Feedback from recent Council meetings

Dear members of the university community

It’s been a while since the last Chair’s Desk was issued but as you will see below, it’s been a very busy period since December 2025.

The University of Cape Town (UCT) Council had several adjourned meetings due to time restrictions mainly resulting from a number of special Council meetings requiring in-person attendance. These were held on 6 December and 18 December 2025 as well as on 14 March, 11 April and 18 April 2026. These are in addition to several important committee meetings that inform Council’s decision-making.

I extend my sincere gratitude to all Council members for their regular attendance, diligence, hard work and commitment to act in the best interest of the university.

I can assure you that Council remains committed to performing its core business, which is the successful governance and oversight of the university. Indeed, Council business is conducted collegially, and most decisions within its remit are made by consensus and rarely require a vote.

You would no doubt have seen from various communiques issued by the Vice-Chancellor that UCT is in a good space. The university has:

• continued to rise on the various rankings continentally and globally (including the highest QS ranking in the past 10 years);
• attained the best Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) ratings in higher education in the country; and
• reduced a deficit of approximately R350 million in 2024 to a positive variance.

In addition, there have been many staff who have received academic awards and many student achievements.

We are also pleased that the salary disputes with our Professional, Administrative and Support Service (PASS) staff unions were resolved in accordance with the applicable dispute resolution procedures. We thank the VC and his team for their tireless work in this regard, as well as members of the Remuneration Committee for their continued and ongoing guidance and support.

I also need to mention the matter of the awarding of honorary degrees by Council. The awards follow a rigorous and confidential process which is overseen by the Honorary Degrees Committee, which comprises two external Council members, two Senate-appointed Council members, the VC, the Deans and two SRC-appointed Council members. The Chair is an external Council member appointed by Council, and the Deputy Chair is a Senate-appointed Council member.

The nomination process is as follows:

• Nominations (only from external Council members and Senate) are usually called for in August.
• Nominees are not informed of their nomination.
• Once received, nominations are only considered by majority vote for further consideration.
• The committee appoints individual assessors (usually one of the deans) to conduct a due diligence of the nominees and report back.
• Once received and after deliberation, the committee votes by secret ballot whether to further recommend to Council the nominee for consideration of the honorary degree. A two-thirds majority is required to take the nomination forward to Council.
• Recommendations are considered by Council and after deliberation and debate, Council votes by secret ballot.
• A majority vote of Council members is required.
• These deliberations take place in confidence. It thus remains of great concern that some deliberations are leaked by some or other member/s of Council.
• The successful awardees are only informed of the outcome after Council has made its decision.

What follows are some of the key outcomes of Council deliberations covering the period December 2025 to 18 April 2026.

1. Vice-Chancellor’s report

The report presented at the April 2026 meeting by Vice-Chancellor Professor Mosa Moshabela provided a comprehensive overview of key and prevailing university matters since December 2025.

Highlights in the period included continued good performance in the various rankings. In the QS World Rankings, UCT ranked in the top 150 while the university improved its position on the Times Higher Education World Ranking to be placed 164th.

Further highlights included the autumn graduation season, which saw over 6 000 students being capped; the commendable financial turnaround, with UCT recording its first surplus in three years; the successful First-Year Reception Programme; and progress on senior leadership recruitment processes.

The challenges included the brief student protests in February and the strike action by PASS staff a few days later.

The VC also presented an update on the revision of the academic year pattern, which will see supplementary exams written at the end of the year from 2027.

On the research front, the university continues working on diversifying research funding sources. A significant development is the securing of a R71 million grant for infrastructure to anchor an African Compute Initiative, connecting labs across the continent for AI research aligned with development goals.

Research income stood at R2.3 billion in 2025, which is not inconsistent with developments last year in relation to, among others, NIH and USAID funding.

At the December 2025 meeting, key highlights from the VC’s report included the review of the admission criteria and teaching assignment policies planned for 2026; renewal of the $60 million funding for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme; and review of the Student Debt Management Policy. The VC also presented the UCT Strategy 2030, which was approved by Council.

