FOREWORD
Multilingualism as an attitude at UWC: why it matters locally and globally
Prof Bassey E. Antia
It is an all-too-common experience: feeling out of place in a conversation, specifically because of the language barrier. In such situations, one may count floor tiles until a compassionate acquaintance bridges the gap, even if that individual has only a smattering knowledge of the bridging language. In educational spaces, this exclusion is serious, and it underscores how language can be a barrier to entry for students and staff whose futures may well depend on their ability to interact effectively in this space.
While some see the co-existence of many languages as a problem, what the considerate acquaintance above teaches us is this: what truly matters is a positive attitude toward multilingualism or linguistic diversity; one that goes beyond competence and rights. Basic civility and ubuntu thrive on this mindset which, more than language proficiency or entitlements, is actually what fosters inclusion and collective problem-solving.
Given its linguistic diversity, UWC can be justifiably proud of its legacy of multilingualism as an attitude, as a core value. Even before the 2002 directive by the government to universities to devise their language policies, UWC had a working language policy document, thanks to the attitude and initiative of the then Rector Jakes Gerwel. Gerwel was well aware of the university’s changing demographics. UWC’s subsequent language policy (2003) was visionary in the manner it encouraged stakeholders to cultivate a positive attitude towards linguistic diversity even beyond the policy’s explicit provisions.
It was UWC's attitude to diversity that led the institution to establish the first ever writing centre at a South African university in 1994, with a focus on helping especially the increasing number of first-generation university students develop relevant academic literacies (see the piece by Dison). This same institutional attitude led to the establishment of the now defunct Ilwimi Centre for Multilingualism and the Language Professions Centre in 1999. Located in the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch and directed by Charlyn Dyers, the centre developed multilingual materials, supported teachers, and promoted literacy
in local communities. Various thrusts of this defunct centre have been taken up by the Centre for Multilingualism and Diversities Research, the DHET- and EU-funded Centre for African Language Teaching – isiXhosa, and the creative writing programme of the English Department.
With a positive attitude, and even without knowing all the languages of their students, UWC academics have been making multilingual arrangements in support of teaching and learning (see the articles by Ngece-Ajayi, Rink, Groenewald, and Antia). The same ethic of care has motivated UWC’s research and development in multilingualism—both in advocacy (see the pieces by Ralarala and Williams) and in a range of community-focused initiatives. There is, for instance, the work on community media consumption, literacy, and inclusion (see piece by Nkoala and Van Audenhove), the multilingual digital storytelling initiative (see Daniels’ piece) and the ongoing work in which UWC’s School of Pharmacy and the UWC Samsung Innovation Lab are collaborating with external partners to develop MzansiMed-Rx. This AI-driven mobile application will provide real-time, culturally relevant translations of medication instructions in South Africa’s official languages (see the piece by Parker and Joubert). In a similar vein, Motinyane and UWC colleagues are collaborating with Vrije Universiteit Brussel, our Strategic Institutional Partner, on a project related to low-cost interventions for children in underprivileged communities who stutter and whose families would normally not be able to afford speech therapy services.
Indeed, many of UWC’s partnerships and strategic decisions demonstrate this same positive attitude towards multilingualism. For example, UWC was invited to join BAQONDE, a consortium of seven European and South African universities funded by the European Union to promote multilingualism in South African higher education. Through this project, UWC acquired equipment and built staff capacity in various aspects of multilingual pedagogy.
In 2018, a strategic decision saw UWC take over the Centre for Advanced Studies of African Society (CASAS), a renowned research hub for the promotion of African languages in education and development, founded by retired UWC sociology professor, Kwesi Kwaa Prah (see the piece by Banda). UWC recently accepted a strategic partnership offer from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to oversee the roll-out of the Government’s Language Policy Implementation Framework across all public higher education institutions – a national project led by Antia. UWC is also playing a pivotal role in a set of language initiatives of the Department of Basic Education, as can be gleaned from the piece by Tyler.
The challenge for UWC today is not to rest on its laurels. There is hardly a value statement or goal area in UWC's Institutional Operating Plan that does not require attention to language diversity. Therefore, UWC urgently needs to put in place a structure to drive, coordinate and scale up relevant initiatives, while continuing to encourage individual enterprise. The disciplinary background of UWC’s current leadership is an asset in this regard, and the collection of articles in this issue of the research magazine provides the basis for much excitement about the future.
But why is all of this important on a global scale in an interdependent world? Beyond the insights shared in this research magazine, it is also worth exploring—within a broader agenda-setting frame— how language research and related initiatives at UWC contribute, or have the potential to contribute, to
the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Here is my take, which I illustrate with seven of the SDG goals. These initiatives, particularly our research-led teaching, continue to enhance the market solvency of our graduates, each of whom is then able to make a dent in the material circumstances of their families and communities (SDG 1); these initiatives support the dissemination of translational research to crop farmers and the transfer of veterinary public health knowledge, to address issues in the food security value chain; (SDG 2); they contribute to the responsiveness of health systems, as communication between service provider and recipient is a determinant of health services utilisation and adverse health events (SDG 3); they improve access to education and the quality of the learning and teaching experience (SDG 4); they provide a basis for addressing sexist workplace communication and disempowering cultural, convivial, and ludic communication, in order to foster gender equality and eliminate gender-based violence – both physical and symbolic (SDG 5); and they facilitate the adoption of knowledge by communities to support the use of low-tech mehods to clean their water sources, use water wisely, protect public water infrastructure, and safeguard the environment (SDG 6). Additionally, UWC’s most recent research focuses on forensic linguistics under the leadership of DVC Monwabisi Ralarala bids fair to make significant contributions to access to justice (SDG 16).
