University of the Western Cape

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.

​The University of the Western Cape has a history of creative struggle against oppression, discrimination and disadvantage. Among academic institutions it has been in the vanguard of South Africa's historic change, playing a distinctive academic role in helping to build an equitable and dynamic nation. UWC's key concerns with access, equity and quality in higher education arise from extensive practical engagement in helping the historically marginalised participate fully in the life of the nation.

Towards the end of 2001 former UWC rector Professor Brian O'Connell assumed the Vice-Chancellorship amidst a plethora of processes to restructure the higher education system in South Africa. In 2002 the Minister of National Education mapped the future higher education landscape. One of the outcomes of the restructuring process was that UWC would retain its status as an autonomous institution.

Under the visionary leadership of its new Rector, the University is now, more than ever, challenged to demonstrate that it is capable of competing with the best and of playing a prominent role in the intellectual, social and economic life of the nation.

One of UWC's primary concerns for the future is to use its mandate to create and maintain a sense of hope for the nation whilst helping to build an equitable and dynamic society.

A second concern is with its role in the knowledge economy. It remains committed to creating, preser ving and disseminating knowledge that is dynamic and relevant to the challenges of a modern world and a transforming society. A third concern, which is inseparable from the notions of hope and knowledge, is a concern with agency - the will and the ability to act, to be an agent of change.

A dynamic future beckons as UWC strives to remain a vibrant institution of high repute, in pursuit of excellence in teaching, learning and research. UWC believes that its strength will come from its ability to provide a nurturing space for its staff and students to grow in hope and to create and share knowledge to inform agency.

University of the Western Cape (UWC) has over the past few years steadily became one of South Africa’s research-intensive universities, with the capacity to produce and advance new knowledge in areas of recognised research strength and the translation of this knowledge through innovative endeavours. The Office of the DVC: Research and Innovation is thus tasked with the following responsibilities:

• Strengthening postgraduate offerings and explore options of expanding the programme and qualification mix (PQM).
• Sustain an enabling research environment that promotes research.
• Maintain a critical mass of strong, productive researchers.
• Establish and sustain strong, strategic and mutually beneficial research partnerships.
• Grow and strengthen UWC’s postgraduate culture and support to postgraduate students.
• Continue to build and strengthen its innovation capacity.