Department of Fashion & Textiles Durban

Situated at the dynamic City Campus in Durban, the Department of Fashion & Textiles stands at the cutting edge of African fashion innovation, cultural storytelling, and creative enterprise development. The Department plays a critical role in shaping South Africa’s and Africa’s creative economy, developing graduates who lead with authentic identity, technical expertise, and entrepreneurial vision.

DUT is a globally recognised university committed to excellence in teaching, learning, research, innovation, and impactful engagement. Guided by our ENVISION2030 strategy and grounded in The DUT-Way values, the Department champions:

• Design futures and creative disruption embracing global shifts in the fashion sector
• Sustainable, ethical and circular fashion practices that respond to African realities
• Textile technology, material innovation and digital fabrication
• Industry connectivity and entrepreneurial incubation to support graduate employability
• Community-engaged creative practice that strengthens cultural expression and social impact

Through creative scholarship and strong relationships with industry partners, the Department produces future-driven designers equipped to transform fashion systems and contribute meaningfully to local and global design ecosystems.

Applications are invited from suitably qualified and experienced candidates for the following permanent academic appointment linked to a fixed-term leadership position:

 Minimum Requirements: Professor

• A Doctoral Degree in Fashion & Textiles or related field
• At least 10 years of academic experience, including leadership exposure
• Demonstrated international recognition through sustained creative/academic research output over the past 10 years
• Proven record of successful postgraduate supervision at Master’s and Doctoral levels
• Evidence of significant community or industry-engaged scholarship
• Demonstrated excellence in:
  • curriculum innovation
  • contemporary pedagogies
  • postgraduate development
  • creative scholarship

 Minimum Requirements: Associate Professor

• A Doctoral Degree in Fashion & Textiles or related field
• At least 7 years of academic experience, including academic leadership exposure
• Demonstrated national and/or international recognition through creative and/or academic research over the past 7 years
• Proven record of postgraduate supervision
• Evidence of industry-relevant engagement and community partnership development

 Strategic Discipline Priorities

 Candidates must demonstrate leadership in one or more of the following areas:

•  Sustainability & circular fashion
• Textile technology & material innovation
• African fashion identity & cultural design futures
• Creative entrepreneurship & fashion enterprise development

 
 HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: FASHION & TEXTILES

 (5-year renewable contract, in addition to the permanent academic appointment)

 Minimum Requirements

•  A PhD in a relevant discipline aligned to the Department’s programme offerings
• Meets the requirements for appointment at Associate Professor or Professor level
• At least 5 years of academic leadership experience
• Evidence of staff development, team building, and performance management capability

 Key Leadership Responsibilities

•  Driving scholarly productivity, postgraduate growth and creative research output
• Strengthening industry partnerships and entrepreneurial platforms
• Advancing student experience and holistic student support
• Managing: workloads, budgets, recruitment, academic planning & quality assurance
• Representing the Department internally and externally
• Advancing DUT values, transformation, and inclusive leadership

 Remuneration

• Professor / Associate Professor: Market-related salary with benefits
• Head of Department: R10 000 per month non-pensionable allowance (inclusive of cellphone allowance)

 
Application Requirements

 Applicants must submit:

• DUT Application for Employment Form (via DUT website → @Careers)
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae
• Cover Letter demonstrating alignment to role requirements
• Certified copies of qualifications and academic transcripts
  • Contact details of three recent referees
  • Email applications to: [email protected]
  • Quote Reference: Fashion & Textiles: Prof/AP & HOD No manual submissions will be accepted.
• Incomplete applications will be disregarded.

Employment Equity Statement

In line with DUT’s Employment Equity Plan, preference will be given to women candidates in alignment

with transformation priorities.

DUT reserves the right not to appoint, or to re-advertise to widen the pool of applicants. Verification will be conducted on the preferred candidate.