Having begun with education, I might end by noting that the pieces in this issue of the research magazine show how UWC is making an impact on education. From innovative teaching methods to inclusive learning initiatives, UWC is committed to advancing SDG 4: Quality Education for all. In this issue, dear reader, discover some of the transformative work that UWC talent is doing to shape the future of education, across disciplines, within the institution and externally, at basic education and in higher education! If you would like to chat about how you can make multilingual arrangements to support your students, please email bantia@uwc.ac.za.
Meet our Researchers
Language Policies in Higher Education
Prof Monwabisi Knowledge Ralarala
The past Minister, Blade Nzimande, responsible for the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), promulgated the Language Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutions. In the policy introduction, he states:
The purpose of the policy framework is to: (i) provide a framework for the development and strengthening of indigenous languages as languages of scholarship, teaching and learning and communication at higher education institutions; (ii) provide guidelines for the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of institutional language policies; (iii) contribute to transformation in higher education with specific reference to universities through enhancing the status and roles of previously marginalised South African languages to foster institutional inclusivity and social cohesion. (DHET, …2020, p. 12)
This statement by the Minister is fundamental for our purpose on three counts: Firstly, it acknowledges a current, long-standing societal problem which appears not only to have been detrimental but which has also negatively affected the educational situation and development of some members of the South African society; therefore, it is a problem which presumably requires both a political and practical solution. Secondly, the statement offers an important argument which suggests that the language policy and the language policy debate must take centre stage, not only to enable the notions of epistemic access, equity and equality but also to support a broader transformation agenda in higher education. And this observation aligns with which ‘Ensure [s] inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’.
Thirdly, as can be seen, the problem of policy making, policy action and implementation is inherently not only a ‘problem-driven’ issue but, if we are serious about addressing societal problems, it is also a ‘problemsolution’ issue (in Fairclough’s 2013 terms). Hence, the policy formulation process which is ushered in alongside the new dispensation in South Africa from 1994 is, among others, a mark of participatory democracy, with the ultimate goal of
entrenching previously marginalised languages as the languages of the economy and trade to create job opportunities for speakers of such languages in the job market. Hence SDG 8: ‘Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all’.
Whether or not higher education gives full expression to this political activity concerning language policy, it is an issue that multilingual South African universities are grappling with as they entertain the debates that are associated with language policy implementation orders and disorders as they relate to the current National Language Policy Framework (NLPF) (2020) for Public Higher Education Institutions.
The University of the Western Cape’s mission, underpinned by its values, which include but are not limited to inclusivity and diversity, has been entrusted with a huge responsibility of being an implementation partner, along with the DHET, as well as a national coordinator of the language policy project across all participating public universities (24). DHET’s appointment of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) as the implementing institution of the project stems not only from the institution’s association with good standing and leading scholars in public policy studies, in general, and language policy and multilingualism, in particular, but this vote of confidence resonates with the UWC commitment to the notion of social justice. A positioning that ties up with SDG 16 which ‘Promote[s] peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels’
References
Fairclough, N. (2013). Critical discourse analysis and critical policy studies. Critical Policy Studies, 7(2), 177-197. https://doi.org/10.1080/19460171.2013.798239
Language Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutions (LPF) (Department of Higher Education and Training [DHET] 2020).
NB. This contribution is extracted from a publishable paper authored by Ralarala, M.K. (to appear as a journal article, 2025).
Mid-Career Researchers
Elevating Expertise, Nurturing Leadership.
Chemistry in isiXhosa: Bridging Language Barriers in Chemistry Education
Prof Fanelwa Ngece-Ajayi
Deputy Dean: Research
In a ground-breaking initiative at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), Associate Professor Fanelwa Ngece-Ajayi has spearheaded the translation of first-year chemistry practicals into isiXhosa, in partnership with the linguistic expertise of Dr Sebo Mokapela. This project not only enhances accessibility to scientific education for isiXhosa-speaking students but also aligns with UWC's commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Their partnership ensures that the translations are not only accurate but also culturally relevant, preserving the nuances of scientific terminology in isiXhosa. This meticulous approach guarantees that students receive education in their mother tongue without compromising the integrity of the scientific material.
South Africa's rich linguistic diversity often presents challenges in higher education, where English predominates as the medium of instruction. This language barrier can hinder comprehension and engagement among students who are more proficient in indigenous languages. Recognising this, Prof. Ngece-Ajayi, a notable chemist with extensive experience in physical and green chemistry, sought support towards the translation of chemistry practicals into isiXhosa. By doing so, she aims to make scientific content more relatable and comprehensible, thereby improving student outcomes and fostering a deeper interest in the sciences. This initiative resonates with several SDGs, particularly:
Quality Education (SDG 4) providing educational materials in isiXhosa, the project promotes inclusive and equitable quality education, catering to the linguistic needs of a significant student demographic.
Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10): The translation initiative addresses educational disparities faced by isiXhosa-speaking students, promoting equal opportunities for academic success.
Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17): The collaboration between chemistry and language experts exemplifies effective partnerships that drive progress toward achieving the SDGs.
This translation project is a testament to UWC's dedication to societal impact through education. By integrating indigenous languages into the academic sphere, UWC not only preserves cultural heritage but also empowers students to excel in their studies. Such initiatives highlight the university's role in driving sustainable development and fostering an inclusive academic environment. An ongoing project to make chemistry more understandable for isiXhosa-speaking experts and students is the translation of the periodic table into isiXhosa. A thorough isiXhosa version of the periodic table has not yet been widely adopted, despite notable progress in incorporating indigenous languages into scientific education. There are particular difficulties in translating chemical elements into isiXhosa. The Latin or Greek origins of many element names result in abbreviations that might not match isiXhosa terminology or phonetics. This discrepancy necessitates careful consideration to develop isiXhosa equivalents that are both accurate and intuitive.
