Leadership Lekgotla appointments and other updates

Dear colleagues and students

The university recently announced senior leadership appointments which give expression and commitment to excellence and transformation at the institution. Read more on this and other updates below:

Leadership Lekgotla appointments

Professor Elelwani Ramugondo has been appointed as Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Transformation, Student Affairs and Social Responsiveness with effect from 1 July 2022 and Professor Suki Goodman as Dean of Commerce from 1 January 2022. Meanwhile, Mr Vincent Motholo joined UCT as Executive Director: Finance on 1 October 2021.

All the appointments are consistent with the institution’s commitment to transformation, excellence and sustainability.

• Read the VC Desk: Leadership Lekgotla appointments.
• Watch: Professor Ramugondo, Professor Goodman and Mr Motholo comment on their appointments.

Celebrating staff at UCT Annual Awards

UCT will honour staff during the virtual UCT Annual Awards ceremony scheduled to take place on 6 December at 18:00. The awards are now in their fourth year and will acknowledge outstanding achievements of UCT’s extraordinary staff members.

The categories include Ad Hominem Promotions, the Alan Pifer Award, Distinguished Teacher Awards, Long Service Awards and the Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Awards in the categories of Global Citizenship, Service Excellence and Transformation.

The event will be broadcast online on the UCT News website, YouTube channel, as well as Facebook and Twitter platforms.

• Register for the event.
• Read the VC Desk: Celebrating staff at UCT Annual Awards.

Socially responsive course development grant awards 2021

In support of UCT’s Vision 2030 and socially responsive engaged teaching and learning, three awards were made to develop, design or revise courses that meet the criteria of engagement with external non-academic constituencies through a pedagogical process and approach.

All of these courses or reflexive practices are linked in very meaningful ways to the broader social responsiveness curriculum project at UCT.

The award winners are Dr Helen Scanlon (Department of Political Studies, Faculty of Humanities); Ms Leigh-Ann Richards and Mr Elvin Williams (Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Occupational Therapy Division, Faculty of Health Sciences) and Dr Vuyiswa Lupuwana (Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Science).

• Read the DVC Desk: Socially responsive course development grant awards 2021.

UCT vaccination site in its third month of operation

The UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre, which opened on 1 September 2021, remains operational. The site is open every weekday from 08:00 to 15:00 and on Saturdays, from 09:00 to 13:00, until further notice.

Staff and students are encouraged to also inform friends and family members to make use of the vaccination site. Please arrive at the site as early as possible to allow time for attending to COVID-19 protocols. The site is located at the university's Forest Hill residence complex on the Main Road, Mowbray, with access via Broad Street.

Update on COVID-19 cases

As at 1 December 2021, the university has 669 reported cases of COVID-19 among non-health sciences staff members, with 649 recoveries. The number of students who have tested positive stands at 399, with 385 recoveries. The university has lost 27 staff members and three students to the virus.

UCT Summer School 2022: Education Everywhere

The upcoming University of Cape Town (UCT) Summer School is making its courses more widely accessible in resource-poor communities by livestreaming them to the Isivivana Centre in Khayelitsha and Philippi Hub in the innovative Philippi Village at no cost.

The UCT Summer School is the largest public education programme of its kind in Africa, bringing together academics, industry experts, thought leaders and audiences from around the world.

The hybrid event, which runs from 10 to 19 January 2022, will offer all courses both in-person and online so participants can access them from the comfort of their homes anywhere in the world and at the university. The courses are open to the general public and no qualifications are required.

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

Issuing of COVID-19 personal protective equipment

Please note that 15 December 2021 is the last day that the Properties & Services PPE store will issue COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) across the UCT campuses. COVID-19 PPE will be available for emergencies. The COVID-19 hotline (021 650 0999) will remain active throughout the holidays to answer questions about COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Queries about PPE and any other COVID-19 matters can also be emailed to ohs@uct.ac.za.

Communication and Marketing Department

Read previous communications:

• From the UCT Executive
• Campus Announcements