I wish to thank you for the great honour that you have bestowed upon me today. This is particularly so because of the special place that Unisa holds in the educational system of South Africa.
Unisa is by far and away the largest educational institution in South Africa, catering to more than 125 000 students - or more than a third of the total number of university students in the country.
And they are very special students. Most of them do not have the time or the money to study full-time at one of our other universities. Many of them are older than their counterparts at other universities and a high proportion are already working. They must accordingly have a high degree of self-motivation and self-discipline. They are driven by their dream of building a better life for themselves, their families and their communities.
In helping these students achieve their dreams Unisa plays a crucial role. They come from all walks of life and from all our communities - predominantly from our non-white communities. Unisa is helping to make the goal of equal opportunity for all South Africans a reality and in so-doing is helping to build a fairer and more democratic South Africa.
At the same time it making a major contribution in training the teachers, managers, professional people and businessmen that South Africa needs to become a winning nation in a highly competitive world.
The foundations of winning societies are not to be found in bricks and mortar, in steel and concrete. They may be found, rather, in intangible elements - in our attitudes, in our abilities and our aspirations. It is also these foundations that Unisa is helping to build. We will not become a successful society if we do not have the right attitudes. The rules for success are the same around the world.
There is no substitute for common sense. In South Africa our biggest challenge lies in the accommodation of our cultural diversity. Only if each and every part of our diverse society feels secure about its traditions, language and culture will we be able to build a nation at peace within itself.
There is no substitute for co-operation. Institutions, industries and societies that are divided and in conflict with one another are doomed to failure. If we expend all our energies in pursuing our short-term sectional interests we will not be able to achieve long-term collective goals. It is for this reason that it is so important for us to develop a co-operative approach in our relationships. This is equally true for the relationships between students and university management's; between workers and employers; and the broader social and political relationships within our society. In our complex society we have to work together.
The principles of co-operation must permeate every aspect of our politics, our economy and our communal and personal relations.
It is also particularly important that in a plural society such as ours there should be minimal interference in the affairs of communities and institutions. This is particularly true with regard to the autonomy and academic freedom of universities.
Our universities should be able to pursue their important role in society without undue interference from any quarter. It is also important that they should receive adequate resources to enable them to carry out their responsibilities. In a country with a limited budget and enormous demands it will always be difficult to cut the cake to everyone's satisfaction. However, in the process, it is essential that the high standards that our universities have always maintained should not be placed in jeopardy.
There is no substitute for excellence. Studies have shown that the companies and institutions around the world that have achieved success have one important point in common. They have all dedicated themselves to striving for excellence.
South Africa's reintegration into the international community will require from us a new commitment to excellence - and not only with regard to our sports teams!
Our future success will be determine by our ability to achieve high levels of sustained economic growth. Like other successful countries, we will achieve this only if we can increase our exports - and particularly our exports of manufactured products. This means that we will have to compete against the best products of countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Chile and Taiwan in markets throughout the world. We will achieve this only if we have a national commitment to excellence.
In terms our GATT commitments, our industries will within a few short years, no longer be able to shelter behind protective tariffs. Our products will have to compete with the best in the world not only in international markets, but in our domestic markets as well.
Universities have a major role to play in ensuring that we develop a national culture of excellence. But this means, in turn, that they must doggedly resist pressures to dilute their own standards. We dare not allow the value of our degrees and diplomas to be degraded by such pressures. We must, on the contrary, raise our standards to ensure that our universities continue to enjoy international respect and admiration.
A great responsibility accordingly rests on the shoulders of those who determine the future course of our universities.
You are the custodians of excellence in our society. You can do much to ensure the maintenance of national standards.
You can continue to play a key role by helping new generations of South Africans to acquire the abilities that will be necessary to build a winning country.
You can do much to instil the right attitudes in the next generation of South African leaders - attitudes based on tried and tested values and on the requirements of a co--operative society.
Finally, you can do much to meet the aspirations of our people - by offering the opportunity for tertiary education to tens of thousands of South Africans who would otherwise have been frustrated and stunted in their personal growth. Through the skills that you impart to them you will help our society to achieve its aspiration of creating a better life for millions of our people.