Promoting multilingual education through research, teaching and advocacy
Dr Robyn Tyler
Centre for Multilingualism and Diversities (CMDR): Senior Researcher
Mother Tongue Based Bilingual Education (MTBBE) is being rolled-out in primary schools in South Africa from 2025. The historic step cannot be overstated. Following in the footsteps of Neville Alexander, activist researchers have been lobbying Government for decades on the inclusion of African languages in education, beginning with primary education, and this work is now bearing fruit.
Dr Robyn Tyler is a Senior Researcher in the Centre for Multilingualism and Diversities Research (CMDR) in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and a member of the bua-lit language and literacy collective. Over the past 5 years the CMDR has developed a niche area of research into bi/ multilingual education in schools, contributing primarily to SDG 4: Quality Education and also SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. Since obtaining her PhD from the University of Cape Town in 2019, Dr Tyler has continued conducting ethnographic fieldwork in primary and high schools in the Western Cape in partnership with colleagues at the CMDR and elsewhere. This research into developing literacy in more than one language simultaneously; language ideologies which constrain bi/multilingual teaching and learning; and teacher professional development for bilingual education has fuelled the advocacy work of the bua-lit language and literacy collective.
In 2024, bua-lit produced a series of public education pamphlets which is being used by the Department of Basic Education on their website to support the roll-out of MTBBE. The CMDR, funded by the Zenex Foundation and supported by bua-lit, produced a documentary film ‘Free to Learn: Soze ungayibambi’ which launched in September 2024. The film is being used for teacher professional development by the Western Cape Education Department and further afield. Building on this research, the CMDR is offering a module in Multilingual Learning and Teaching in the Postgraduate Diploma in Language Practice as well as a Pillar 7 short course called ‘Introduction to Mother Tongue Based Bilingual Education’.
Dr Tyler’s current research project examines the use of bilingual learning materials in two primary schools. The isiXhosa-English materials and Kaaps-English materials were developed for science teaching and their uptake is being tracked through data collection in classrooms and with parents, education managers, teachers and learners. The materials, freely available on the bua-lit
website, are ground-breaking in terms of bilingual resources serving minoritised children in South African schools. Beginning in 2026, the CMDR will launch a research project tracking the roll-out of MTBBE in Western Cape schools.
The meaningful inclusion of the marginalised languages of the majority of South Africa’s children is crucial for the realisation of SDG 4. There can be no quality education in languages children cannot understand. Our work with bilingual education models demonstrates that communities also benefit by being able to engage more deeply with the academic project of schooling, contributing to SDG 11
Multilingualism and social inclusion in the classroom: Two sides of the same coin?
Ms Karin Groenewald Associate Lecturer Department of Foreign Languages
What do students bring to campus each morning? Apart from their books and their notes and their pens, they also bring along their language(s) and all the knowledge that goes with it. This knowledge shapes the way students interact with each other, their lecturers and the content of their studies. In the German Studies section, we invite students to bring these languages into the classroom, recognising that drawing on students' multilingualism and that multilingual awareness can be a valuable tool in enhancing their learning.
In the field of second and foreign language learning, this can be particularly useful in creating an inclusive and empathetic learning environment, and in encouraging students to make use of their full repertoire of languages while making sense of a new language. This is because, as the applied linguist Brigitta Busch (2010) puts it, when we learn a new language, we do not simply forget the language(s) we have already learned, but always keep them in mind. Including these languages in the language learning process, rather than avoiding them, can help students dissect and understand the structures and vocabulary of the target language.
Our students at UWC come from diverse linguistic backgrounds and most of them speak more than one, often even more than two languages on a daily basis. In order to bring these lived realities into the classroom and encourage students to reflect on their own language biographies, students in German 111 create their own language portraits. Using an outline of a person, students are encouraged to fill the person with different colours for the different languages they speak and feel influenced by. This activity makes their multilingualism tangible and helps them to reflect on the role of different languages in their identities and relationships. They are then encouraged to share their language portrait with the rest of the class, explaining why they chose certain colours or body parts to represent the different languages. This discussion often highlights certain insecurities and hierarchies that remain between languages, but it also provides an opportunity to interrogate these structures. Students are also encouraged to include dialects or different versions of languages they speak such as Kaaps, and to reflect on how this affects the way they view themselves in society.
Throughout the course, students are encouraged to reflect on the differences and similarities they encounter between German and other languages they speak. In written and oral reflections, they compare language structures but also reflect on aspects of the language they find challenging or easy to understand. These personal reflections can be written in multiple languages and seem to encourage students to use German, even when it is still imperfect or mixed with other languages. Viewing multilingualism as an asset in foreign language learning has allowed us to include and embrace the context and experiences students have with language every day.
‘Slow teaching’, multilingualism and community
Prof Bradley Rink
Department of Geography, Environmental Studies & Tourism
My experiments with multilingualism in the classroom were influenced by my Teaching Advancements at Universities (TAU) Fellowship in 2022-2023. Through my TAU project I sought to humanise learning and teaching practices through ‘Slow teaching’, a pedagogical approach defined not in terms of velocity but rather in terms of measured, deliberate, and reflexive methods The project focused on a first-year module entitled Introduction to Human Geography (GES111) that I coordinate and teach along with two colleagues in the Department of Geography, Environmental Studies & Tourism.
Relationships are central to the sub-discipline of human geography: human-environment relationships and society-space relationships. ‘Slow teaching’ also fosters relationships between social and natural worlds that we explore through human geographies, and that are central to SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. The humanising of learning and teaching practices in GES111 begins with a recognition that students come to the module not with an empty head, but rather an open mind. ‘Slow teaching’ practices embrace careful, open-ended inquiry, with activities designed to bring student knowledge into the classroom.
