On 6 August 2024, Retired Judge of Appeal Azhar Cachalia delivered a compelling public lecture at Rhodes University, where he criticised Parliament's questionable decision to appoint individuals with known unethical conduct to serve on the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

We are pleased to announce that SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter will deliver the keynote address at the 10th Archbishop Thabo Makgoba Development Trust Annual Lecture on Values-Based Leadership. The event is set to take place on Monday, 26 August 2024, at 18h00 at Eden Grove Red, Rhodes University.

Rhodes University recently participated in an institutional audit conducted by the Council on Higher Education (CHE), and while the report highlighted both the strengths and areas for improvement, Rhodes University showed commendable results overall.

Rhodes University recently celebrated a historic milestone with the inauguration of its 2025 Students' Representative Council (SRC). This year's elections and the subsequent inauguration were marked by unprecedented student engagement, a record-breaking voter turnout, and a commitment to inclusivity that reflects the university's core values.

The recent #RURises GBV Workshop hosted by the Office of Equity & Institutional Culture in collaboration with Not In My Name International highlighted the intricate and essential process of unlearning as a cornerstone for effective leadership and community transformation. Addressing gender-based violence (GBV) requires a multifaceted approach that challenges not only existing behaviours but also redefines societal norms, particularly around masculinity.

Dr Ashley Westaway, a prominent South African education and community development champion, has been nominated to the Rhodes University Council.

Rhodes University has recently embarked on several ambitious entrepreneurship projects with the aim of not only up-skilling students but uplifting the Makana community and economy. These have culminated in the preparation of a Centre for Entrepreneurship and Incubation, funded by SEDA, which will be housed within the Student Hub, Steve Biko Building.

Distinguished Professor Charlie Shackleton, holder of the SARChI Chair in Interdisciplinary Science in Land and Natural Resource Use for Sustainable Livelihoods at Rhodes University, has been awarded the prestigious A1 National Research Foundation (NRF) rating, the highest in the South African national system of research innovation.

‘Ubuntu’ is often used to describe a sense of shared responsibility and humanity, perhaps even virtues that underpin shared development. But when Rhodes University officially launched the Masakhe Enterprise and Supplier Development Programme (MESDP) recently, it was clear that Ubuntu is a lived experience grounded in vision.

In her plenary talk at the South African Institute of Physics (SAIP) Conference held at Rhodes University, Department of Physics & Electronics last month, Professor Raesibe Sylvia Ledwaba highlighted the importance of mentorship, advocacy, and support networks as key elements in empowering women to embrace physics as a career path in their lives.

Rhodes University recently honoured Dr Boudina McConnachie with the Vice Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award (2023). This accolade, awarded annually to educators with fewer than ten years of teaching experience, recognises exceptional contributions to teaching excellence, innovation, and dedication.

After a riveting few months of preparation and build up, the final round of the Makhanda isiXhosa Spelling Bee took place in the last week. Nine eager Grade 3 learners were seated on the stage with their first-year student mentor behind them for comfort and support.

Rhodes University Council has welcomed a clean audit with no findings for the 2023 financial year. The results further extend the institution’s established impeccable financial performance and stewardship record.

One of Rhodes University’s #RU120 Big 5 focus areas is Transformation & Leadership. As such, the University is committed to fostering a safer, more inclusive environment. Since 2016, we have undertaken substantial reforms, including revising our GBV processes and policies, fortifying our collaboration with law enforcement, and empowering our staff and students through workshops and dialogues.

ChatGPT has dominated news headlines since the release of ChatGPT 3.5 in November 2022 and has been followed by an explosion of GenAI tools and services. These AI tools and services will likely grow and continue to develop new capabilities in the future. How can the academic community stay up-to-date about the latest developments and be supported to leverage AI for academic purposes?

Applied statistician and author of the best-seller “Elements of Statistical Learning”, Professor Trevor Hastie, has donated $5000 to Rhodes University, bringing the combined donations from North America and the United Kingdom to over R1.5 million in seven months.

Twenty-year-old Bachelor of Social Sciences student Thabisile Msenga became the first recipient of a R135,500 (CAD$10,000) allocation from a newly inaugurated scholarship fund established in an agreement between Rhodes University and Myriad Canada. The fund currently has a total value of R680,000 (CAD$50,400) over four years.

With the #RU120 anniversary year in full swing, Rhodes University’s resource mobilisation efforts are set to receive an energising shot in the arm with the restoration of the prestigious Neilen Locke coaching award.

The #RU120 Sports Festival, scheduled for 9-10 August 2024, expects participation from Nelson Mandela University, Walter Sisulu University, East Cape Midlands TVET College, and local sports clubs and institutions outside the Eastern Cape. Key events from this festival will be streamed online, ensuring the festival's excitement reaches a global audience.

In a shared plenary session at the 68th conference of the South African Institute of Physics (SAIP), Head of Rhodes University’s Department of Physics and Electronics Professor Makaiko Chithambo and Visiting Adjunct Professor in Flow Physics at the University of the Witwatersrand Professor Igle Gledhill speculated on what might be accomplished by the year 2124. The talk served as an intellectual time capsule for future physicists to look over and “possibly laugh at our ignorance” as Professor Chithambo joked.