New Health Sciences students enjoy warm welcome
“You deserve to be here!” so said Vice-Chancellor (VC) Professor Mamogkgethi Phakeng, in her welcome address to our first year students at the University of Cape Town (UCT).
If our new students felt any anxieties about the reception they would receive at UCT, these were quickly dispelled by the VC’s warmth and great sense of humour. Her address drew appreciative laughter and clapping from the students.
“I am proud that you choose UCT to study at, and YOU should be proud of yourselves for being successful among the 84 000 applications received by UCT," she said.
Referring to the diversity of their backgrounds, the VC mentioned that for some in the group, this was a big milestone, as they could be the first in their community to attend a university.
She implored them to ‘keep your intellectual confidence’. As top students all used to achieving high marks at school, she warned them that it is not unusual to get 60% at university - and celebrate it!
UCT is committed to ensuring its students pass, and its teachers work hard to create an enabling environment for them to succeed. With the highest throughput of all universities in South Africa, it is not only for research that UCT is rated the top university in Africa.
The VC appealed to students to be 'strong in character', dedicate themselves to their studies, choose their activities and friends carefully, be strong in the face of many negative influences, and that if needed, they must use the student support services available at the university.
Lastly, she emphasised that UCT was a diverse institution which valued and treated everyone equally, to whom all in its community belonged – there was no place for racism and chauvinism. Students should be open to ideas and debate, to the importance of decolonisation, and the need to grow knowledge that recognises and has relevance to us as a country.
Professor Phakeng concluded her address by taking ‘selfies’ with students to their great delight, and posting them on social media.
The new students commenced a two-week orientation programme before being immersed into their studies. Their welcome activities included an ‘Amazing Race’ designed to take new students across the university to familiarise themselves with campus geography, its icons, people and history, as well as most importantly build relationships with other first year students in the Faculty. View the full message to the university
