Prof George de Lange, Director of CAEC, says the following about his vision for engagement at Nelson Mandela University:
"As the third core academic function of our institution (along with teaching and learning and research) engagement should not be viewed as an add–on or bolt-on activity.
It should be integrated and should speak to the soul of who we are as a socially aware academic institution. It should contribute to the academic endeavour, enhance and contextualise teaching and learning and contribute to research relevance and opportunities. It should invigorate the knowledge project and responsiveness of the university.
The integration of engagement into the other two core functions of Nelson Mandela University (as an engaged and comprehensive university) determines what we teach and how it is taught as well as what we research and how it is researched".