17 October 2016

UCT to resume 2016 academic year on Monday, 17 October 2016

As indicated in the message from the Vice-Chancellor on Friday 14 October 2016, the University of Cape Town’s Council agreed to complete the 2016 academic programme resuming academic activities on Monday, 17 October 2016 in the following manner:

• Teaching and learning will resume through a variety of approaches, including blended learning. The precise combination will vary by faculty and discipline and will be communicated to students by their faculties and departments shortly.
• UCT libraries and computer labs will be open
• The Jammie Bus service will be operating

Faculty of Health Sciences Plan for 2016 Academic Year

The Faculty is committed to complete the 2016 academic programme for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Heads of Departments will be responsible for ensuring that students and staff are re-orientated for a safe and secure return to the Teaching and Learning programme.  In the current climate, the faculty community needs to promote a sense of safety, calm, connectedness and hope.

Heads of Departments, together with Programme and Course Convenors, will provide the necessary details with respect to teaching and learning activities taking place in their respective departments.  Departments make available detailed plans of activities for the coming weeks.  The revised programme takes into account the required accreditation requirements and competencies for each programme.

Final year students in the undergraduate programmes will be returning to the clinical platform beginning Monday 17 October 2016.  The Deanery is currently engaging with the Health Professions Council of South Africa and National Department of Health regarding registration processes and internship placement respectively.  These engagements will ensure a smooth transition into the health services and further details will be released as soon as possible.

For pre-final undergraduate students, the plan is for convenors to meet with their respective undergraduate students on Monday 17 October 2016 to assist with reorientation of students and staff.

All postgraduate programmes will resume on Monday 17 October 2016. Consideration will be given to the delivery of class-based teaching using alternative methods such as e-learning where necessary.

Safety and Security

Dr. Reno Morar, Deputy-Dean for Health Services, is the faculty’s liaison person on all safety and security related matters (contactable on cell phone number 082899613).

Staff and students are reminded that UCT has no jurisdiction with respect to safety and security measures in Western Cape Government Department of Health Facilities. 

I trust we will be able to work together to ensure that we complete our 2016 academic programme.

Yours sincerely

Bongani Mayosi

Dean