Ndebele to be honoured by Michigan

Honoured: VC and principal, Prof Njabulo S Ndebele, will receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Michigan in April.

The University of Michigan (U-M) in the US earlier this month announced that they will award an honorary Doctor of Laws degree to Professor Njabulo S Ndebele, UCT vice-chancellor and principal.

Ndebele will receive the award at a graduation ceremony at U-M in April.

The US university stated that the award acknowledges Ndebele's achievements as a writer, his contributions as a leader in higher education in South Africa and Africa, as well as his role as UCT vice-chancellor.

The institution also noted that the award recognises Ndebele's particular contribution to creating a diverse, multiracial institution; for expanding the institution's research mission by encouraging new partnerships within the country and internationally; for increasing the number of research doctoral students at UCT; and for positioning the challenge of HIV/AIDS centrally at UCT - in terms of both services to affected students and efforts to address the growing pandemic.

"I feel honoured," said Ndebele. "The University of Michigan has a rich history of academic excellence and leadership in tertiary education. It will be a privilege to join their list of honorary graduates."

Ndebele also holds honorary doctorates from the University of Denver (US), Wesleyan University (US), Soka University (Japan), Vrije Universiteit (the Netherlands), Chicago State University (US), University of Natal (now the University of KwaZulu-Natal), University College London (UK) and Cambridge University (UK).