Inauguration of prof Robert Balfour as UWC Vice-Chancellor: a new era begins

The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, has assured Professor Robert Balfour that he has her full support. Prof Balfour is the newly installed eighth Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Western Cape (UWC). The Chairperson of the UWC Council, Xoliswa Mpongshe, UWC SRC President McIntosh Khasembe, and the board of Universities South Africa (USAF), Prof Francis Petersen, also conveyed messages of support. Esteemed guests at the inauguration included former Minister of International Relations Dr Naledi Pandor and City of Cape Town Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews.

Dr Nkabane reflected on the rich social and academic history embedded in the DNA of UWC: “UWC holds a special place in the hearts and minds of many South Africans, having played a prominent role in the history of the country, particularly in the struggle against apartheid.” In his speech, Prof Balfour outlined his vision to ensure continued accountability and transparency at UWC. “We need to commit to modernising how we run the organisation so that we reduce manual paper-based work, leverage technology to improve process efficiencies, and draw on the power of data analytics to make responsible and evidence-based decisions.”

In her tribute, Dr Nkabane responded to Prof Balfour and said: “I have noted a number of issues that you have raised… some of them speak to how best we can re-engineer our post-education and training system in South Africa because you (Prof Balfour) spoke about the sustainability of our higher education institutions.” Prof Balfour emphasised that his inauguration and the beginning of his journey at UWC should be approached with modesty.

For this reason, the event was understated and supported by partners and stakeholders without putting further pressure on the university budget. “I have made it clear in my preliminary observations to Council that improving the conditions of our students and delivering on accommodation for our students is important, in the context where demand for university-controlled rooms far exceeds supply, and requires high collaboration with private providers, alongside transparency and accountability to the students themselves.”