Multilingualism animates a GES111 learning activity that we call ‘lecture dialogues’. In one of these activities, we began by projecting on the screen key words based on the topic of the week: community, gemeenskap and mkhaya in the three most common languages of our student cohort (English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa). With these prompts, we ask students to consider the concept in their language of choice (or one that we hadn’t included) while reflecting on what it means to them through a ‘think-pair-share’ activity. Silence typically falls on the lecture theatre as students take time to contemplate the meaning of the concept, followed by lively discussion between nearly 400 students thereafter. Students are eager to share their insights, and to speak with their neighbour about a concept that they know well themselves. This is an example of ‘Slowness’ and deliberate reflection that is rendered through multilingualism. After the time for reflection, we ask students to take turns sharing their viewpoint in the language appropriate to the pairing, followed by a wider sharing with the entire class. This activity allows each student to have a voice in the class, preceded by reflection in a deliberative ‘Slow’ way. Without fail, the detailed meanings of the concept of community that emerge are far richer and more nuanced than the content in the week’s set reading. In tandem with the reading and the outcomes of this activity, students build on what they (and others in the class) know and push it further. Lecture dialogues help to foster exchange and to articulate knowledge of the critical concept of community across languages and cultures.
The results of these ‘Slow teaching’ interventions are forthcoming in a special issue of the South African Geographical Journal.
Innovate, Collaborate, Lead: Shaping Excellence Together Leading Researchers
CASAS and language description in South Africa and beyond
Prof Felix Banda Linguistics Department and Centre for Advanced Studies of African Society (CASAS) Associate
The Centre for Advanced Studies of African Society (CASAS) was established in 1997 by Professor Kwesi Kwaa Prah and was donated to UWC in 2018. Since its founding, CASAS has focused on researching the linguistic documentation of African languages, particularly the harmonisation of writing systems across related languages. CASAS’s linguistic descriptions and orthographic designs also cover communities that previously had none. At the core of CASAS’s mission is the belief that African social and economic development cannot be assured without developing community literacy practices and advancing African languages in education, from basic to higher education levels.
There are more than 2 000 languages spoken in Africa, and following the colonial heritage, only a few of them have been designated official languages and have a writing system. This means that numerous languages spoken by many African speech communities have hardly been described and lack an established orthography. However, CASAS has devised orthographies that can be adapted for use across community, regional, national and linguistic boundaries. Some of the publications produced by CASAS are in languages that previously did not have a written form.
The documentation of African languages and their corresponding orthographies largely occurred during missionary and colonial periods. Consequently, the written forms of African languages often reflect anomalies and imperfections introduced by missionaries who often lacked linguistic expertise or colonial agents and who used European linguistic blueprints to establish writing systems for African languages. In certain instances, sounds were incorporated into the written representation that did not exist in the spoken African language. This resulted in the creation of new grammatical rules and structures that were absent in the language spoken by the community at large. This mismatch has often hindered community and school-based literacy initiatives in African languages as it complicates the reading and learning process for those striving to read and write in their native tongues. CASAS’s orthography work addresses some of these
Additionally, CASAS has undertaken to address the scarcity of publications in African languages meant for African mother-tongue speakers. It has produced accessible monolingual grammars, dictionaries, orthographies, and reading materials in various African languages. It has published monolingual works, such as Sesotho Syntax, Setswana Dictionary, Siswati Dictionary, and
Silozi Dictionary. Furthermore, CASAS has collaborated with writers and educators to create reading materials for primary schools and local communities in countries such as Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Malawi, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya, and South Sudan, as well as in Gabon, Ghana, Senegal, and other countries in West Africa. CASAS has also published community advocacy materials that address critical issues such as HIV/Aids, health hazards, hygiene practices, domestic violence, indigenous knowledge, child abuse, and marriage rites and laws. Consequently, it can be said that CASAS has played a role in amplifying the voices of both major and minor African languages, thereby contributing to not just to educational advancement but also to community and societal impact at large.
Multilingualism at UWC: Charting a Fifteen-Year Contribution
Prof Bassey E. Antia
Dateline: August 2011, Bellville. I have just assumed duty. Among the modules I have been asked to co-teach is a third-year course on multilingualism. I find it puzzling that this module is taught and the content is learned monolingually—exclusively in English. This is, after all, one of the most multilingually conscious environments in the world. I wonder if the medium has become the message, to paraphrase media scholar McLuhan. Together with my co-lecturer, now Professor Emerita Charlyn Dyers, and a group of postgraduate students, I launch an initiative to produce additional lecture materials—PowerPoint slides and podcasts—in Afrikaans, Kaaps, standardised (deep) isiXhosa, and an urban youth variant of isiXhosa. By 2015, the initiative had expanded to include multilingual versions of both formative and summative assessments. Widely recognised and appreciated by students, this project has taught us two fundamental lessons. First, multilingual initiatives can be undermined by inattention to the uneven literacies of beneficiaries in the languages they know—which is why we introduced podcasts. Second, with a healthy dose of determination and creativity, neither funding nor policy is necessarily a barrier to socially just pedagogy.
