VC welcomes Young Global Leaders

The University of Cape Town (UCT) and other South Africa universities are seeking ways to change teaching, research and learning methods in a bid to address an education system many young people see as perpetuating poverty, inequality and unemployment in the country, Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng told 35 Young Global Leaders (YGLs).

The VC’s address came during her welcome at the World Economic Forum (WEF) YGL Education Module at the Graduate School of Business on 19 November.

The WEF partners with leading universities annually to provide these modules for the YGL community within the Forum, and UCT’s inaugural module saw the university join the ranks of global universities like Harvard, Yale, Oxford and Stanford.

Phakeng attended an hour-long Q&A session with the delegates, during which she told them she was eager to hear their approaches to some of the kinds of issues UCT is facing.

“More than 20 years after the advent of democracy in South Africa, we are still dealing with the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment, and black people remain at the bottom.”

She said it is vital for UCT to continue working to ensure that the university provides space for ideas, for discussion, and for areas of contention and disagreement.