Campus announcements
UCT Summer School 2025 and other updates
04 December 2024Dear colleagues and students
The University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Centre for Extra-Mural Studies will host the 2025 Summer School from Monday, 20 January 2025 to Saturday, 1 February 2025. Read more about this and other recent developments on campus.
1. Exciting programme at UCT Summer School 2025
The UCT 2025 Summer School, an annual pilgrimage to this festival of learning for many alumni and friends, will be held from 20 January 2025 to 1 February 2025 at Kramer Building on middle campus.
Participants can attend lectures by their favourite lecturers and many exciting new presenters on different topics, browse the book shops, attend the free film programme, meet old friends and be part of the university community.
The programme spans a range of disciplines and topics, including literature, art and music; philosophy, politics and history; medicine and science; and language and writing courses.
Highlights of the programme include lectures and presentations by well-known artist William Kentridge; Jonny Steinberg, who has just won the Sunday Times Literary Award for his book Winnie and Nelson: a portrait of a marriage; famous cricketer Vince van der Bijl; and many others.
Among the free lectures is one by UCT Vice-Chancellor Professor Mosa Moshabela, in which he will speak about his vision for the university, and the Distinguished Alumni Lecture, which will be presented by Emeritus Associate Professor Richard Calland, as well as the annual Professor Stuart John Saunders Lecture.
There are also In Conversation sessions, which include author Karen Jennings, who was shortlisted for the Booker Prize for her previous novel; Jolene Young, who has just written a book on dispossession in Simons Town; and editor John Linnegar.
Emeritus Registrar Hugh Amoore will lead the bespoke campus tours. These free tours tell of the rich history of the campus, its buildings, and its people.
Exciting excursions include looking at mosses and trees on campus, visiting Boulders Beach with an expert to observe the penguin colony, and tree identification excursions to Newlands Forest.
Attendees will also enjoy concerts at the Baxter Theatre. Erin will entertain attendees along with Grant McClachlan and the ever-popular Vox choir, opera students from the university’s College of Music, world-renowned pianist Gustave Romero, and Rhodes University lecturer and pianist Dominic Daula.
- For more information, please contact the Centre for Extra-Mural Studies or Medeé Rall.
- Make a booking.
2. Get your data and IT in order before the holidays
If you are graduating, retiring, leaving UCT or taking some time off, please get your IT in order before departing.
- Read ICTS’s tips for going on leave.
- Read ICTS’s advice for those retiring or leaving UCT (both staff and students).
3. Closure between Christmas and New Year’s Day
The UCT Council has approved a proposal for the university to close from Friday, 27 December 2024 to Tuesday, 31 December 2024. This decision, made at the Council meeting on Saturday, 19 October 2024, follows the executive’s extensive consultations with unions and governance structures.
For 2024 only, staff will not need to use annual leave during this period, and existing leave quotas will remain unchanged. Any previously approved leave requests for this timeframe will be adjusted accordingly on the Employee Self-Service system.
Essential services staff will continue working between Christmas and New Year’s Day, and their line managers will schedule compensatory time off at a later date.
The UCT executive acknowledges the significant challenges of 2024 and the unwavering dedication of staff in advancing the university’s mission. This closure aims to support staff wellbeing and is a gesture of gratitude for their hard work and commitment to the academic project.
4. AFC to host series on academic freedom
The newly formed Academic Freedom Committee (AFC) at UCT began its four-year term in July 2024. Tasked with promoting academic freedom and university autonomy, the AFC also organises the annual TB Davie Memorial Lecture, a key event for over 60 years. This year’s lecture, delivered by Judge Dire Tladi under the theme, “‘The narrative’ as the enemy of freedom of thought”, challenged UCT to foster spaces for diverse perspectives.
In taking up this challenge, the AFC will launch a series of webinars on academic freedom, starting early 2025, to engage the UCT community in meaningful discussions. The series, developed following engagement with and support from the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, aims to explore various aspects of academic freedom through formats such as lectures, debates and roundtable discussions.
The AFC invites topic proposals from students and staff by the end of December 2024. Suggestions should include themes, formats and speakers.
For more information, please contact Nicole Erasmus.
5. Celebrating excellence at the annual UCT Staff Awards
On Wednesday, 27 November 2024, the university hosted the annual UCT Staff Awards, celebrating the dedication and achievements of academic as well as Professional, Administrative and Support Service (PASS) staff. Rooted in the spirit of ubuntu, the event highlighted the collective strength and unity that define UCT. Nearly 400 staff members were honoured for their unwavering commitment that drives UCT’s success. Congratulations to all award recipients.
- Read the full VC Desk: Celebrating excellence at the annual UCT Staff Awards.
- Visit the UCT Staff Awards feature page to read about the award recipients and more.
6. Update on electronic Research Administration ethics system
UCT is advancing its online ethics application and review system, which was launched in 2021 and set for completion by late 2024. The electronic Research Administration (eRA) system is fully operational in faculties, including Engineering, Commerce, Law, Science, the Centre for Higher Education Development and the Inter-Faculty Human Research Ethics Committee.
Training is ongoing in Health Sciences (Animal Ethics), Humanities, and the Human Research Ethics Committee, with rollout to Animal Ethics for Science and Biosafety planned by year-end. Despite initial challenges, UCT remains committed to refining the system, thanks to the dedication of its staff.
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