While my research spans multiple areas, my work on multilingualism—encompassing nearly 30 publications—has focused on several key topics. One area of particular interest is language policy: from the politics of policy development and how policy texts can speak about multilingualism with a forked tongue, to the tools for policy development and evaluation [1]. Influenced both by the teaching initiative described above and by experiences across the continent, my research has also explored the politics, practices, paradigms, epistemologies, and products of multilingualism—not only in teaching and learning, but also in assessment in both higher and basic education [2]
The place of terminology in enabling or disabling academic literacy for students from multilingual backgrounds has also been the focus of some of my work [3]. Some other research has focused on the multilingual margins, the multilingual practices found in the nooks and crannies of teaching and learning, for example, the side chats that students engage in during class, or the annotations that students make in the margins of the literature they read of my research-based presentations at national and institutional levels have focused on technologies of multilingualism [5]. Many of the postgraduate students I have supervised over this period have worked on multilingualism, including eight doctoral students. Their topics have ranged from academic literacy in multilingual environments, through multilingualism in teaching and learning, to the development and evaluation of multilingual resources.
My work has also extended to community engagement. I was part of the team appointed by the Minister for Higher Education and Training to work on the 2020 National Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutions. I serve as the national project manager for its implementation, providing and coordinating
support to universities and overseeing their activities. Previously, I was involved in the development of language policy at UWC. I also developed the proposal and led the process that resulted in the Centre for the Advanced Studies of African Society (CASAS) being donated to UWC.
I have over the past 10-odd years been able to attract over R10 million in third-stream funding for initiatives in support of multilingualism at UWC, with the funds paying for student bursaries, capacity building, acquisition of equipment (such as a fully equipped recording booth), materials development, and dissemination. There have been several funders, both within South Africa and internationally. Thanks to a catalytic project (2013-2016) of the National Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, coordinated by Rhodes University, and the Language Practice Bursaries of the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture (2014-2020), many language students at UWC received their first externally funded scholarships and saw their language studies recognised as important. While their fellow science students were spoilt for choice in terms of funding support, they had long questioned their own decision to study languages. With the support of DHET, the Department of Higher Education and Training (2023-2027), UWC has the opportunity to further institutionalise a culture of multilingualism. Another DHET project (2025-2027), coordinated by Rhodes University, is allowing us to develop textbooks in African languages.
Internationally, the BAQONDE project, funded by the European Union (2021-2023) and implemented by a consortium coordinated by the University of Salamanca, has enabled UWC to acquire equipment and build capacity for multilingual pedagogy. Funding from the BadenWürttemberg Ministry of Science, Research and Culture, Germany (2021-2023) for a project coordinated by the Heidelberg University of Education has led to the publication of an open-access book on multilingual assessment, as well as support for students.
Apart from publications, many of these projects have produced other kinds of outputs. Digital artifacts for the European Union project as well as school outreach materials for the project [6] involved the Centre for Innovative Education and Communication Technologies, students, and academics at different career stages—including those in medical biosciences, linguistics, African languages, and language education. The production of artifacts for the MULTILA project [7], funded by the German State of Baden-Württemberg, also involved UWC linguistics postgraduate students. Beyond these international projects, there are additional multilingual resources arising from students’ class assignments and research [8], as well as the collaborative multilingual teaching initiative described above [9]. Work is currently underway on an online repository to house multilingual resources.
Recognition for this work has come in various forms. It includes the Eugen Wüster Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Research and Teaching in Terminology and Multilingualism (2016); the UWC Faculty of Arts Teaching and Learning Prize (2017); the UWC Institutional Teaching and Learning Prize (2017); and the Excellence in Teaching and Learning Prize (2017) from the Higher Education Learning and Teaching Association of Southern Africa/Centre for Higher Education. This work has also led to visiting professorships at Rhodes University, Trinity College Dublin, and the University of Education Heidelberg. The positive attitude toward multilingualism at UWC has provided the enabling environment for much of this work, and institutional leadership at all levels can rightfully take pride in these achievements.
Bridging Language Barriers in Higher Education and Healthcare: The MzansiMed-Rx Initiative
Dr Mariam Parker (Principal Investigator)
Prof Jacques Joubert School of Pharmacy (UWC)
The School of Pharmacy at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) is at the forefront of healthcare innovation with MzansiMed-Rx-Rx, an AI-powered real-time translation tool designed to eliminate language barriers and improve access to accurate medicine information across South Africa.
A patient’s journey through healthcare involves a series of critical steps, culminating at the dispensary point-of-care, where clear communication of medication instructions is essential for adherence and treatment success. When language barriers hinder understanding, patients are at risk of medication misuse, compromising safety, worsening health outcomes, and contributing to broader public health concerns such as antibiotic resistance. MzansiMed-Rx addresses this challenge by providing real-time, AI-driven translations of medical instructions and health dialogues into South Africa’s indigenous languages, ensuring that language differences do not obstruct effective treatment.
Developed through a multi-stakeholder, human-centered co-design approach, MzansiMed-Rx is trained on an extensive dataset of authentic medical interactions. It undergoes rigorous accuracy testing to ensure linguistic integrity, clinical appropriateness, and cultural sensitivity. More than just a translation tool, it is a specialised language model uniquely developed by pharmacists in collaboration with computing experts and linguists—one of the first AI-driven solutions tailored specifically for pharmaceutical communication.
With plans for registration as a software as a medical device in South Africa, MzansiMed-Rx represents a transformative step toward equitable healthcare, empowering patients with clear, reliable, and accessible medical information.
The project is directed by Dr. Mariam Parker (Principal Investigator) and Prof. Jacques Joubert (Co-PI), with key contributions from Dr. Erika Kapp, Dr. Naushaad Ebrahim, Mr. Rudy Maart, Prof. Elizabeth Archer, and a team of UWC pharmacy undergraduates and postgraduates. Collaborating with them is Prof. Bill Tucker, Dr. Marcel Dunaiski and Mr. Daniel van Zyl from Stellenbosch University’s Department of Computer Science, along with their colleagues and students, ensuring a multidisciplinary approach to tackling language barriers in healthcare., the Additionally, UWC Linguistics Department plays a crucial role in ensuring the accuracy and cultural relevance of medicine translations, further strengthening the impact of this initiative.
