry, the diplomatic corps and government. This, certainly, is the place to be.
Rea leboha.
Professor Motlatsi Molati
Vice-Chancellor
Overview of the Office of the Acting Vice-Chancellor
Overview of the Office of the Vice-Chancellor
The Vice-Chancellor is the Chief Academic and Administrative Officer of the University and initiates and implements the institutional strategies on all key issues affecting the University. The Vice-Chancellor is thus the chief strategist for the University, coordinating academic, administrative, corporative, financial, human resources and physical plans in the development of the institution.
The Vice-Chancellor provides leadership to Management Team responsible for the academic, financial, administrative, public relations functions of the University and ensures that each performs to the expected level of excellence and promotion of good order throughout the institution.
The Vice-Chancellor assisted by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor heads a Management Team made up of the Registrar; Bursar; the University Librarian; Deans of Faculties and; Directors of Institute of Extra Mural Studies; Students Affairs; Human Resources; Legal Services; Communications and Marketing; Campus Services; Development Planning; Information, Communication and Technology; Centre of Teaching and Learning; Moshoeshoe I Institute of Peace and Leadership; NUL Water Institute as well as; Safety and Security.
The University also has an audit function which is headed by the Chief Internal Auditor. The Chief Internal Auditor reports to the Audit Committee for its work and to the Vice-Chancellor on administrative issues.
The Vice-Chancellor is an ex-officio member of the University Council and Chairman of Senate.
Staff
Ms. Palesa Buti – Senior Assistant Registrar (Vice-Chancellor)
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology [NUL]; Bachelor of Social Science (Hons) – Public Policy [University of KwaZulu-Natal] UKZN; Master of Social Science- Public Policy [UKZN]
Tel: +266 22340601 Direct: +266 22340269 Ext 7055
Contacts
Prof. Motlatsi Molati
Vice-Chancellor
National University of Lesotho
P.O. Roma, 180.
Lesotho.
Tel: +266 22340601/ 52213000 Ext: 7204
Direct:+266 22340269
Fax:+266 22340702
E-mail: vc@nul.ls
E-mail: vc@nul.ls
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