Reflections on a remarkable year

Dear members of the UCT community

As the year draws to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect with you on the year we have just journeyed through. While I may not have started my year at the University of Cape Town (UCT), I am honoured to conclude it here with you as your 11th Vice-Chancellor (VC).

I believe that 2024 for UCT has been a year of critical, meaningful and powerful transitions. We said farewell to a number of executive members, but we also welcomed new executives and our new Council. I would like to once more express my gratitude to Emeritus Professor Daya Reddy, who led UCT during an interim period. His leadership ensured that the university remained on a steady course during our transition into a new era.

While we grappled with our occasionally opposite ideals, we have transitioned into listening more attentively to one another, to finding solutions rather than focusing on limitations, concentrating on our shared values and passion for UCT; and to more intentionally committing ourselves to the integrity and future of UCT.

Whether you are a current or prospective student, academic or professional, administrative support and service (PASS) staff member, alumni, donor, parent, guardian, local or international partner, I hope that today, as 2024 draws to a close, you feel more affinity to UCT, more invested and protective of its success, and more hopeful that it will continue to transition and shine brightly in and for the world.

Last week we launched the VC’s Campus-wide Conversations, I truly believe that this, together with all of our other efforts sown this year, will deliver rewards for us as a community and institution in the coming years. Some of the efforts sown this year include raising funds for students through our UCT Day fundraising activities, ensuring we meet the 2025 budgetary and financial sustainability goals we set for ourselves; committing ourselves to academic, research and teaching standards of excellence and innovation while, among many others, responsibly considering the impact of artificial intelligence in academia, confronting the global crisis of climate change, and navigating the changing landscape of geopolitics.

If you would like to learn more about our remarkable accomplishments from 2024, I encourage you to visit the UCT News website, it features incredible achievements by our staff, students, faculties and departments.

I can’t thank each of you enough for your dedication and resilience shown towards UCT.

Finally, to those traveling over the festive season, may your journeys be safe. May this festive season be one filled with joy, peace and quality time with your loved ones. I look forward to stepping into the new year with all of you, with renewed energy and our shared commitment to UCT. Together, we will continue our pursuit of excellence, transformation, and sustainability in 2025.

Yours sincerely

Professor Mosa Moshabela
UCT Vice-Chancellor & Principal

Read previous communications:

• From the UCT Executive
• Campus Announcements