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News
UWC caps more students who can change the world
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t was another record-breaking Summer Graduation at UWC this year. UWC’s Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Brian O’Connell, capped a total of 3,311 graduates over the 10 ceremonies in March. This included 2,530 students who completed their undergraduate degrees, 511 with honours degrees, and 203 were awarded master’s degrees, while no fewer than 67 received their doctoral degrees. (There’s more to come in September, of course!) There were several highlights at the ceremonies. Visually impaired student Xolani Gxekwa received his LLB degree summa cum laude, after also picking up a few prizes at the UWC Law Pre-graduation ceremony. Several master’s and PhD graduates came through the national Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project, the largest astronomical endeavour in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the largest scientific projects globally. The University also presented its ― and the country’s ― first Master’s in Nanoscience degrees, part of the National Nanoscience Postgraduate Teaching and Training Programme. It’s been a long road for UWC, explained
O’Connell. “Just ten years ago, they said the University had no hope, and should be merged
UWC had changed since her days as a student, and how the University had changed her as well. “When I first came to study here, at that school with the red bricks and the four buildings, nobody thought I could learn to be a social worker here,” she said. “But from the first year I learned to be a true professional, to always set high standards and be the best that you can be.” Jones was honoured for her work as a founding member of Community Chest South Africa. The Community Chest entered the global philanthropic space through Jones’ formal association with United Way Worldwide (UWW), which runs programmes in 45 countries. Jones is also noted for her part in the establishment of the Community Chest Capacity Building Programme, which UWC Rector Prof Brian O’Connell caps honorary doctorate recipient ― and Community resulted in the urgent need to build a Chest founder ― Amelia Jones, in the March Graduation Ceremony. strong skills base within organisations. with other institutions. But we welcomed “Value your education,” Jones told students, the challenge of transcending the past, and “and never forget where you came from, and today we have come a long way indeed. UWC’s the values you have been taught: to always be success story is a metaphor for South Africa.” yourself; to experience life; to respect others; Amelia Jones, who was awarded an honorary to lead by example; and to live outwardly and doctorate in social work, reflected on how be connected with people.
Archbishop Makgoba speaks out against homophobia
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t’s not a stance typical among church leaders, but at an Open Panel lecture at UWC in April, Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, who is also the University Chancellor, expressed his dismay about the rise of homophobia on the African continent. The event, organised by the Open Society Foundation for South Africa, a civil-society organisation that aims to build vibrant and tolerant societies, gave people from all walks of life a chance to voice their opinions. “As we were preparing to celebrate Human Rights Month,” Makgoba said, “we were saddened to learn about the decision made by the Ugandan government to pass a law that essentially makes loving another person of the same gender a criminal offence.” He continued: “All humans are created in the image of God, and therefore must be treated with respect and accorded with human dignity.”
Koko added that the organisation was The legislation and growing homophobia surprised to see that the South African calls for action, Makgoba said. “The same government had not condemned such way we expected others to speak out against homophobic actions in other African apartheid, we need to speak out when it is countries. “We can’t expect someone our turn to show solidarity with others who coming from a progressive country to uphold are similarly oppressed.” homophobia in Uganda,” he said. Guillain Koko, a human rights lawyer from the Democratic Republic of Congo who now assists lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) refugees, spoke of his work with People Against Suffering Oppression and Poverty (PASSOP), an organisation that protects the rights of LGBT and other asylum seekers in South Africa. Many LGBT people flee to South Africa because they face discrimination in other African countries, Koko argued. “Some of these people are burned alive or run away because of police brutality, especially if you are aware of what is happening on the continent in countries Archbishop Thabo Makgoba and PASSOP human rights lawyer Guillain Koko participating in a panel discussion on homophobia in Africa. like Nigeria and Uganda,” he said.
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