2. Realignment of UCT’s executive structure

The VC sought Council’s endorsement of a realignment of the executive structure in support of Vision 2030. This also aims to strengthen governance and accountability and ensure strategic coherence. Specifically, the proposal tabled by the VC sought to:

• change the name of the DVC: Transformation, Student Affairs and Social Responsiveness to DVC: People, Culture and Society,
• formally disestablish the Chief Operating Officer role, which would require changes to the university’s institutional statute,
• establish a DVC: Innovation and Entrepreneurship position. This will consolidate UCT’s innovation and entrepreneurship activities into a coordinated, accountable ecosystem aligned with Strategy 2030’s fourth mission.

After discussion, including input by Council’s University Governance Committee, Council approved the proposal.

3. Teaching and Learning Report

The Deputy VC: Teaching and Learning, Professor Brandon Collier-Reed, presented the 2024 Teaching and Learning Report. Key developments included the Vula to Amathuba migration, the curriculum renewal project and the implementation of the UCT language policy.

The report also showed that 81% of UCT’s graduates were meaningfully occupied after completing their studies. A total of 7 565 students graduated in 2024, with 289 PhDs.

In 2024, the flagship Teaching and Learning Conference brought together the UCT community and partners from across South African higher education to engage critically with the theme “All About Curriculum: New Visions and Future Directions”.

4. Proposed UCT Digital Presence Governance Framework

Following the extensive work by the Web Governance Working Group that commenced in 2023 and included – among others – benchmarking, roadshows, consultation processes and approval by the Senate – the UCT Digital Presence Governance Framework was tabled before Council.

The framework includes the social media policy, which sets out requirements for members of the university community when using social media on behalf of UCT and in their individual capacities. The goals of the framework include ensuring alignment, protecting brand reputation and mitigating risk, and ensuring compliance with the relevant legislation.

The framework was approved by Council.

5. Reports by Council committees

The key updates and/or decisions relating to the relevant Council committees were as follows:

University Information and Communication Technology Committee (UICTC): Council noted the report by the UICTC, which provided an update on the transitioning into a holistic perspective around ICTS infrastructure across the university in the enablement of teaching and learning. This will map and consolidate the ICTS landscape at the university, ensure oversight, enable efficiency and result in minimising ICTS-related costs by avoiding duplications. The UICTC is also incorporating oversight into their activities, including AI.

Report by the Social Ethics and Transformation Committee (SETC): In the period under review, the committee engaged around two key matters: academic freedom and global ethics benchmarks.

Report by the University Human Resources Committee (UHRC): The committee noted the collective bargaining agreement reached with PASS unions; and also reported that a number of issues were being addressed by the executive, including the role of Human Resources Business Partners.

Report by the University Governance Committee (UGC): The committee is working on a governance workshop for members of Council and a review of Council's Code of Conduct, which are earmarked for June 2026.  

Report by the University Building and Development Committee (UB&DC): As per the terms of reference, the committee presented two candidates, Mr Garth Hamilton and Ms Quahnita Samie, for appointment as external members. Both were approved. Council also approved the formalisation of a further UBDC sub-committee.

6. Election of members to selection committees

Council elected members to serve on the selection committees for the posts of Registrar, Dean of Humanities, Executive Director (ED): Libraries, ED: Properties and Services and ED: Research.

7. Policy matters

The revised Student Mental Health Policy was tabled before Council. Key revisions included updated definitions and roles, reasonable accommodations for neurodivergent students and emergency psychiatric intervention protocols. Council approved the policy.

Council also debated and approved, subject to proposed amendments, the Gender Equity Policy. The purpose of this policy is to create an inclusive environment that prioritises gender parity, equity and diversity. The policy includes provisions for gender-neutral facilities, extended parental leave and protection of LGBTQIA+ individuals.

8. 2024/2025 Postgraduate Report

The report, which was adopted by Council as a record of the university’s work in the postgraduate sector in 2024/2025, presented a number of highlights. These included the postgraduate sector constituting 39% of enrolments with 11 400 students; and the cohort reflecting transformation commitments (55% women, 67% Black South African, 21% international students). The university is also developing a strategic framework focusing on funding stability.

Council remains encouraged by the university’s overall stability and the progress made across core areas. We thank all members of the UCT community for their ongoing contributions and commitment, which have helped advance our shared vision for the university.

Sincerely

Norman Arendse (SC)
Chair of Council

Read previous communications:

• From the UCT Executive
• Campus Announcements