Rhodes University is a research intensive university. It is a ‘place of knowledge’ as Dr Mabizela, our new Vice Chancellor, recently stated in his address at the opening of the academic year. A small university when compared with others, Rhodes has over 2300 postgraduate scholars, who collectively make up 30% of the student population. Their work is, and must be valued on campus, and in society more broadly.

The newly established Centre for Postgraduate Studies at Rhodes will seek out creative and productive ways to work with academics and postgraduate scholars to strengthen the quality, quantity, throughput and outcomes of postgraduate scholarship at Rhodes University. The project is an academic one, and will start with a Postgraduate Orientation Programme on 24 February that will focus on a broad orientation to research design and academic writing.

Importantly, however, the Centre for Postgraduate Studies will encourage scholars across campus to share their research with each other, with younger scholars on campus, with academics across disciplines, and with others, so look out for the Postgraduate Studies Seminar Series and activity programme for the year. Information on postgraduate activities will be regularly posted on the www.ru.ac.za/postgraduategateway site.

Each postgraduate scholar on this campus is dedicated to examining some or other aspect of life with rigor and commitment, and through this, is providing society with new knowledge and insight into a myriad of different issues of interest necessary for building our worlds and our future together. Such work needs to be constantly valued in our university and our society. We look forward to exploring this interesting space with postgraduates from across the disciplines in the year ahead!

Welcome to all new postgraduates to Rhodes and welcome back to those returning to Rhodes University! May 2015 be a good year for you all.  

Professor Heila Lotz-Sisitka & Ms Varonique Sias

Director and Administrator Team, Centre for Postgraduate Studies