Hlengiwe Mbalenhle Ngubane
Nominee's Province:
Kwazulu-natal
Project Name/Description:
Master’s in architecture, University of KwaZulu-Natal
A woman with a passion for empowering women in academia, particularly young ones who are keen to take their careers to the next step.
Ngubane is revered as an accomplished architectural scholar and a dynamic leader whose prowess is currently seen with the university’s Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme, in the role of deputy president.
In her academic roles, Ngubane serves as a 4th-year Research Methodology tutor, where she guides students through the complexities of research, and as a first-year Design and Construction tutor at Durban University of Technology, where she nurtures the foundational skills of future architects.
Ngubane’s research and academic contributions have been recognised internationally, seeing her present her work on the coexistence between Nguni spiritual healing and biomedical practices at the 2023 Annual Humanities and Social Sciences Postgraduate Conference. Her participation in the UIA World Congress of Architects in Denmark was a career highlight, where she was honoured as the Best Collaborator for her work on sustainable homes of the future.
Her dedication to her field and her academic excellence has been acknowledged through prestigious awards, including the Brian Bernstein Scholarship and the Best Female Student in Architecture award from SAIA KZNIA – Women in Architecture.
Further, Ngubane runs the Hlengiwe M. Ngubane U-right mkhaya Foundation, assisting first-year students from underprivileged backgrounds (quintile 1 to 3) transition to tertiary education. The foundation focuses on improving articulation, communication, and social skills, providing a supportive environment for these students to thrive.
Later this year, Ngubane will publish and present her paper at the 47th Australasian Universities Building Education Association conference in Australia.
