Campus announcements
UCT’s performance in QS subject rankings and other updates
15 March 2018 | Campus AnnouncementDear colleagues and students
This campus announcement aims to inform members of the University of Cape Town community about:
1. UCT’s performance in QS subject rankings
UCT has been ranked among the top 50 universities in the world in three subjects in the 2018 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject: development studies, geography and sport. A further eight subjects – agriculture, anatomy, anthropology, archaeology, architecture, English, law and social policy – are in the top 100.
2. UCT has pledged to halve its water consumption
UCT has committed to being part of the solution to the Cape Town water crisis by reducing its water usage by 50%. As part of the university’s water-wise campaign, the Communication and Marketing Department has developed email banners as a constant reminder that we should all be doing more to save water.
3. Associate Professor Dlodlo to lead NUST
Associate Professor Mqhele Dlodlo of the Department of Electrical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment has been appointed as Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Science and Technology in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. He has taken up the appointment with immediate effect. Vice-Chancellor Dr Max Price congratulated him on his appointment last week and wished him well in his new position.
4. SHAWCO’s 75th anniversary
The Students’ Health and Welfare Centres Organisation (SHAWCO) turns 75 this July. In recognition of this milestone, the organisation has launched a fundraising drive to continue its efforts to promote the health and education of the community. SHAWCO calls on the UCT community, and Cape Town at large, to make donations of R75, R750, R7 500, R750 000 or more. The goal of the drive, which will continue until 31 December 2018, is to raise R75 million. All funds raised will be ploughed back into health and education initiatives.
5. Works of Art Committee programme
The UCT Works of Art Committee (WOAC) will host a series of events that form part of its ongoing programme of Thursday lunchtime performances, debates and interventions.
The following events are scheduled to take place at the Molly Blackburn Hall:
- 20 March, 13:00–14:00: Sarah Baartman Sculpture: a public conversation with artist Willie Bester, art historian Nomusa Makhubu and others
- 22 March, 13:00–14:00: Performance: welcome and cleansing
- 12 April, 13:00–14:00: Changing Guard: exhibition opening.
For more information, please contact Nadja Daehnke.
The WOAC, among other things, aims to develop clear curatorial policy guidelines informed by the contexts of the university’s public spaces and develop an acquisitions policy for the university. In the longer term it is working towards the establishment of an art museum that will house the university’s collection and create a public platform for engagement through ongoing curated exhibitions.
6. RADC call for funding proposals
UCT’s Residence Academic Development Committee (RADC) is calling for new funding proposals. The RADC is grounded in a collaboration between residences and faculties. The purpose of the Living and Learning projects is to further establish a way of bridging the gap between faculties and residences and to foster student success. The RADC encourages proposals that give consideration to and align with the goals in the university’s Strategic Planning Framework 2016–2020. The closing date for applications is 29 March 2018.
7. Absa Cape Epic road closure alert
UCT will be hosting the Absa Cape Epic from 16 to 18 March 2018. Madiba Circle will be closed from north to south from 18:00 on Friday, 16 March, to 18:00 on Sunday, 18 March. Registration will take place on upper campus at the Sports Centre on Saturday, 17 March. Access to upper campus on Sunday, 18 March, will be via the north entrance, which will be controlled by traffic and security personnel. All UCT staff and students with a UCT parking disk or staff card will have access.
Parking areas that will be affected on the weekend include P1, P4, P5 and P6 on upper campus and P2 (near the tunnel) on middle campus. All other parking areas will be open.
The Jammie Shuttle service will still operate from South Stop on Friday, 16 March, and Saturday, 17 March, via the M3. On Sunday, 18 March, all shuttles will operate from North Stop until Rugby Road reopens at 18:00.
8. Online training resources
UCT subscribes to a range of online training resources, with the more popular option being lynda.com. This extensive online learning resource has more than 11 000 courses and gives you access to a range of software, business and design skills. The video content is up to date and taught by industry experts, meaning that you’re always getting the latest version of a product, application or service.
Lecturers can incorporate the lynda.com courses into their course outlines to enhance their students’ learning experience. Managers can also encourage their staff to take lynda.com courses, which can form part of their development dialogues.
You can choose a specific course, complete a pre-populated learning path set by lynda.com or create your own playlist by bookmarking courses that you’re interested in. When you complete a course, you get a certificate of completion, which you can add to your LinkedIn profile.
This resource is available offline. Download the lynda.com mobile app, download the videos or courses of interest and watch them when you have time without using your data.
Log on with your UCT username and password and let your online learning journey begin.
For assistance with creating learning paths and/or playlists specific to your team, department or class, contact Charmaine van der Merwe.
Communication and Marketing Department
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