UCT Summer School 2022 and other updates

Dear students and colleagues

The UCT Summer School invites all those who are interested to register for the 2022 courses, which are designed to immerse participants in new ideas, expert insight and creative thinking. Read more on this and other updates below:

UCT Summer School 2022: Education Everywhere

The 72-year-old UCT Summer School, the largest of its kind in Africa, offers a wide range of extramural courses – each with a special desire to unleash human potential. By integrating with the Development and Alumni Department and migrating the course content to digital platforms, the school now reaches a more diverse community of alumni and friends around the world, including via livestreaming into resource-poor communities.

While courses are available online, participants can also return to the annual university experience in 2022, with the opportunity to meet people from Cape Town’s diverse communities.

• Read the VC Desk: UCT Summer School 2022: Education Everywhere.

Announcement of the UCT COVID-19 vaccination panel

At its October meeting, the university Council approved that the executive establishes a UCT COVID-19 vaccination panel whose mandate will be to develop the operational details required to implement the campus access dispensation approved in-principle to take effect from 1 January 2022.

The panel comprises a wide range of experts from disciplines and specialities including, but not limited to, constitutional law, public health, ethics, infectious diseases and employee relations. There is representation from unions and the Students’ Representative Council. This panel is also tasked with, among others, working out the principles and guidelines for exemption from a requirement to provide proof of vaccination.

The panel has already begun its work and the executive will be required to report back to Council at its December 2021 meeting.

• Read the VC Desk: Announcement of the UCT COVID-19 vaccination panel.

UCT vaccination site operational on Saturdays

In ongoing efforts to support the government’s vaccination drive, the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre is open every weekday from 08:00 to 15:00. The site is also open on Saturdays, from 09:00 to 13:00.

Staff and students are encouraged to also inform friends and family members to make use of the vaccination site.

The site is located at the university's Forest Hill residence complex on the Main Road, Mowbray, with access via Broad Street.

Staff survey on undergraduate assessment practices at UCT

The university set the Assessment Framework Working Group (AFWG) as part of the work of the Teaching and Learning Committee of Senate before COVID-19, which will continue operating into 2023. UCT staff involved in undergraduate teaching are invited to complete a short survey about their assessment practices. The purpose of this survey is to provide a clearer picture of the range of assessment practices that can be found across UCT.

The project continues until 2023 and is focused on improving the practice of assessment at undergraduate level across all faculties, with a view to improving learning outcomes for all students.

• Access the survey for more information.
• Read the DVC Desk: Survey on undergraduate practices at UCT.

Reminder: Please complete the 2021 South African Survey of Student Engagement

UCT is calling on undergraduate students to participate in the 2021 South African Survey of Student Engagement (SASSE), which explores the extent to which they engage in educational activities and behaviours.

The survey will also provide students with an opportunity to reflect on their opportunities to engage in research with staff, to make use of academic advising, peer learning, academic literacy or numeracy courses, the First Year Experience and service learning, among other things.

• Access the South African Survey of Student Engagement 2021.
• Read the DVC Desk: Please complete the 2021 South African Survey of Student Engagement.

Communication and Marketing Department

Read previous communications:

• From the UCT Executive
• Campus Announcements