Inaugural lecture by Professor Green-Thompson and other updates

Dear colleagues and students

Professor Lionel Green-Thompson will present his lecture as part of the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Inaugural Lecture series on Tuesday, 7 April 2026. Read more about this and other recent developments on campus.

1. Inaugural lecture by Professor Lionel Green-Thompson (Faculty of Health Sciences)

Professor Green-Thompson will deliver his lecture, “From a Village to the Globe: Reflections on a Journey in Social Accountability”, on Tuesday 7 April 2026 at 18:00 SAST at the New Learning Centre Lecture Theatre, Anatomy Building on the Health Sciences campus.

The lecture examines social accountability in health professions education, emphasising the responsibility of institutions to align teaching, research and service with the priority health needs of the communities they serve. It positions social accountability as both an ethical commitment and a practical approach to advancing equity, relevance and responsiveness in healthcare education.

It also explores how communities shape this accountability through the African philosophy of ubuntu. The lecture shows how professional identity develops within relationships grounded in trust, dignity and shared responsibility. It traces how these ideas have informed institutional and national reforms, including workplace-based assessment, accreditation frameworks and broader debates on the future of health professions education in South Africa.

Green-Thompson is the dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at UCT. He has previously held senior roles at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University and the University of the Witwatersrand. His work contributes to national and global conversations in the field.

• Read the full VC Desk: Upcoming UCT inaugural lectures: March and April 2026.
• Register to attend the lecture.

2. UCT celebrates over 6 000 graduands

UCT is currently hosting its autumn graduation ceremonies, which began on Saturday, 28 March and will conclude on Thursday, 2 April 2026. Over five days, the university is conferring degrees on approximately 6 185 graduands across all faculties, including doctoral candidates. This period marks a key moment in the academic calendar, recognising achievement, sustained effort and the support of families, friends and the broader UCT community.

For each graduand, the milestone reflects years of dedication, intellectual development and personal sacrifice. Many have balanced their studies with work, family responsibilities and other priorities, while others have contributed to advancing knowledge through research and innovation. Doctoral graduates join a global community of scholars whose work addresses complex social, scientific and economic challenges. Each qualification affirms UCT’s commitment to rigorous inquiry and public purpose.

For those unable to attend in person, all ceremonies are live-streamed on the UCT graduation feature page, as well as on Facebook and X social media platforms, with recordings available on the UCT YouTube channel.

• Read the full VC Desk: UCT autumn graduation: Celebrating over 6000 graduands.

• See the full schedule of autumn 2026 graduation ceremonies.

As part of these ceremonies, UCT has conferred honorary doctorates on Dr Imtiaz Ismail Sooliman and Mr Cornelius George Werner. These two South Africans have made sustained contributions to society through humanitarian work and cultural leadership.

Dr Sooliman received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (honoris causa) for his humanitarian work on Monday, 30 March 2026, while Mr Werner was awarded a Doctor of Music (honoris causa) on Wednesday, 1 April 2026 in recognition of his contribution to South African jazz.

• Read the full VC Desk: Honorary doctorates for two outstanding individuals.

3. Budget 2026: UCT’s financial outlook and shared responsibility

The university recently shared the context and key implications of UCT’s approved Council-controlled General Operating Budget (GOB) for 2026. UCT enters the year with cautious confidence following a 2025 operating surplus of R68.6 million and a favourable variance of R132.2 million against budget. However, this outcome reflects stabilisation rather than resolution. The 2026 budget projects a deficit of R85.3 million, shaped by constrained government funding, rising cost pressures and broader economic risks, including volatility in oil prices and the weakening rand.

State subsidy remains under pressure, with allocations falling short of projections, while the long-term sustainability of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme continues to pose a systemic risk to the sector. Staffing costs remain the university’s largest structural challenge, accounting for 68.5% of expenditure, and have grown faster than both subsidy and fee income over time. Against this backdrop, the budget reflects difficult trade-offs, including the reinstatement of essential costs previously deferred. The university has emphasised the need for strict financial discipline and collective responsibility in managing resources within the budget.

UCT’s Council-approved Financial Sustainability Plan provides a structured response to these challenges. It focuses on improving cost efficiency, prioritising strategic capital investment, aligning staffing with revenue capacity and diversifying income streams. The university has called on all members of its community to contribute to these efforts, noting that financial sustainability is essential to maintaining its academic mission and long-term stability. Regular updates on financial performance will be shared, and staff are encouraged to engage with finance teams to raise questions or provide input.

• Read the full CFO Desk: Budget 2026: Our financial outlook and shared responsibility.

For more information, please contact the relevant member of the central, faculty or departmental finance team.

4. Phase 1 of the UCT Timetabling Revision Project

UCT has recognised ongoing challenges with its timetabling system, which is not operating efficiently or effectively. This has limited the academic staff's ability to teach optimally and created barriers for students. Over the past 30 years, student numbers have more than doubled to just over 30 600 in 2025, while centrally bookable venue capacity has increased by only 44%. In 2025, more than 160 000 course registrations were scheduled across approximately 15 000 academic activities, placing significant strain on existing systems.

The current timetable is developed through incremental adjustments to the previous year’s version, which restricts meaningful improvements. As a result, venues are not always used effectively, with some exceeding capacity or not suited to the type of teaching required.

A 2024 report by Escentral identified these challenges and recommended a shift to a centralised timetabling service supported by advanced scheduling software and data-driven processes.

UCT has begun implementing this new system in phases, with the first phase expected to run until the end of 2026. This phase includes developing clear policies and governance structures, improving data quality and standards, defining a service model for the centralised function, and procuring suitable software, with a pilot planned for 2027. The university has emphasised that the transition will involve cultural and operational changes but will be guided by consultation and collaboration. No decisions affecting staff will be made without engagement, and the project aims to improve efficiency and support academic success while valuing staff expertise and responding to the needs of both students and employees.

• Read the full DVC Desk: Phase 1 of the UCT Timetabling Revision Project.

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