From the Vice-Chancellor
September 2024 graduation season
29 August 2024 | Professor Mosa Moshabela
Dear colleagues and students
One of the most important periods on the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) calendar is almost upon us. The September 2024 graduation season – a time of elation and ecstasy – will commence from Monday, 2 September until Wednesday, 4 September 2024.
I am looking forward to this time of celebration for our graduands – punctuated by praise and ululation from the congregation – as we host seven ceremonies during the three days. This graduation season will see no less than 2 079 students being capped, with 160 of these receiving PhD degrees.
We will also confer an honorary doctorate on Dr Debbie Bradshaw during the September graduation season. Honorary doctorates are conferred on distinguished individuals who have made exceptional contributions in their fields, and there can be no doubt that Dr Bradshaw is worthy of this honour.
For those who are not able to join us in person at the Sarah Baartman Hall, all the ceremonies will be live-streamed on the UCT graduation feature page and the university’s Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) social media platforms. Furthermore, recordings will be made available on the UCT YouTube channel as well as on the graduation feature page.
This graduation season is going to be special for me, because it will be the first time I have the honour of being part of UCT ceremonies since taking office at the beginning of August 2024. I am therefore eagerly awaiting this graduation season to celebrate our graduands on their big day.
To all our graduands, I wish to convey my words of congratulations on reaching this massive milestone. I commend your resilience, commitment and hard work put in over the years, the direct harvest of which will not only be you walking across the stage in Sarah Baartman Hall, but also your excellence and expertise which I know you will unleash for the betterment of society.
Please remember that as a graduate of our university, it is important to remain connected to the UCT community. I urge you to see yourself as a permanent UCT ambassador and citizen wherever you go. There are several ways to do so, these include participating in Convocation as well as giving back to the university no matter the amount. As UCT alumni when one door opens for you, it is important to walk through that door with confidence, and then to work towards creating or opening doors for others.
I also wish to acknowledge our university staff, as well as our graduands’ families and supporters, whose compassion and care undoubtedly enabled our graduands to reach this milestone.
We look forward to a time of joy and celebration during the upcoming September 2024 graduation ceremonies.
Sincerely
Professor Mosa Moshabela
Vice-Chancellor
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11th UCT Vice-Chancellor’s Installation Ceremony
The University of Cape Town (UCT) Council announced Professor Mosa Moshabela as the 11th vice-chancellor (VC) in May 2024. Professor Moshabela, who took office in August, will be officially installed on 25 November 2024.
The Chair of Council of the University of Cape Town
Norman Arendse (SC)
is pleased to announce that the university will host this ceremony at the Sarah Baartman Hall. The ceremony will be co-hosted by UCT Chancellor
Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe
and will be attended by invited guests, dignitaries from higher education and beyond, and invited members of the UCT community.
This event will take place on Monday, 25 November 2024 at 10:00.
Announcements about the ceremony
About the VC
Professor Mosa Moshabela formally took up the UCT vice-chancellor position in August 2024.
Duly elected
On 24 May 2024, Norman Arendse (SC), the Chair of Council at UCT, was proud to formally announce that Professor Mosa Moshabela accepted an offer to become the university’s 11th vice-chancellor. This concluded a thorough and consultative six-month recruitment and selection process. He formally took up the UCT vice-chancellor position in August 2024.
Previous UCT Vice-Chancellors
UCT has had 10 permanent vice-chancellors and two acting in the interim between permanent VC appointments. This historical photo gallery includes the 12 leaders who have been at the helm of South Africa’s oldest university in their turn.
Vice-Chancellors in Conversation
UCT VC Professor Mosa Moshabela and former VC Dr Max Price recently engaged in a conversation about leadership, and confronted the challenge of creating unity, trust and collegiality in an institution.
In the News
Khusela Ikamva is aimed at restoring not only the physical forest that was damaged by the fires in April 2021 but also the cultural and spiritual connections that the UCT community shares with the natural fauna and flora.
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