
RESPONSIBLE
EMPOWERING
MINDFUL
ALIGNED
REVOLUTIONARY
KIND
AGILE
BOLD
LEADING
ENGAGING
GUIDELINES OF PRACTICE
Our guidelines of practice are to:
- Develop a practice of disruptive innovation
- Apply situated learning, problem probing and decision making as critical constructs
- Embed transdisciplinarity
- Be socially accountable
- Actively promote diversity and heterogeneity
- Promote and manage quality in innovative and meaningful ways
- Appreciate where we are before exploring where we want to go
- Acknowledge the world as a set of interdependent systems (systemic thinking)
- Be relevant and remarkable
OUR CORE PRINCIPLES
The Da Vinci Institute was founded at the behest of the honourable Nelson Mandela, connected to Madiba’s dream of widening access to education and his vision that “Education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to change the world.”
To this end, The Institute was conceptualised in 2004 with the vision of offering education solutions focusing on the management of technology and innovation. The vision was to educate future leaders who would emulate the teachings of Nelson Mandela and Leonardo Da Vinci.
The Institute’s guiding principles are a co-creation of some of the broad principles often associated with the visionary leadership of Leonardo Da Vinci and Nelson Mandela, reconceptualised to represent the lived principles of The Institute.
Underpinning our guiding principles is the concept of remarkability, which is impressed upon, and recognised in all of our staff, students, alumni, partners and associates.

DREAM
Influence the co-creation of sustainable societies

PURPOSE
Growing agile, aligned and engaged leaders

PROMISE
Co-creating realities

STRATEGIC INTENT
To strengthen the growth of agile, aligned and engaged leaders, who co-create innovative ecosystems and sustainable transformational societies

CORE PRINCIPLES
- Being curious
- Seeking truth
- Leveraging interconnectedness
- Awakening the senses
- Taking responsibility for crafting just and dynamic societies
- Embracing holism and living harmoniously
- Appreciating the shadow
- Mastering balance with integrity