Friday, 17 April

17 April 2020
 

12:30

The University of Cape Town (UCT) has rearranged the academic year to ensure students complete the semester and the full academic year. The executive is aware that some students may experience some remote working challenges and have made provision for this.

Here’s what undergraduate students need to know:

  • UCT purchased laptops for students and these will be distributed based on financial need. The laptops will be delivered as soon as government approves the courier service clearance.
  • UCT has established agreements with Cell C and Telkom for zero-rated data for South African websites. This guarantees free access to UCT websites like Vula, video lectures, the Library website, Open UCT, and UCT’s primary website.
  • A call centre and referral system will be established to handle connectivity queries, as well as health and psycho-social issues. The university will also monitor student participation in remote learning via Vula.
  • For students who can’t access the internet in any form, the university will distribute printed learning materials and USB drives to keep up with their courses. Due to the extended lockdown this has proceeded slowly, but UCT will keep students informed about the progress.
  • Orientation Week starts on Monday, 20 April, and will help students adapt to the online learning environment. The university expects students to engage with learning for at least 30 hours per week.
  • Formal teaching starts on Tuesday, 28 April.
  • The deadline for dropping courses has moved to 8 May, and a special version of the change of curriculum form will be available next week.
  • For most courses there will be continuous assessment through quizzes, tests and assignments. First semester courses will not be examined through invigilated examinations (there are a few exceptions to this in the Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment). Annual courses will have invigilated examinations at the end of the year.
  • Lab, field and studio work cannot be taught remotely and the necessary adjustments will be communicated directly to students via their faculties.

The UCT community is invested in getting students through this difficult and uncertain time.

Read the DVC’s Desk.


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UCT’s response to COVID-19

COVID-19 is a global pandemic that caused President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare a national disaster in South Africa on 15 March 2020 and to implement a national lockdown from 26 March 2020. UCT is taking the threat of infection in our university community extremely seriously, and this page will be updated with the latest COVID-19 information. Please note that the information on this page is subject to change depending on current lockdown regulations.

Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, has in June 2022 repealed some of South Africa’s remaining COVID-19 regulations: namely, sections 16A, 16B and 16C of the Regulations Relating to the Surveillance and the Control of Notifiable Medical Conditions under the National Health Act. We are now no longer required to wear masks or limit gatherings. Venue restrictions and checks for travellers coming into South Africa have now also been removed.

In July 2022, the University of Cape Town (UCT) revised its approach to managing the COVID-19 pandemic on UCT campuses in 2022.
Read the latest document available on the UCT policies web page.

 

Campus communications

 
2022

Adjusting to our new environment 16:50, 23 June 2022
VC Open Lecture and other updates 17:04, 13 April 2022
Feedback from UCT Council meeting of 12 March 2022 09:45, 18 March 2022
UCT Council
March 2022 graduation celebration 16:45, 8 March 2022
Report on the meeting of UCT Council of 21 February 2022 19:30, 21 February 2022
UCT Council
COVID-19 management 2022 11:55, 14 February 2022
Return to campus arrangements 2022 11:15, 4 February 2022

UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre

On Wednesday, 20 July, staff from the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Faculty of Health Sciences came together with representatives from the Western Cape Government at the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre at Forest Hill Residence to acknowledge the centre’s significance in the fight against COVID-19 and to thank its staff for their contributions. The centre opened on 1 September 2021 with the aim of providing quality vaccination services to UCT staff, students and the nearby communities, as well as to create an opportunity for medical students from the Faculty of Health Sciences to gain practical public health skills. The vaccination centre ceased operations on Friday, 29 July 2022.

With the closure of the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre, if you still require access to a COVID-19 vaccination site please visit the CovidComms SA website to find an alternative.

 

“After almost a year of operation, the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Community of Hope Vaccination Centre, located at the Forest Hill residence complex in Mowbray, will close on Friday, 29 July 2022. I am extremely grateful and proud of all staff, students and everyone involved in this important project.”
– Vice-Chancellor Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng

With the closure of the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre, if you still require access to a COVID-19 vaccination site please visit the CovidComms SA website to find an alternative.


Thank You UCT Community

Frequently asked questions

 

Global Citizen Asks: Are COVID-19 Vaccines Safe & Effective?

UCT’s Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM) collaborated with Global Citizen, speaking to trusted experts to dispel vaccine misinformation.



If you have further questions about the COVID-19 vaccine check out the FAQ produced by the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation (DTHF). The DTHF has developed a dedicated chat function where you can ask your vaccine-related questions on the bottom right hand corner of the website.

IDM YouTube channel | IDM website
 

 

“As a contact university, we look forward to readjusting our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in 2023 as the COVID-19 regulations have been repealed.”
– Prof Harsha Kathard, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning

We are continuing to monitor the situation and we will be updating the UCT community regularly – as and when there are further updates. If you are concerned or need more information, students can contact the Student Wellness Service on 021 650 5620 or 021 650 1271 (after hours), while staff can contact 021 650 5685.

 

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