Rector’s Note Prof Tyrone Tyrone Pretorius Prof Pretorius Rector and and Vice-Chancellor Rector Vice-Chancellor
elcome to the first edition of our new research-focused W publication. Throughout the pages that follow, you will meet
P
W
rof Julian May, the director of the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security and UNESCO Chair in African Food System, explores the issue of food security and says that while South Africa did not run out of food during the lockdown, there were sections of society whose suffering increased dramatically.
elcome back to Signals magazine, UWC’s research publication. some of our researchers, the work that they do and the This edition has special ontoCovid-19 and our research contribution thatathey are focus making the knowledge economy. community shines a light on not only the science of the coronavirus but also way it has influenced all aspects of society – be itsignificant education, ThetheUniversity of the Western Cape has made investments its research project multi-million-rand dentistry or theindevastation wrought onthrough family life. investment in infrastructure, equipment and people over the pastthrough decadethese or so, resulting in recognition of ourFirstly, ambition Reading articles reminded me of two things. just to become leadingcommunity a research-intensive in how strong ouraresearch is and, secondly,institution the far-reaching Southof Africa. impact the pandemic.
For instance, the disrupted school calendar not only had a negative impact on the academic performance of our learners, but the school closures also led to greater hardship for millions of learners who could no longer access the National School Nutrition Programme. It is when reading these articles that one realises the almost insidious impact of the pandemic. Behind closed doors, households were stretched beyond their limits of endurance; without their daily bread at school, children suffer from hunger and unskilled workers found themselves in the first line of being fired. And, as we witness all of this, we know that the struggle is far from over.
ToProf realise thisRoman, ambition we haveChair systematically about putting As Nicky SARChI in Humanset Capabilities and in place systems and the support for ourasresearch Social Cohesion through Family,structures writes: “Covid-19, a health community. We have built partnerships that criss-cross the pandemic, harshly foregrounded inequalities between families, the globe and offer us opportunities for research collaborations and stark difference between families We whocontinue have (privileged) andwhether families student and staff exchanges. evaluating who not (disenfranchised). Covid-19 came the nexus of our do infrastructure provides With optimum conditions for research economics, education andinvested social factors which is ultimately felt within and we have recently in two state-of-the-art facilities with functioning the opening the Faculty of Community and Health family andofcare.” Sciences in Bellville and the Computational and Mathematical Sciences building on main campus. of higher learning makes it Being associated with an institution impossible to ignore the pressure placed on the sector as well as that span of In a decade, we have theMaarman growth ofreflects SARChI ofOver basicthe education. this edition, Prof seen Rouaan on Chairs fromexperienced one in 2008 to schools our current 18, Vivienne along with the the difficulties in our while Prof Lawack establishment of the DST-NRF Flagship on Critical Thought and her colleagues examine the strategies and mechanisms they had in African Humanities of the Centre for Humanities Research to(CHR) deviseand to ensure that no would left Security. behind during the the Centre ofstudent Excellence in be Food 2020 academic year. The history of the university is deeply embedded in the Elsewhere, Dr Riaan MulderAfrica, writestherefore about thethe challenges that he modern history of South coincidence of and colleagues 60th had to overcome incelebrations the Faculty with of Dentistry and thehis university’s anniversary the release of technological the first edition of Signals History the innovations theyunder devisedtheto theme, minimise the riskand of memory,infections could not apt. Covid-19 to be oralmore health care workers.
Finally, I was pleased to see the article by Prof Rik van de Walle, the Rector of Ghent University, one of our longstanding international partners. He writes about the 15-year-long partnership that has grown over the years to include research collaborations in diverse areas such as biotechnology, gender studies, urban planning, linguistics, education and dentistry. For us, partnerships such as these speak to one of our core values in the current Institutional Operating Plan – that of establishing and growing “a mature and growing network of active partnerships with other universities, globally and in Africa”. I hope that you enjoy this edition of Signals.
The cover stories of this first edition are motivated by the need to share research interests on some burning matters that attracted scholars and captivated the minds, actions and affections of those who helped shape our memories and sense of history as a country and as a university. I trust that the magazine’s online presence will increase access and extend our digital reach to inform and inspire.
uction
2
