Stumpf was born on 6 November 1945 in
Vryheid,
KwaZulu-Natal. Stumpf's career spanned various positions in academia, the research environment, and in the higher education policy environment, including serving as Deputy Director General of the Department of National Education and President of the
Human Sciences Research Council. Prior to his appointment as Vice Chancellor and Rector of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University he was Vice-Rector (Teaching) at the
University of Stellenbosch until 2002. Stumpf served as a member of the Council on Higher Education, Chair of the Higher Education Quality Committee, and as a trustee of the Centre for Higher Education Transformation. == Education ==