AI-Driven Multilingual Innovation in Higher Education
Supporting multilingualism is a central pillar of UWC’s language policy. By integrating emerging AI technologies into practical applications such as MzansiMed-Rx, we illustrate how universityled research extends beyond campus borders through collaborations with healthcare providers and rural clinics. These partnerships will help refine the app based on real-world use, ensuring inclusive and accessible communication for diverse communities.
The project also serves as a dynamic training ground for undergraduate and postgraduate students, offering them hands-on experience in research, translation accuracy testing, and AI model development. Their contributions have been instrumental in refining real-time AI translation algorithms, identifying gaps in medical terminology across languages, and implementing contextspecific improvements based on stakeholder feedback. Furthermore, MzansiMed-Rx is being integrated into pharmacy student practicals under the guidance of Dr. Ebrahim, allowing second-year Pharmaceutics students to use the tool for translating medication labels. This practical application enhances their understanding of AI-driven translation in a real-world pharmaceutical context, strengthening their technical skills and appreciation for multilingual healthcare communication.
Driving Sustainable Development
By making healthcare instructions understandable to linguistically diverse patients, MzansiMedRx aims to reduce health inequities and enhance patient outcomes. This model—where higher education research translates into tangible community benefits—aligns with UWC’s vision of fostering societal change through cutting-edge innovation.
As we approach its launch in mid-2025, our hope is that the MzansiMed-Rx-App will serve as a blueprint for how language policy in higher education can actively shape and transform public health landscapes. Looking ahead, we envision expanding its capabilities to integrate voice recognition, improve accessibility for visually impaired and deaf users, and extend its reach to additional healthcare sectors such as telemedicine and emergency response systems.
In essence, MzansiMed-Rx shows the transformative power of research-driven initiatives that span disciplines and respond to real-world challenges. By leveraging AI to support multilingualism in healthcare, the project bridges the divide between academic research and community well-being—demonstrating how language policies in higher education can spark inclusive growth and sustainable development for all. Over time, MzansiMedRx has the potential to influence national health policies, ensuring long-term integration of AI-driven language solutions into public healthcare systems and expanding its reach to underserved communities.
Including Kaaps (Afrikaaps) at the University of the Western Cape
Prof Quentin Williams
Professor of Sociolinguistics
Director:
Centre for Multilingualism and Diversities Research (CMDR)
Faculty of Arts & Humanities
Kaaps (Afrikaaps) is a very old African language formed out of a slave lingua franca used among the indentured indigenous and enslaved populations in the Cape Colony. Its sound system, word formation, syntactic structure, and meaning-making character was historically formed through the use of Cape Dutch mixed with the phonological-lexical variations of Arabic, Low and High Portuguese (also known as Malay-Portuguese), Bahasa-Malay, and Khoi and San languages in the early 1600s to 1700s. It was later influenced by English and standard Afrikaans (and gradually marginalised) as a result of colonial and apartheid nationalism policies.
A language spoken by millions of speakers in the Western Cape and across South Africa, Kaaps (Afrikaaps) is currently being codified into dictionary and plans are well underway to include it in bilingual learning materials of schools and its overall intellectualisation, following the pronouncements by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) that schools must implement translanguaging and Mother Tongue Based Bilingual Education (MTBBE) in South Africa. At the same time, and recently, the University of Cape Town (UCT) celebrated the launch of their new multilingual language policy where amongst the inclusion of three official languages (isiXhosa, English and Afrikaans), South African Sign Language (SASL), Khoekhoegowab, and Kaaps (Afrikaaps) are included as languages for development. Here UCT is leading from the front in the Western Cape. But what is happening at the University of the Western Cape (UWC)?
A research project, for example, currently underway at the Centre for Multilingualism and Diversities Research (CMDR), entitled, Making Space for Kaaps (Afrikaaps) in Higher Education: Investigating the Intellectualization of a “Historically Marginalized Language” through Terminology & Bilingual Learning Materials Development at the University of the Western Cape working at providing answers. This project, led by myself and a team of postgraduate students, investigates how we can transform (that is, intellectualise) Kaaps (Afrikaaps) as a language that we can incorporate into our curriculum
through the development of scientific terminology and bilingual (read: multilingual) learning materials. The aim of the project is to develop a terminology management system that will feed scientific terms into bilingual learning materials for our undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
In important ways, this project contributes to expanding the linguistic, terminological and scientific offerings at our university, by providing important language policy implementation insights for inclusion and equity. The project is linked to SDG 4 (Quality Education) in an effort to raise critical language awareness about Kaaps (Afrikaaps), bringing into place a terminology management system in the translation and material design practices of our courses, alongside isiXhosa, English and Afrikaans, and the supervising, mentoring and producing postgraduate research activities. It realises SDG 10 (Reduced inequalities) by providing evidence if Kaaps (Afrikaaps) is included at UWC, an institution situated on the Cape Flats. We can then realise the implementation of a comprehensive language policy for our institution and produce multilingual graduates fully equipped (linguistically) for a multilingual knowledge economy.
Innovate, Collaborate, Lead: Shaping Excellence Together Leading Researchers
Language, Media, and Social Change: Reflections from the UWC Chair in Media Inclusion and Diversity
Prof Sisanda Nkoala and Prof Leo Van Audenhove
The stories we tell, who gets to tell them, and the very languages used to share them—these define our reality. While the digital age held the promise of democratising information, it has often amplified existing inequalities instead. This is starkly evident in recent political and social developments, where a lack of diversity and inclusion within media continues to perpetuate inequalities and undermine democratic principles. As digital platforms proliferate and information overflows, the need for inclusive media practices becomes ever more critical.
