Image: Shivan Parusnath
VICE-CHANCELLOR’S NOTE
ALLOW I N N O VAT I O N TO FLOURISH I TAKE OFFICE in the midst of a pandemic, at a time when the global economy is in dire straits, and the world as we know it is changing forever. Not many would consider this an opportunity, but I am confident that innovation incubates in times of great stress and uncertainty. While the world grapples with the worst health crisis in over a century, our country continues to face multiple challenges, some of the most pressing being inequality, rising debt levels and low economic growth. Financial hardship has been exacerbated by the impact and consequences of the pandemic and has directly affected many of our students, which has led to another round of student fee protests. Currently, the University administers over R1 billion in financial aid, bursaries and scholarships, and commits over R120 million annually from the Council budget to assist students. But these are stop-gap measures that do not address a systemic problem. There are no easy or quick solutions to the challenges we face, but we remain resilient and resolute in the knowledge that we can overcome any obstacles. At times like these we must garner our collective courage, ingenuity, resilience, and strength to find solutions. With new leadership in place, our centenary provides us with an opportunity to hit the reset button and presents Wits with a moment to reimagine the future of our University and to envision our moonshot that could change society for the better. We have an incredible head start — we stand on the shoulders of over 200 000 Witsies who have walked through our halls, inspiring change and making their mark on society. For 100 years, this intellectual power-house has nurtured critical thinkers and innovators, problem-posers and problem-solvers, intellectuals, discoverers and originators, who punch above their weight in the world, much like the women reflected in the
contents of this edition of the WITSReview. As a University, we continue to find the solutions to compelling quandaries, to spur innovation amidst disorder, to salvage hope from despair, and to harness humanity for good. It is at Wits that researchers are tackling the problems of the 21st Century, and preparing the next generation of scholars to address the challenges of the future, some of which are still unknown. Witsies are leading the charge on climate and global change, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, inequality, infectious diseases, vaccine trials and technology, and are preparing the future leaders of Africa for the world. Universities often flourish in flux and the time is now ripe for Wits to catapult into a new realm, and to reclaim its space in the global academy. But we cannot do it alone. It will take the collective effort of our partners and other social actors, including our alumni, funders and donors, both within and beyond our borders, to walk this journey with us. We are at the precipice of change and now more than ever, we need to be a beacon of light for society. I look forward to walking this journey with you so that we can leave a legacy for future generations.
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal
Apr il 2021 5
