Inaugural lecture by Professor Moore and other updates

Dear colleagues and students

Professor Elena Moore will deliver the first University of Cape Town (UCT) Inaugural Lecture of the year on Wednesday, 4 March 2026. Read more about this and other recent developments on campus.

1. Inaugural lecture by Professor Elena Moore (Faculty of Humanities)

Professor Moore will present her lecture, “Who cares? The directions of state-family relationships in changing times”, on Wednesday, 4 March 2026 at 17:30 SAST at the New Lecture Theatre on upper campus.

This lecture will explore how societies organise and manage care during periods of social and economic transition. It will look at who carries responsibility for care across households, government and other institutions, and how those arrangements shape everyday life. The discussion positions care as a public and political issue, influenced by policy decisions, labour systems, demographic change and longstanding inequalities rooted in post-colonial histories. It frames care as a social relationship shaped by power, resources and access. The lecture invites audiences to rethink how care is recognised, valued and shared; and to consider what fair responsibility looks like in changing societies.

Moore is a professor of Sociology at UCT. Her scholarship examines family dynamics, gender inequality and the evolving relationship between families and the state. She has authored Generation, Gender and Negotiating Custom in South Africa (2022); and Divorce, Families and Emotion Work (2017). She also co-authored Reform of Customary Marriage, Divorce and Succession in South Africa (2015) with Chuma Himonga. Her research has informed both academic debate and policy discussions across the region.

She has received UCT’s Distinguished Teacher Award and the Vice-Chancellor’s Social Responsiveness Award in recognition of her academic leadership and public engagement. She currently leads a regional research initiative on family caregiving for older persons in Southern Africa, supported by a Wellcome Career Award and an IDRC Scaling Care Innovations in Africa Award.

• Read the full VC Desk: Upcoming UCT Inaugural Lecture: March 2026.
• Register to attend the lecture.

2. VC’s Open Lecture by Oxford Vice-Chanclelor

The university will host the VC Open Lecture, to be delivered by Professor Irene Tracey, on Thursday, 5 March 2026 at 18:00 SAST in the New Lecture Theatre on upper campus.

Professor Tracey, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, leads one of the world’s foremost universities. In this lecture, she will share how Oxford University has built and continues to strengthen Europe’s leading innovation ecosystem, grounded in research excellence. She will reflect on Oxford’s journey, the challenges it has faced and the new initiatives under way to deepen its impact.

She will also speak to the importance of partnership. Oxford’s model rests on close collaboration with government, industry and local communities to align research strength with economic growth and shared prosperity - which resonate with UCT's own ambitions.

Following the lecture, Professor Tracey will be joined in conversation by a high-profile panel of global university leaders: Professor Mosa Moshabela (UCT VC), Professor Deborah Prentice (VC of the University of Cambridge) and Professor David Dreyer Lassen (Rector of the University of Copenhagen).

• Read the full VC Desk: VC’s Open Lecture by Professor Irene Tracey.
• RSVP for the lecture.

3. Initiatives to support AI and assessment practices

Assessment in the context of artificial intelligence (AI) continues to raise complex questions for higher education. It requires ongoing review, experimentation and informed discussion. At UCT, efforts are under way to refine approaches that promote fair, rigorous and supportive assessment practices.

Staff are invited to participate in two focused initiatives that form part of this continuing work.

3.1 Assessment in the Age of AI: Do’s, Don’ts and Don’t Knows for current practices symposium

Staff are invited to submit an abstract and/or register for the symposium, which will be co-hosted by UCT and Stellenbosch University. The event will be held on 1 April 2026 from 09:00 to 16:00 at the Kramer Law Building on middle campus.

Abstracts are due Friday, 27 February 2026. Registration is free and open until Friday, 13 March 2026.

• Submit your abstract and/or register.

3.2 Survey: How AI is affecting assessment practices

Staff are invited to complete the AI and Assessment survey, which was announced in December 2025 through a DVC Desk. The findings of this research project will contribute to developing support services and resources to build AI in education literacy and to support assessment practices at UCT.

• Read the full DVC Desk: Initiatives to support AI and assessment practices.

4. Appointment of Dean: Faculty of Law

UCT has appointed Professor Mohamed Paleker as dean of the Faculty of Law with effect from 16 February 2026. A respected scholar, accomplished teacher and attorney of the High Court of South Africa, he brings extensive institutional knowledge and national experience in legal reform. His work reflects a longstanding commitment to advancing access to justice and strengthening the civil justice system.

Professor Paleker holds BA, LLB, LLM and PhD degrees from UCT. His academic career spans more than two decades of teaching, research and leadership. His scholarship focuses on civil procedure, succession law, family law, mediation and legal reform. He has authored and edited leading texts, published widely, and contributed to global research initiatives, including work at the Max Planck Institute on comparative civil procedure.

Within the faculty, he is recognised for his dedication to teaching, mentorship and academic leadership. He taught Civil Procedure for 25 years, supervised numerous postgraduate students and contributed to curriculum development and faculty governance, including serving as head of department and LLB coordinator. His teaching has been acknowledged through several awards for excellence.

• Read the full VC Desk: Appointment of Dean: Faculty of Law.

5. International Mother Language Day Celebration

Staff, students and the broader UCT community are invited to attend the International Mother Language Day Celebration scheduled for Friday, 27 February 2026 from 10:00 to 14:00 at the ZK Matthews Gallery, Hoerikwaggo Building on upper campus.

International Mother Language Day, as proclaimed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), celebrates linguistic diversity and multilingualism as key drivers of inclusive, equitable and sustainable societies. The 2026 UCT celebration is held under the theme “Make Languages Count for Sustainable Development: Exploring AI’s Impact on Linguistic Diversity and Education”.

This event will provide a platform for critical engagement on the intersection of language, technology and education, with particular emphasis on how AI can both support and challenge linguistic diversity in higher education and beyond. Through dialogue and reflection, the celebration aims to promote awareness of the role of languages in advancing sustainable development and social cohesion.

Members of the UCT community are encouraged to participate in this important conversation and to reaffirm the value of multilingualism within the university.

• Register to attend.

6. Parking discs for 2026 and approved fee adjustment

The UCT community is advised that parking discs for 2026 are now available for purchase. Staff and students who wish to park on any UCT campus must obtain a valid parking disc from the Traffic Administration Office on upper campus.

Parking fees have increased by 3.5% in 2026, following approval by the UCT Executive Committee. This adjustment – the first since before the COVID-19 period – is necessary to ensure the continued sustainability, maintenance and effective management of UCT’s parking infrastructure, while remaining mindful of affordability.

This adjustment aligns with the university’s responsibility to maintain safe, reliable and sustainable parking services that support teaching, learning and research activities.

Please note:

• Office hours are Monday – Thursday, 08:00 – 15:00, and Fridays, 08:00 – 14:00.
• First-year students are not eligible for parking discs.
• Restrictions apply to the bays in which students and staff may park.
• Daily, weekly and monthly temporary discs are available at either the Visitor Reception and Information Centre or the Traffic Administration Office.
• Carpool parking is available on upper campus P4 (enquire at the Traffic Administration Office).
• Parking on campus without a valid parking disc will result in a parking fine.

Queries may be directed to the traffic office or 021 650 3312 / 3313 / 3640.

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