Wits celebrates the launch of Dr Farai Mlambo’s new book

3 October 2025 - Wits University

‘A Survival Guide for Every Postgraduate Journey’ speaks to the emotional and intellectual challenges of postgraduate studies.

Wits Business School (WBS) proudly hosted the launch of Dr Farai Mlambo’s insightful new book, A Survival Guide for Every Postgraduate Journey. The event drew together academics, postgraduate students, and members of the broader Wits community in a heartfelt celebration of resilience, scholarship, and student success.

The evening began with warm opening remarks from Professor Maurice Radebe, Head and Director of WBS, who reflected on the school’s commitment to fostering academic excellence and supporting postgraduate journeys. Professor Logan Rangasamy, Academic Director at WBS, offered further reflections on the importance of mentorship, resilience, and innovation in postgraduate education. A dynamic panel discussion followed, expertly facilitated by Professor Mills Soko, Director for Development and Partnerships, which explored the themes of the book and their relevance to the contemporary postgraduate experience.

A Foreword Rooted in Institutional Leadership

The book carries a powerful foreword written by Professor Lynn Morris, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation at Wits University. Morris, reflecting on her journey as a postgraduate student, supervisor, and institutional leader, describes the book as “essential reading for anyone involved in postgraduate education.” She notes that, unlike conventional manuals, the book does not prescribe research steps but instead provides something rare: a deeply empathetic companion for the moments of doubt, uncertainty, and exhaustion that postgraduate students inevitably face. Prof Morris highlights how Dr Mlambo’s lived experience as a teacher and supervisor brings unique value to the guide, emphasising that success in postgraduate study requires not only intellect, but also perseverance, self-belief, and the ability to navigate often unforgiving academic systems. She applauds the book’s candid treatment of challenges such as perfectionism, impostor syndrome, and rejection, while also praising its practical tools, checklists, planning templates, and institutional reflections, which make it both accessible and actionable. Importantly, she frames the book as relevant not only to students but also to supervisors and institutions, offering a timely call to build fairer, more humane, and more supportive academic environments.

A Book for Postgraduate Journey

Dr Mlambo’s book speaks directly to the emotional and intellectual challenges of postgraduate studies. With honesty, empathy, and practical wisdom, it explores 30 “hard truths” that students often encounter, ranging from impostor syndrome and perfectionism to sustaining motivation and learning how to depersonalise feedback. Drawing from his own experience as both a student and a supervisor, Dr Mlambo provides strategies that blend encouragement with actionable guidance. The book is designed not only as a motivational resource but also as a companion for those moments of doubt that inevitably arise during postgraduate research. Its accessible language, supportive tone, and practical advice make it the kind of resource many wish they had at the beginning of their journey.

Reception Across the Wits Community

Since its launch, A Survival Guide for Every Postgraduate Journey has already begun to make a tangible impact across the Wits community. The book is being actively used in postgraduate support programmes, symposia, and workshops across faculties.

• Postgraduate Support Programme (11–12 September 2025): As facilitator of a two-day writing retreat programme for ISFAP and EMET bursary-supported master’s students, Dr Mlambo integrated themes from the book into sessions aimed at strengthening research capacity and resilience. Drawing on the book’s lessons, students explored how to navigate supervision, build momentum, and cultivate sustainable research habits. Twelve copies of the book, procured through the Wits Campus Bookshop, were distributed to participating students.
• Cross Faculty Postgraduate Symposium (10 September 2025): Dr Mlambo delivered the opening keynote to master’s and doctoral candidates from across all faculties at Wits. Grounded in the book’s themes, the session highlighted sustaining resilience, managing supervisory relationships, overcoming perfectionism, and aligning day-to-day research practices with long-term scholarly impact.
• CORES Seminar (July 2025): At the African Research Centre in Ore Systems Science (CORES), Dr Mlambo shared strategies for postgraduate success drawn from the book’s “30 Hard Truths.” The talk inspired participants to adopt a long-term, strategic approach to their research, anchored in consistency and purposeful planning.
• Ashanti Gold Legacy Scholarship Writing Retreat (July 2025): As part of the Development and Leadership Unit’s Wraparound Support Programme, Dr Mlambo facilitated two sessions on navigating supervisory relationships and sustaining academic productivity. Sixteen copies of the book were distributed to participating scholars, who engaged with its lessons on ownership of research, independence, and managing perfectionism.
• Wits Doctoral Academy (August 2025): At a special lecture and book signing, Dr Mlambo addressed approximately 60 PhD candidates, offering practical insights on resilience, uncertainty, supervision, and work–life balance. Each participant received a signed copy, and the session fostered interactive dialogue linking personal reflections with actionable strategies.

Building a Culture of Resilience

The strong reception of the book at Wits reflects its relevance to the everyday realities of postgraduate students. By providing both practical strategies and empathetic support, A Survival Guide for Every Postgraduate Journey has already become more than a book; it is a resource woven into Wits’ broader ecosystem of postgraduate education. Its use across formal programmes, retreats, and symposia demonstrates how scholarship can directly enrich the student experience.

Looking Ahead

Wits celebrates Dr Mlambo’s contribution as an important step in promoting resilience and success among postgraduate students at Wits and beyond. The book’s growing presence across the University speaks to a shared recognition: postgraduate journeys are as much about intellectual discovery as they are about personal growth, perseverance, and community support.

As one student reflected at the Doctoral Academy session, “This book gives words to the struggles many of us face quietly. It’s reassuring to know that what we experience is normal, and that there are ways forward.”

With A Survival Guide for Every Postgraduate Journey, Dr Mlambo has provided a timely, practical, and compassionate resource for a generation of scholars. Its influence across Wits is already clear, and its message of resilience and momentum is set to inspire postgraduate students for years to come.

Copies of the book are available at the IH Pentz Bookstore on campus (https://pentzbooks.co.za/products/a-survival-guide-for-every-postgraduate-journey-by-farai-mlambo?_pos=1&_sid=f8357b85e&_ss=r), making it easily accessible to students, staff, and the wider Wits community.