UCT unveils Flourishing Community Showcase after groundbreaking summit

On 1 August 2025, the University of Cape Town (UCT) hosted the inaugural Flourish Summit, marking a defining moment in the university’s commitment to holistic wellbeing and community flourishing in higher education.

The evening brought together students from various faculties, residences, and years of study, who shared heartfelt reflections on struggle, renewal, hope, and purpose.  Students in attendance leaned in with deep engagement, transforming the summit into a powerful moment of collective inspiration and connection.

Two themes emerged with profound clarity: navigating struggle and redefining failure through faith, support, and courage; and the journey from isolation to connection, as students discovered belonging and solidarity in one another’s stories. As one staff member reflected, “In all my years of attending various showcases and experiences on campus, this is by far the most impactful, inspiring, and elevating experience I have attended.”

Master’s candidate Kelebogile Molepo, one of the inaugural summit speakers, captured the emotional heart of the evening in her own reflection.

“I’m still on a high from the UCT Flourish Summit. Being one of the speakers was an incredible experience, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity … What meant the most to me was seeing the impact my talk had on the students. I received messages from them saying how my story inspired them to stay focused and work towards their goals. One student even shared that my talk helped them to shift their mindset and approach challenges with a newfound sense of determination.”

Professor Elelwani Ramugondo, the deputy vice-‑chancellor for Transformation, Student Affairs and Social Responsiveness, declared that the summit reflects UCT’s ongoing journey to embed well-being and flourishing at the very heart of the student experience. In her opening, she shared that her legacy of leadership, including through the Residence Academic Development Committee (RADC), “gave birth to the Centre for Wellbeing and Flourishing (CWF)”.

Sean Paul Abrahams, the founding strategic lead of the CWF, reflected on the vice-‑chancellor’s prophetic framing of the centre as “not merely a centre, but a movement”. Carrying this vision forward, the centre now stands with a bold mission: to position UCT as a global leader in well-being and flourishing in higher education.

Please note that this showcase is open only to University of Cape Town registered students, alumni, and current staff members.