Recognising the centrality of media as an area of research, the University of the Western Cape (UWC) has strategically established the UWC Chair in Media Inclusion and Diversity to address these pressing issues. Launched in October 2024, the Chair aims to act as a catalyst for interdisciplinary scholarship, fostering research and postgraduate studies that promote media representation, access, sustainability, and policy, advancing quality education, with the end goal of ensuring sustainability.
The Chair is jointly held by two distinguished scholars:
Associate Professor Sisanda Nkoala is an NRF-rated and multi-awardwinning researcher with a PhD in Rhetoric Studies. Prof Nkoala brings a wealth of experience as a former award-winning journalist and a public intellectual. She has established herself as an emerging leader in international and national media associations and national professional organisations. She also has a track record of publications in high impact journals in the fields of media studies and language
Professor Leo Van Audenhove is a professor of new media and international communication at Vrije Universiteit Brussel and an extraordinary professor at UWC. Prof Van Audenhove's research interests in e-inclusion, media literacy, ICT4D, and Internet Governance provide a global perspective to the Chair's work. His role as director of the Flemish Knowledge Center for Media Literacy reinforces the practical application of research in promoting informed media consumption, contributing to SDG 4.
Under the UWC Chair in Media Inclusion and Diversity, some of our recent research and community engagement activities have focused on creating tangible societal impact. Our multi-stakeholder media literacy roundtable, held at UWC, brought together key role players from civil society and Government, to deliberate on developing practical strategies for promoting critical thinking and informed media consumption, and in so doing, contribute directly to the sustainable development goal that promotes quality education.
The Chair's focus on quality education was further showcased in a recently published special issue of Routledge Taylor & Francis Group's African Journalism Studies journal titled "African Journalism Education Reimagined Beyond the Covid-19 Pandemic: Aftershocks and Seismic Shifts", co-edited by Prof Nkoala. This collection shares real accounts from journalism students and teachers, showing how they dealt with the sudden changes brought on by the pandemic. With contributions from top researchers across Africa and elsewhere, this issue highlights the strength and creativity of African journalism education, and directly supports SDG 4 (Quality Education) by encouraging flexible and up-to-date teaching methods.
Our commitment to global collaboration recently led to a productive visit to Vrije Universiteit Brussel, where we initiated discussions on future partnerships and knowledge exchange with imec-SMIT and ECHO-VUB. This international collaboration, which is the backbone of the work of this Chair, strengthens our capacity to address media inclusion and diversity from a broader perspective, fostering a richer understanding of the challenges and opportunities in different contexts, and ultimately, contributing to SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). On other collaborative initiatives, Prof Nkoala joined fellow African media scholars at the جامعة بنغازي (University of Benghazi) for a two-day conference focused on the vital role of media in national peace and reconciliation, directly supporting SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). We have also hosted and participated in various symposia, conferences, and panel discussions, such as The International Hate Studies Network Conference, a commemorative symposium on 140 years of Imvo Zabantsundu, and the Media Development and Diversity Agency's (MDDA) seminar on future-proofing South African community media, among others.
As we look to the future, the UWC Chair in Media Inclusion and Diversity envisions a world where media serves as a catalyst for positive social transformation through stories that promote inclusivity, equity, and access. Our work, and that undertaken by our postgraduate students, aims to advance inclusive and diverse media practices that can contribute to building more just, equitable, and sustainable societies. Through these collaborative efforts, we strive to create a media landscape that reflects the interconnectedness of our world and supports the achievement of the SDGs on a global scale.
Promoting Inclusivity and Multilingualism in Society and Higher Education through Digital Storytelling (DST)
Mr André Daniels
Digital Media Coordinator
Digital stories (DST) are short (2-5 minute), first person narratives that bring together multimedia elements like audio, video, animation and images. Essentially, it uses modern day technologies to practice traditional storytelling methods. My earliest experience of DST was as a member of the then eLearning Unit, when I collaborated with the HIV & AIDS programme of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) to develop stories aimed at addressing awareness, and the stigma of the disease. This subsequently led me to co-facilitate workshops with organisations, such as Sonke Gender-Health and the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation.
DST as a vehicle, indirect at the time, for promoting multilingualism began with my involvement in an Erasmus Plus project focusing on gathering DST from communities who are engaged in social innovation initiatives. Community members were empowered not only to tell their stories of precarity and stories of their dreams but also in their languages. I also experienced multilingual DST while leading a DST workshop in Nigeria. I continue to share my knowledge with communitybased organisations through DST workshops in collaboration with local NGOs to ensure that many of our disadvantaged communities can also benefit from rapidly advancing technologies while taking pride in seeing their languages in a new medium. In other words, by capturing community stories, DST also preserves cultural heritage, raises awareness for future generations, and helps challenge stereotypes and myths.
In academia, DST has become a popular method in higher education to support multilingual instruction. DST allows students to express themselves through multimedia while engaging with multiple languages, enhancing accessibility and inclusivity. At UWC, efforts are being made to normalise the use of African languages in education. Through collaboration with experts like Prof. Bassey Antia from the Linguistics Department, UWC has launched initiatives that promote multilingualism. Through the Baqonde project in which Prof. Antia was the UWC lead, an audio booth was set up for voiceover translations, allowing content creators to develop multilingual materials. As the coordinator of the Digital Media Studio, I manage the booth and train students on tools for creating multilingual content, thereby promoting greater accessibility to educational materials. One example of a resource created was a multilingual video on lab safety with captions and subtitles to improve students’ access to essential information. These projects showcase how
DST can bridge language gaps and offer students more opportunities to engage with content in various languages.
