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Wamkelekile, Welkom
Wamkelekile, Welkom
UCT hospitality establishment gets three-star tourism grading
The University of Cape Town’s (UCT) bed-and-breakfast establishment, All Africa House, has acquired a three-star tourism grading as a small hotel and shared self-catering facility. This achievement is in line with the university’s commitment to service excellence.
25 Jun 2025
Media release
Books, bikes, and big dreams: UCT student heads to Triathlon World Champs
Third-year University of Cape Town (UCT) student Rebecca Monk is proving that excellence knows no boundaries. At just 21, she’s navigating the rigorous demands of a double major in geology and oceanography while earning accolades as a competitive triathlete – and this month, she’ll represent South Africa at the 2025 World Triathlon Multisport Championships in Pontevedra, Spain.
23 Jun 2025
Media release
Another UCT rugby star signs pro deal after Varsity Cup glory
Another University of Cape Town (UCT) rugby sensation, Thomas Nel, has signed with professional outfit Suzuki Griquas, following a stellar season in which he played a pivotal role in the UCT Ikey Tigers’ Varsity Cup victory this year.
23 Jun 2025
Media release
UCT achieves highest QS ranking in a decade
The University of Cape Town (UCT) has been ranked 150th globally, up from 171st in 2025 in the latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings. This upswing places the university firmly within the top 3% of 8 467 institutions evaluated, reinforcing its status as Africa’s highest-ranked university for another year.
19 Jun 2025
Media release
Academic calls for emotional leadership in healthcare amid budget cuts and burnout crisis
A commentary piece published in the South African Journal of Science has sparked urgent national conversation around the emotional toll of South Africa’s public healthcare crisis and the leadership response it demands.
19 Jun 2025
Media release
UCT academic honoured for lifesaving research on African adolescents
Professor Lucie Cluver, honorary professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and professor of Child and Family Social Work at the University of Oxford, has been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours List. The award recognises her exceptional contributions to children’s wellbeing and global public health.
14 Jun 2025
Media release
UCT astronomers to celebrate first light images of global astronomy and astrophysics facility
University of Cape Town (UCT) astronomers will be part of global celebrations to mark the first light images of the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) – a project of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory , a brand-new astronomy and astrophysics facility under construction on Cerro Pachón in Chile – on the afternoon of Monday, 16 June 2025.
13 Jun 2025
Media release
Using technology ethically can support equitable land reform and spatial justice – UCT lecture
University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Professor Jenniffer Whittal’s recent inaugural lecture was not just an academic exercise but a deeply personal reflection on how land boundaries – both literal and conceptual – shape identity, power and opportunity.
10 Jun 2025
Media release
UCT launches African Bioinformatics Institute to transform health and research across Africa
In a significant step for African scientific collaboration and capacity building, the African Bioinformatics Institute (ABI) has officially launched, with interim hosting support from the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM) . This transformative new organisation is set to drive a data-powered future for the continent, advancing bioinformatics research and infrastructure to unlock Africa’s full potential in health, development and innovation.
09 Jun 2025
Media release
UCT’s Makhaza sprints from Ikey Tigers to the Boks
The spectacular rise of University of Cape Town (UCT) rugby star Ntokozo Makhaza reached a thrilling new high this week with his first official call-up to the Springbok squad – remarkably, before even making his senior Currie Cup debut.
06 Jun 2025
Media release
UCT-led study finds dehorning rhinos drastically reduces poaching in key African stronghold
A landmark international study published on Thursday, 5 June 2025 in the Science Journal reveals that dehorning rhinos significantly reduces the risk of poaching – one of these iconic species' most immediate threats.
05 Jun 2025
Media release
UCT lecture explores the rich interplay between physical, social and intellectual boundaries
The University of Cape Town’s Professor Jennifer Whittal from the Department of Civil Engineering will explore how geospatial technologies illuminate the history of local boundaries and their enduring role in spatial injustice during her lecture, titled “Beyond Boundaries”. The lecture will take place on Tuesday, 3 June 2025 at 17:15 SAST in the Chemical Engineering Seminar Room on upper campus.
02 Jun 2025
Media release
UCT at the forefront of landmark discovery on early human genetics
In a scientific first, a team led by researchers from the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the University of Copenhagen has used ancient proteins to uncover biological sex and hidden genetic variation in Paranthropus robustus – a close, extinct cousin of modern humans.
02 Jun 2025
Media release
Young visionary transforms personal struggles into a thriving artistic endeavour
At the age of 19, Zolani Balekwa turned his personal challenges into a powerful source of inspiration, establishing his own production house, Activism Productions. As a product of the University of Cape Town's (UCT) community engagement video training programme, Stepping Stone , Balekwa’s journey in the arts is a testament to resilience and passion.
27 Jun 2024
Media release
Study uses animal-born sensors, machine learning to reveal chinstrap penguin prey captures
A new study led by researchers at the University of Cape Town (UCT) linked animal-born video and movement sensor data with machine learning algorithms, to reveal how chinstrap penguins catch their prey. This will enable scientists to monitor prey consumption by these penguins, which will provide information that can help to inform conservation strategies.
26 Jun 2024
Media release
Open access ‘Contested Karoo’ book seeks to better understand the arid zone that covers almost a third of the country
The University of Cape Town (UCT) Press recently launched an open access book titled "Contested Karoo: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Change and Continuity in South Africa's Drylands". The volume was edited by UCT’s Professor Timm Hoffman and Stellenbosch University’s Professor Cherryl Walker.
24 Jun 2024
Media release
Decomposing pig bodies could help identify human remains – new study finds
The identification of unknown human remains is a significant and ongoing challenge in South Africa, worsened by the country’s high murder rate. The rate of decomposition is significantly influenced by vertebrate scavenging, which, if not considered, can impede the accurate estimation of the post-mortem interval.
20 Jun 2024
Media release