Welcoming UCT's postdoctoral research fellows

Dear research community

To those who have returned, and to those who are arriving for the first time, welcome. Welcome to the University of Cape Town (UCT), and to a chapter of your intellectual life that is, in its own quiet way, extraordinary.

The postdoctoral research fellow (PDRF) occupies a singular place in the life of a university. You are neither student nor fully-fledged academic, yet you are, in the truest sense, both. You have crossed the threshold of doctoral inquiry, you have proven that you can ask a question the world has not yet answered, and now you stand at the frontier, where knowledge is not merely inherited but made. Through your research, writing and mentorship of those still finding their scholarly footing, you breathe vitality into UCT’s academic mission. You are not peripheral to this institution’s intellectual endeavour. You are, in many ways, its living edge.

Yet we would be remiss not to acknowledge the particular weight that this liminal position can carry. To exist between identities, i.e. no longer fully a student and not yet anchored in permanent academic life, is to inhabit a space of profound possibility, but also of uncertainty. The horizon can feel both luminous and unstable.

It is precisely because of this that your fellowship years demand intentionality. Publish not merely to fulfil expectation, but because your ideas deserve to enter the world. Build your networks not transactionally, but as genuine intellectual community. Engage with your department, your research cohort, your peers, because isolation is the quiet adversary of great thinking. 

To support you in navigating this formative passage, from emerging scholar to confident, independent researcher, UCT offers a rich landscape of resources, professional development opportunities and support initiatives crafted specifically for our postdoctoral community:

1. UCT hosts a series of annual postdoc-focused events that serve as platforms for knowledge-sharing, networking, collaboration and professional development, fostering a sense of community and support.
    
   • 25 May 2026, 10:00 – 12:30, Hybrid – Navigating the funding landscape: Preparing for an academic future beyond the Postdoc
   • 13 July 2026, 09:00 – 16:00, Hybrid – Postdoc Research Showcase*
   • 29 July 2026, 09:00 – 15:00, Hybrid – Postdoctoral Information and Development Session* (second semester kick-starter)
   • 27 August 2026, 10:00 – 12:30, Online – Navigating the funding landscape: Preparing for an academic future beyond the Postdoc* (REPEAT)
   • 20 October 2026, 09:30 – 12:30, Hybrid – Postdoc Indaba*

2. New and current postdoctoral fellows are eligible for membership of UCT’s Postdoctoral Association (PDA). The main touchpoint for PDRFs, the PDA, serves as your representative body, advocating for your professional interests and facilitating dialogue with university leadership on matters affecting the postdoctoral community. The PDA shares information on professional development opportunities, funding calls, career workshops and institutional resources that support fellows during their tenure. The association also provides a platform via social events for networking and fostering interdisciplinary research collaboration and exchange. For more information on the PDA, contact vice-chair, Dr Hawwa Gabier.
    
3. The Postdoctoral Office, located in the Postgraduate Funding Office (PGFO), provides you with an administrative hub and one-stop-shop for all matters related to admission, registration, funding dispersal and advice on how to access other support services. Postdocs enrolled at UCT are also eligible to make use of all the university’s facilities – UCT Libraries, the UCT Shuttle, secure parking discs – and can be members of sports and other recreational clubs. You also have access to student health and counselling facilities, the UCT Disability Service, wellness services, the UCT early childhood development centre – “Educare” – and related services, as well as student and staff housing, where accommodation may be available. Email pdocs@uct.ac.za or visit the physical PGFO located at Level 3, Otto Beit Building, Upper Campus.
    
4. Professional and research capacity development in the form of workshops, seminars and retreats is available in-person, hybrid and online, offered by the Office for Postgraduate Studies (OPGS). Some of the offerings aim to support postdocs in navigating the university environment while others have specific learning outcomes and provide opportunities for cross-, inter- and transdisciplinary researcher development. Examples include the Community Engaged Researcher Series for those interested in this and engaged scholarship. The series also includes workshops on enhancing academic writing, writing for publishing and research integrity; as well as:
    
   • workshops and seminars specifically tailored towards PDRFs
   • OPGS workshops where postdocs are included in the target group alongside others
   • the Digital Library Services webinars open to postdocs
   • the Savvy Researcher Series webinars open to postdocs
5. 
   All the OPGS offerings for postdocs are available both via UCT’s learning management system, Amathuba, where you are automatically registered, as well as via the OPGS Postgraduate (and Postdoctoral) Events Calendar. Offerings are typically loaded at the beginning of the semester.
    
   1. Postdocs are welcome to join sessions hosted by the Emerging Researcher Programme (ERP), which are designed for early-career academics and researchers. The programme offers a wide range of professional development webinars and workshops as well as our monthly writing spaces. Attending ERP events allows postdocs to engage with academic staff members – complementing interaction with senior postgrad students through the OPGS offerings. Workshops cover topics like postgraduate supervision, grant proposal writing and conference presentations. See the Researcher Development Planner for the list of ERP themes and courses and view the calendar of 2026 events.
       
   2. Digital Library Services (DLS) helps with Research Data Management (RDM) and offers Digital Scholarship, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and data stewardship services to UCT research, teaching and learning communities. They regularly offer open workshops, seminars, open online courses and training opportunities. All their services are also accessible through the OPGS Calendar. PDRFs are particularly encouraged to attend the Build Your Academic Portfolio: A Practical Workshop to Showcase Your Professional Journey, on 27 May 2026.
       
   3. UCT’s Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) policy is applicable to all staff and students based at or affiliated to UCT and includes provision for training and education in RCR. Policies are available online. The Office of Research Integrity (ORI) delivers appropriate RCR training activities across a variety of platforms, including face-to-face workshops, written communication, online training modules and webinars. Access these initiatives via UCT's SuccessFactors platform by searching "integrity". The ORI also regularly offers research ethics and responsible research workshops via the OPGS Calendar.
       

5. The Postdoc Hub is a dedicated digital resource designed to provide comprehensive information and support for UCT’s PDRFs. This centralised platform details tools, key contacts and other essential information to facilitate the academic journey of postdocs at UCT. View the funding noticeboard for current opportunities.
    
6. The electronic research administration (eRA) system is a tool for researchers, including PDRFs, to manage the administration of research processes and outputs. To access eRA, log in through the UCT Research Portal. As a UCT postdoc, it is essential for you to create a researcher profile on the eRA and use the platform:
    
   • to update your researcher profile
   • to apply for research ethics approval
   • to apply for a University Research Committee (URC) conference travel grant
   • to apply for URC page costs and to Open Access journal publication funding (article processing charges/APC)
   • for pre- and post-award grants management.
      
7. Finally, the entire Postgraduate Support Ecosystem is also available to postdocs. To sustain your academic, mental and physical wellbeing, you are encouraged to familiarise yourself with the resources available. The ecosystem outlines six categories of support and highlights 25 services covering areas such as one-on-one writing support, data analysis support, entrepreneurship and career development. Each service is supported by dedicated teams who provide tools, skills and guidance.

I would like to encourage you to be an active and engaged member of the UCT academic community and make the best of your fellowship. Please tap into the available support and access the range of resources on offer. Do participate in the events designed for you to get to know fellow postdocs and build potentially lifelong networks across the institution and beyond. Ensure that you have a strong Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and mentorship plan in place with your postdoc mentor and principal investigator (PI). Your contribution is central to the university’s academic project and advancing knowledge production and scholarly excellence.

I wish you all the success in the year ahead and look forward to meeting you at one of our forthcoming postdoc events.

Warm regards

Professor Thokozani Majozi
Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation

Read previous communications:

• From the UCT Executive
• Campus Announcements