VC’s Excellence Awards and other updates

Dear colleagues

The University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Awards recognise teams or individuals who have gone over and above the line of duty to make a difference in the lives of others through transformative change. Read more on this and other updates below.

1. VC’s Excellence Award nominations

Staff are encouraged to apply or nominate colleagues for one of the VC’s Excellence Awards categories before the closing date of Friday, 30 September. The upcoming UCT Annual Awards will recognise staff who contribute towards the health and well-being of colleagues and ensure the sustainability of the university. The VC’s Excellence Awards will be made in three categories: global citizenship, service excellence and transformation.

• Read the VC Desk: Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Awards 2022.
• Read more on the guidelines and criteria for the awards.
• Download the nomination form.

2. Colloquium on The New Language Policy Framework

Since the promulgation of the New Language Policy Framework for Higher Education Institutions (NLPFPHEIs) in South Africa in 2020, universities have been grappling with several questions while being asked to self-introspect. The Multilingualism Education Project at UCT, in collaboration with the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the University of the Free State, presents a unique opportunity for all stakeholders involved to share ideas on their current spaces and what needs to be done in respective contexts to improve the status of indigenous languages.

The colloquium got underway on 28 September and will continue on 29 September 2022.

• Learn more about the Colloquium on The New Language Policy Framework for Higher Education Institutions in South Africa.
• Watch the second day of the colloquium (from 09:00 on 29 September).

3. WiFi maintenance on Saturday, 1 October

On Saturday, 1 October, the Information and Communication Technology Services (ICTS) will upgrade wireless infrastructure from 08:00 until 17:00. The upgrades will improve WiFi stability on campus but will result in loss of connectivity at certain times while the team upgrades almost 6 000 wireless access points across campus.

If you are in any UCT building or in residence on the day, your wireless access point will go offline for a period of 10 to 30 minutes at some point during the day, thus Eduroam connectivity will be affected for this period. Once the upgrade is complete, the connection will automatically be restored. If not, please switch the device’s WiFi off, then on again.

• Learn more about the WiFi maintenance.

4. Third party system update to impact access at month-end

ICTS will implement an update to the UCT third party system, resulting in this system being unavailable on the weekend of 30 September–2 October.

• Learn more about the third party system update.

5. P&S workplace services portal maintenance

The P&S Workplace Services Portal will be suspended on Thursday, 29 September 2022 between 17:00 and 20:00 for essential maintenance services. Staff will not have access to the P&S Workplace Services Portal over that period.

The P&S department thanks staff for their patience while this important maintenance update is being undertaken.

For any queries, please email the P&S technical support team.

6. Reminder: Inaugural Lecture by Professor Linda Ronnie

Professor Linda Ronnie will present the third Vice-Chancellor’s Inaugural Lecture for 2022. Her lecture is titled “Women in Academia: Thriving or Surviving?” and will take place in-person on Wednesday, 28 September 2022 at 18:00 (doors open at 17:30) at Lecture Theatre 5, UCT Graduate School of Business, 8 Portswood Road, V&A Waterfront.

• Read the VC Desk: Vice-Chancellor’s Inaugural Lecture: Professor Linda Ronnie.
• Watch the lecture online.

Communication and Marketing Department

Read previous communications:

• From the UCT Executive
• Campus Announcements