F O R E W O R D

Doctoral education has been the focus of examination and scrutiny during the last few years. As an institution, we give shape to our commitment to increasing participation in higher education and building capacity. In keeping with the National Development Plan 2030, we worked to create PhD graduates who have the skills to become transformation agents and participate actively in knowledge production. Within the sector the primary concern has been finding the balance between massification and quality assurance.

UWC, like other institutions, participated in the inaugural national PhD audit of the Council for Higher Education. Through this process, we have been able to reflect on the quality of doctoral education at UWC. We are proud to have received a very positive evaluation and look forward to addressing areas of development that were identified. At present our Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for doctoral production is slightly above the national average and has exponentially increased over the last five years.

The last five years presented us with many challenges including, but not limited to the fees-must –fall movement, dwindling funding and the pandemic. Doctoral education at UWC has been in good shape. These challenges place tremendous stress on our available resources and the cohort of doctoral students who enrolled during 2016-2021 faced unprecedented challenges in the course of their studies. Amidst these trials, there are many accounts of activism, engagement, resilience and sheer determination.

This edition is dedicated to recent doctoral graduates who embodied the spirit of UWC.

We asked them to look back on their journey and to identify lessons for the benefit of the broader UWC community. in this way, we live out the UWC motto of learning from the past to create a brighter future –respice prospice.

Our heartfelt and warm congratulation to our newly minted doctoral graduates. We acknowledge you and all those who have supported you on this journey.

Prof. Mario R. Smith, PhD Clinical Psych (Columbia University, USA) Acting Director: Division for Postgraduate Studies, UWC