Unveiling Strategy 2030 and other updates

Dear colleagues and students

University of Cape Town (UCT) Vice-Chancellor (VC) Professor Mosa Moshabela has unveiled Strategy 2030 as he commemorated his first year in office. Read more about this and other recent developments on campus.

1. Unveiling Strategy 2030

Professor Moshabela marked the first anniversary of his tenure as VC on 1 August 2025 by unveiling Strategy 2030 – a milestone anchored within the university’s Vision 2030. He took over as UCT’s 11th vice-chancellor on 1 August 2024.

Professor Moshabela urged staff and students to share their feedback on the draft and “help us make UCT the best home for you, a home where you can continue to explore your talents, push boundaries of excellence and activate the best version of yourself while you also contribute to the success of those around you and advance society at large”.

As he marked his first year in office, Professor Moshabela expressed appreciation to the many within the UCT community – the executive, Leadership Lekgotla, staff and students – who have offered support since he took over the role. He also extended his gratitude to all UCT key stakeholders: the chancellor, Council, Convocation, donors, alumni, parents, guardians, strategic partners, service providers, the government of South Africa and all friends of the university.

• Read the full VC Desk: One year in office: Expressing gratitude and unveiling Strategy 2030.
• Visit the UCT Strategy 2030 page.

2. UCT to host 59th TB Davie Memorial Lecture

UCT will host Associate Professor Loretta J Ross as the speaker for the 59th TB Davie Memorial Lecture on Wednesday, 6 August 2025.

This year’s lecture, titled “Calling In: Navigating Challenging Conversations and Cultivating Compassionate Connections”, will reflect on the importance of open, respectful engagement, particularly in an era shaped by cancel culture, division and public shaming. Associate Professor Ross, a leading human rights and social justice scholar, will introduce “calling in” as a practice that encourages dialogue, empathy and accountability. Her talk will explore how this approach can help academic institutions sustain spaces for rigorous debate while fostering inclusion and mutual respect.

The lecture will offer practical insights on how to hold space for difficult conversations while remaining rooted in the values of ubuntu and academic freedom.

Organised by UCT’s Academic Freedom Committee (AFC), chaired by Professor Rudzani Muloiwa, the lecture continues a long-standing tradition of engaging critically with themes of academic and human freedom. The TB Davie Memorial Lecture was established by UCT students in memory of former Vice-Chancellor Thomas Benjamin Davie (1948–1955), a vocal and principled advocate for academic freedom.

The lecture will be delivered online and screened in person at the New Lecture Theatre, upper campus. Refreshments will be served at the venue.

• Read the full VC Desk: 59th TB Davie Lecture by Associate Professor Ross.
• Watch the lecture on UCT's Facebook and X social media platforms.

3. Complete the 2025 UCT commuting/ transport survey

The UCT environmental sustainability directorate is conducting a short survey to understand the general commuting habits of staff and students. The results will help calculate UCT's annual carbon footprint. The survey should not take more than five minutes to complete and is open to all staff and students.

• Complete the survey.

The last survey of this nature was conducted in 2013, and updated information is now needed. All personal information will remain confidential and will not be shared publicly or with third parties.

Please refer to the UCT sustainability downloads page to view any past carbon footprint reports.

For any queries, please contact Manfred Braune.

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey.

4. Update around EBE deanship

Professor Aubrey Mainza has been appointed as the new dean of the Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment (EBE), effective 1 August 2025.

Professor Mainza, former head of the Centre for Minerals Research, brings a wealth of experience in academic governance and leadership to the role. He served as head of the Department of Chemical Engineering from 2019 to 2023 and has been a key contributor to numerous university and faculty committees, including the Senate Teaching and Learning Committee, University Equipment Committee, the Deans Advisory Committee and the Faculty Ad Hominem Committee.

Professor Mainza is a distinguished academic who has built his career at UCT for more than two decades. His journey through the academic ranks – from research officer to professor and then head of department until ultimately becoming acting director of the Centre for Minerals Research – has been marked by dedication to research excellence, a commitment to student development and a deep understanding of academic leadership.

He succeeded Professor Alison Lewis, the first female dean of EBE at UCT, who served as dean from 1 June 2015 and led the faculty with distinction. Her tenure focused on transformation, research growth and nurturing the next generation of engineers.

Professor Lewis, who provided outstanding service and leadership in her 10-year tenure, will remain part of the university community through her work at the Department of Chemical Engineering, where she will continue her research through the Crystallization and Precipitation Research Unit. She stepped down from the deanship in accordance with the UCT policy limiting deans to just two terms.

• Read the full VC Desk: Appointment of Dean: EBE.
• Read the full VC Desk: Farewell to EBE Dean: Professor Alison Lewis.

Communication and Marketing Department

Read previous communications:

• From the UCT Executive
• Campus Announcements