Article | UCT News

UCT lecture explores the formal foundations of natural language University of Cape Town (UCT) philosopher, Professor Ryan Nefdt , will deliver his inaugural lecture, “Language, Patterns and Automata: The Algorithms Behind Linguistic Reality”, on Wednesday, 20 May 2026 at 18:00 at the Mafeje Room, Bremner Building, lower campus. 13 May 2026 Media release

UCT professor unpacks the future of Jewish life in South Africa In an inaugural lecture in the Neville Alexander Building at the University of Cape Town (UCT), Professor Adam Mendelsohn explored how Jewish communities have evolved – and where they are heading. The lecture was titled, “Where to for the Jews?” 11 May 2026 Media release

UCT professor to explore how data shape public health decision-making Amid growing uncertainty in public health, the director of the Modelling and Simulation Hub, Africa (MASHA) at the University of Cape Town (UCT), Professor Sheetal Silal, will present an inaugural lecture exploring how simulation models support public health decision-making by integrating data on diseases, populations and health systems to predict the impact of policy choices, offering a systems perspective on complex health challenges. 08 May 2026 Media release

UCT and HyperionDev in partnership to expand access to future-focused skills The University of Cape Town (UCT) has collaborated with HyperionDev, a global leader in online tech education, in a strategic partnership to deliver a portfolio of high-impact, career-focused online programmes designed to equip students with in-demand digital and leadership skills. 06 May 2026 Media release

UCT researchers build multilingual AI system for SA’s official languages A team of researchers at the University of Cape Town (UCT) has developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) language model trained specifically on South Africa’s 11 official written languages. This marks a significant step toward closing a gap that has left millions underserved by mainstream AI tools. 05 May 2026 Media release

UCT-led study reveals clues to the origin of the world’s largest diamonds The conditions under which the world's rarest and most valuable gem-quality diamonds – referred to as Cullinan-like, large, inclusion-poor, pure, irregular, resorbed (CLIPPIRs) – form have remained poorly understood. 04 May 2026 Media release

Former asbestos miners face elevated mortality decades after exposure, study finds A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) School of Public Health has provided new insights into the long-term health consequences and mortality experience of former asbestos miners in South Africa. 04 May 2026 Media release

New AfriGen-D platform set to transform genomics research across Africa The University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Division of Computational Biology , in partnership with key stakeholders from the Institut Pasteur de Tunis and the University of Mauritius, will launch the groundbreaking AfriGen-D platform – a transformative initiative dedicated to advancing human genomics research, capacity building and data analysis across the African continent. 30 Apr 2026 Media release

UCT leads collaborative launch of music-based maternal mental health programme The Perinatal Mental Health Project at the University of Cape Town (UCT), in partnership with the Institute for Life Course Health Research at Stellenbosch University, will join the Khayelitsha community on World Maternal Mental Health Day to host the South African launch of Community Health Intervention through Music Engagement for Maternal Mental Health (CHIME). 30 Apr 2026 Media release

UCT launches pioneering liver centre to transform patient care in SA The University of Cape Town (UCT) has launched a first-of-its-kind, multidisciplinary liver centre set to reshape how liver disease is diagnosed and treated in South Africa. 28 Apr 2026 Media release

UCT researchers uncover molecular “switch” that fuels cancer progression Researchers from the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Scientific Computing Research Unit (SCRU) have uncovered a critical molecular "switch" that drives the formation of cancer-associated antigens. The study , published in Nature Communications , details how the spatial relocation of enzymes within a cell’s internal machinery leads to the aberrant "sugar coating" of proteins, a hallmark of cancer progression. 22 Apr 2026 Media release

Where to next? UCT professor to reflect on the future of Jewish life in South Africa Historians often hesitate to predict the future. Yet moments of profound change invite reflection on what lies ahead. Drawing on decades of data collected by the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies , Professor Adam Mendelsohn will, during his upcoming inaugural lecture, examine demographic, religious and political developments shaping Jewish life in South Africa today. 21 Apr 2026 Media release

Study points to music as support for maternal mental health Culturally grounded, community-based music-making can be adapted to support South African women struggling with mental health issues during pregnancy and after birth. This is according to a recent formative study co-authored by Associate Professor Simone Honikman , director of the Perinatal Mental Health Project (PMHP) at the University of Cape Town, together with local and international colleagues. 21 Apr 2026 Media release

More than 40% Capetonians face high air pollution risk – UCT study A study at the University of Cape Town (UCT) has produced the first high-resolution map of air pollution risk across the Cape Town metropolitan area, revealing that more than 40% of the city’s population is exposed to high or very high levels of air pollution. The findings are published in GeoHealth journal . 20 Apr 2026 Media release

UCT commemorates fifth anniversary of Jagger fire The University of Cape Town (UCT) will commemorate the fifth anniversary of a devastating fire that impacted the Jagger Libraries and several other campus buildings on 18 April 2021. 20 Apr 2026 Media release

UCT achieves 96% pass rate in accounting to secure top national rankings The University of Cape Town (UCT) has delivered a standout performance in the January 2026 Initial Assessment of Competence (IAC), with a 96% pass rate among first-time candidates and a strong showing on the national honours list. 20 Apr 2026 Media release

Healthcare practitioners must understand the needs of the people they serve – UCT lecture Amplifying the voices of people living on the margins of society is an ethical imperative for healthcare scholars. It helps them to understand the needs of the people they serve to improve their quality of life, said University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Professor Lionel Green-Thompson, dean of UCT’s Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) , during his recent inaugural lecture. 16 Apr 2026 Media release

UCT study reveals illicit cigarettes dominate South Africa’s market A study by researchers at the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Research Unit on the Economics of Excisable Products (REEP) has revealed that illicit cigarettes constitute more than half of the South African market. The research, published in Tobacco Control , warns that this crisis poses a severe threat to both public health and government tax revenue. 16 Apr 2026 Media release

Load More

TOP