African universities gender forum and other updates

Dear colleagues and students

The University of Cape Town (UCT) will co-host the African Universities Gender Equality Forum on Thursday, 23 November 2023. Read more about this and other upcoming events updates below.

1. UCT to co-host African Universities Gender Equality Forum in November

UCT, the Shared Value Africa Initiative, and the #ITSNOTOK movement will
co-host the African Universities Gender Equality Forum on Thursday, 23 November 2023. It will be held via Zoom from 14:00 to 15:30 CAT.

The forum aims to cultivate awareness about gender-based violence (GBV), and foster dialogue to introduce cultural norms that prevent GBV and catalyse programmatic change in the higher education sector.

It is intended to serve as a platform through which participants can work towards driving meaningful conversations and change to eradicate GBV and increase gender equity within African universities.

• RSVP to attend the event online.

2. Sports Union, SRC, Residence Council and DSA to host a sports festival

The Sports Union, Students’ Representative Council (SRC), Residence Council and the Department of Student Affairs (DSA) have partnered to host a students’ Sports Festival on Friday, 29 September 2023. This will take place at the netball and tennis courts, the Sports Centre, lower campus fields and certain residences. UCT students are invited to register to participate in the various sporting codes at R30 per person for individual sports and R50 per person for team sports.

Students have a wide choice to participate in either supa pool, basketball, table tennis, volleyball, esport, netball, chess, football or indigenous games. Residence students are requested to sign up using forms available from their respective residence sports committees.

For more information, please contact Usivile Giyose.

3. UCT to host the Pitch final

The university will host the 8th annual finals of The Pitch UCT on Friday, 29 September 2023 at 17:30. The top eight UCT student entrepreneurs, selected from over 100 applicants, will pitch their businesses and business ideas to a high-level panel of executive judges.

The Pitch gives finalists a chance to pitch ideas to a panel of four entrepreneur judges, and in the process a chance to win the coveted R25 000 first prize in seed funding and six months’ worth of business mentorship by Allan Gray Orbis Foundation. The winners will walk away with their share of an overall R80 000 in prizes, and mentorship from the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation.

Keynote speakers include the Vice-Chancellor interim, Emeritus Professor Daya Reddy; the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Transformation, Student Affairs and Social Responsiveness, Professor Elelwani Ramugondo; and the Chief Executive Officer of the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation, Dr Nontobeko Mabizela.

• RSVP for the event.

For any queries, please contact Mihlali Pikashe.

• Read the full Campus Announcement: Invitation: The Pitch UCT annual finals.

4. University of the Future to host staff event

The University of the Future (UoF) Steering Committee and the Development and Alumni Department (DAD) will host the UoF staff and alumni hybrid challenge event on Wednesday, 4 October 2023 as part of the UCT Day celebrations. The event will be held from 15:00 to 19:00 at Hasso Plattner School of Design Thinking Afrika.

The event provides all staff and alumni with a unique opportunity to come together to engage in the process of developing a conceptual framework to co-create a university fit for all.

The event is packed with inspiring speakers, a live music performance by Nomfundo Xaluva-Dyantyis, and an interactive co-creation session. It will be addressed by keynote speaker, Mr Trevor Manuel, the former Minister of Finance.

• Read the speaker’s brief bio.
• Please RSVP by Friday, 29 September 2023.
• Read more on what transpired at the UoF SRC student challenge event.
• Read the full Campus Announcement: University of the Future to host staff event.

5. Register for sports challenges as part of UCT Day

The UCT community is reminded to register teams for the sports challenges as part of UCT Day, which is scheduled for Friday, 6 October 2023 from 12:00 to 20:00 on Upper Campus.

UCT Day is for everyone. There is an exciting schedule of in-person and online events planned, including team challenges, on the day.

UCT Day features three main sports challenges in which teams, drawn from across the university, will compete against each other. Participation in the UCT Day sports challenges will no longer levy a fee. All UCT Day events are now free of charge.

Instead, the UCT community is urged to make a voluntary donation, via the Webtickets site and on UCT Day, towards one of the four UCT student fundraising projects. Please consider making a voluntary donation online. From as little as R100, your contribution will help ensure UCT student success and well-being. Don't miss this opportunity to show your support because ‘Together, we are UCT’.

UCT Day will end on a high note with an outdoor movie experience on the Green Mile, hosted in partnership with Sunshine Cinema!

• Visit the UCT Day events page to register for one of the following UCT Day activities.

6. LinkedIn Learning and Gartner available to staff and students

UCT offers access to a range of leading online learning resources, including LinkedIn Learning and Gartner, empowering staff and students to realise their full potential.

LinkedIn Learning offers various courses covering business, technology, creative skills, personal development and more. These expert-led courses, which are accessible via dynamic video content and interactive exercises, are available 24/7 across multiple devices. Similarly, Gartner provides diverse, expert-led resources – including courses and webinars – that offer timely insights and best practices in technology, business and leadership, equipping participants with the tools to drive innovation in a rapidly changing landscape.

Both services cultivate continuous learning, equipping individuals to lead and contribute adeptly in their respective fields and institutions through ongoing professional advancement.

These online resources are available to all UCT staff and students. Visit the ICTS website to find out how to access your LinkedIn Learning account and how to access Gartner at UCT.

Communication and Marketing Department