The University of the Western Cape is a national university, alert to its African and international context as it strives to be a place of quality, a place to grow. It is committed to excellence in teaching, learning and research, to nurturing the cultural diversity of South Africa, and to responding in critical and creative ways to the needs of a society in transition.
Drawing on its proud experience in the liberation struggle, the university is aware of a distinctive academic role in helping build an equitable and dynamic society. In particular it aims to: advance and protect the independence of the academic enterprise.
Design curricular and research programmes appropriate to its southern African context.
Further global perspectives among its staff and students, thereby strengthening intellectual life and contributing to South Africa’s reintegration in the world community.
Assist educationally disadvantaged students gain access to higher education and succeed in their studies.
Nurture and use the abilities of all in the university community.
Develop effective structures and conventions of governance, which are democratic, transparent and accountable.
Seek racial and gender equality and contribute to helping the historically marginalised participate fully in the life of the nation.
Encourage and provide opportunities for lifelong learning through programmes and courses.
Help conserve and explore the environmental and cultural resources of the southern African region, and to encourage a wide awareness of these resources in the community.
Co-operate fully with other stakeholders to develop an excellent, and therefore transformed, higher education system.
To tackle Zika and other viral outbreaks, we need to focus not only on the pathology of the disease, but also on the global political and economic architecture.
A little girl in Sudan gets treated by physiotherapist Fatima Mohamed.
Reuters/UNAMID/Albert Gonzalez Farran/Handout
Agriculture can only contribute to rural growth and development to the benefit of all if it links with an inclusive and diverse rural non-farm economy.
South Africa’s finance minister delivered a good mix of macro and micro-economic strategies to ensure the country survives economic uncertainty, restores confidence and achieves some growth.
It may look like science fiction, but this is the new reality of technology-driven learning. Lecturers must keep up.
Yuriko Nakao/Reuters
Technological and digital literacy are crucial for university students who hope to truly contribute to the world in the 21st century.
South African President Jacob Zuma, who is also the president of the governing African National Congress, with his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa.
Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko
The ANC will be judged by its ability to deliver on its promises to provide basic services and good governance, practise sound financial management and combat corruption this election year.
A poetry collection that recounts four journeys, including a physical one from the source of the Orange River to to the Cape Peninsula.
Reuters/Mike Hutchings
Credit rating agencies have come in for a lot of flack. But the bottom line is that to attract investors with deep pockets countries can’t avoid having a credit rating. And a good one at that.
Viana, near Luanda, Angola. China has played a major role in funding infrastructure projects in Africa but the deficit remains huge.
Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko
Since time immemorial, huge infrastructure projects have been financed with funds from the capital markets. Africa should not rely on development finance institutions.
Although health care has become more accessible and affordable, quality at the facilities is still a problem.
Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko
Enforcing copyright protection in the digital age has become complex. South Africa should tread carefully as it amends its copyright laws.
Leaders at the last Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November 2013. Malta will host the next one in November 2015.
Reuters/Dinuka Liyanawatte
The Commonwealth is politically fraught, with widely divergent members. But, instead of unravelling as some critics wish, it has instead inspired copycats and appears set to grow and endure.
A former employee of Vodacom has taken the cell phone group to South Africa’s highest court. He claims to have invented the popular “Please Call Me” service but never got paid for it.
Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko
Vodacom’s battle with its former employee over the “Please Call Me” service brings home global disputes over intellectual property rights. Do South African laws adequately protect innovators?
Complementary and alternative medicine has been recognised in South Africa but is not yet fully integrated into the country’s health care system.
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Gail Hughes, University of the Western Cape and Ol N M, University of the Western Cape
Complementary and alternative medicine could alleviate many of the access problems within primary health care in South Africa’s rural areas if it was fully integrated into the system.
Any successful ranking system must shine a light on African universities’ different priorities.
Shutterstock
Flexible learning and teaching can help those who want to study while working. It requires structural changes and attitude shifts within universities and companies whose employees want to study.
A scene from the film ‘The Vow’, which is being shown at the Africa World Documentary Film Festival that aims to depict African stories through documentary.
Photo supplied
Cape Town’s screening of the Africa World Documentary Film Festival provides a platform for debate, and shows how documentary films clarify and complicate the answers.
The rise of the BRICS countries is a case of political life imitating economic art.
Reuters
The global recognition of BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – has not only led to their greater global political influence, but also reinforced their regional leadership.