UWC also offers DST workshops that bring together lecturers from different faculties to train students in video production while emphasising multilingualism. These workshops demonstrate that multilingualism is not about replacing one language with another but about expanding access to education for all. To make multilingualism a reality, both teachers and students must embrace a shift in mindset as well as the opportunities offered by DST.
My commitment and passion for this work has led me to embark on a PhD, focusing on harnessing DST to develop critical 21st century skills. In a fast-changing digital world these skills are becoming increasingly important to ensure that university graduates are employable. An important area of focus of my research will be on how DST can help develop AI literacy.
Developing academic literacies of university students to promote student success
Dr Arona Dison Coordinator, UWC Writing Centre
Since the lifting of apartheid, South African higher education institutions (HEIs) have undergone considerable changes in their student profile. There has been a huge growth in formal access of students to higher education, particularly those from historically disadvantaged backgrounds. However, there has been a persistent challenge concerning student’s epistemic access and success, resulting in high dropout rates, low retention and general academic underperformance.
The development of academic literacies in higher education plays an essential role in contributing to student success. Learning to write at university poses a challenge for all students, not only speakers of languages other than English. All students need to master the language and writing conventions of the disciplines in higher education. Furthermore, writing is closely linked to learning as students grapple with knowledge and meaning. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education …” is framed mainly within the context of school education. However, we recognise that the education of students within the higher education sector plays a crucial role in overcoming inequalities in society (SDG 10) as well as enabling many other SDGs to be achieved. It is crucial for students to build critical literacies and problem-solving abilities in order to contribute to overcoming societal problems in the future.
Dr Dison coordinates the University of Western Cape (UWC) Writing Centre, the purpose of which is to provide support for the development of students’ academic literacies. She has been conducting research for the past nine years on academic literacies; the role of formative feedback in learning; the political ethics of care; and writing centres. Much of this has been done collaboratively with Dr Karen Collett from the Faculty of Education at UWC as well as postgraduate students working in the Centre. In addition to empirical research they have also written conceptual papers, including one on the contribution of academic literacies to epistemological access and facilitating social justice in higher education.
One of the themes which cuts across this research is the argument that it not sufficient for universities to provide students with academic literacy courses that are outside of the disciplinary curricula. Furthermore, while a writing centre is very valuable, it is decontextualised from these curricula. In addition to these interventions, the development of academic literacies needs to be embedded in disciplinary modules, degrees and programmes in order for students to engage fully with the knowledge and writing required in those
disciplines. Dr Dison has strong ties with the Writing Centre and the academic literacies community in South Africa and internationally.
As stated above, graduates need to develop particular attributes or capabilities in order to contribute to the SDGs in their careers. One of the areas of Dr Dison’s research has been the role of engagement in a university work environment such as the Writing Centre in developing capabilities that may be missed in their academic postgraduate studies. These may be capabilities that equip them as emerging academics or in careers outside of academia. This research was conducted collaboratively with postgraduate students who worked as tutors in the Writing Centre.
world is falling far
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all the pandemic
behind in achieving quality
Without additional measures, by 2030: Despite slow progress,
education Completion rates 84 million children and youth will be out of school 300 million students will lack basic numeracy/literacy skills
Only 1 in 6 countries will achieve universal secondary school completion target
Low- and lowermiddle-income countries face a nearly annual financing gap $100 billion to reach their education targets caused learning losses 4 in 5 of 104 countries studied in
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Global economic recovery continues, but on a slow trajectorY
in 2 billion workers are in precarious informal jobs without
1 in 4 young people are not in education, employment or training, with young women more than twice as likely as young men to be in this situation
Global unemployment is expected to fall below pre-pandemic levels, but not in low-income countries
During the pandemic, 4 10 ADULTS in low- and middle-income countries opened their first bank account
Reduce inequality within and among countries
COVID-19 triggers the largest increase in between-country inequality in three decades ,
CHANGE
(2019-2020)
Forecast
POST-Pandemic Projection
reversing decades of income convergence
In 2022, refugee numbers hit a record high of 34.6 million
Among them were:
Children: 41%
The income differences between countries decreased by 37% between 1990 and 2019 1990 2019
Globally, Women are twice as likely as men to report experiencing discrimination based on their sex
The tragic loss of nearly 7,000 lives along migratory routes in 2022
underscores the pressing need for immediate action to ensure safe migration
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Slums on the Rise
(2020)
2 billion more Are expected in the next 30 years
Globally, only urban residents have convenient access to public transport
3 in 4 cities ONE in TWO
Globally,
Air pollution is no longer an exclusively urban problem (2019) towns experience poorer air quality
than cities in Eastern and SouthEastern Asia
In the developing world
1 .1 billion urban Residents are living in slums have less than 20% of their area dedicated to public spaces and streets (2022)
1 billion people lack access t o all-weather roads (2022)
much lower than the target of 45-50% (2020)
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Steep rise in conflict-related civilian deaths
with an over 50% surge in 2022, fueled by the war in Ukraine the highest number of intentional homicides
in 20 years 2021 saw
9 in 10 victims were male 458,000 lives lost hindering their participation in decision-making processes
had been forcibly displaced worldwide as of end-2022 2.5X the number a decade ago more than 108.4 million people but many more likely remained undetected
Nearly 200,000 trafficking victims were detected worldwide between 2017 and 2020
Youth face underrepresentation in politics, 51 average age of members of parliament
Global median age
Your story matters!
Share your postgraduate journey with us, to share with others.
Contact: Tamara Goliath (tgoliath@uwc.ac.za) Writer, DVC: Research & Innovation office
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