During Stellenbosch University's (SU) online staff assembly on Wednesday 9 March, Prof Eugene Cloete, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC): Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, gave an overview of progress in his portfolio during his ten-year tenure as DVC. Prof Cloete's second five-year term comes to an end in July. He thanked all colleagues for their unsparing efforts and collaboration during his time in office.

Under Prof Cloete's guidance, our university's research output grew from 2 200 units in 2012 to 4 000 in 2021. Over the same period, postdoctoral fellows increased from 154 to 321, research chairs from 16 to 62, and National Research Foundation-rated researchers from 309 to 492.

In the past ten years, we have also established six centres of excellence – the highest number of any South African university. Moreover, we have launched the schools for Data Science and Computational Thinking as well as Climate Studies, introduced the AUDA–NEPAD Centre of Excellence in Science, Technology and Innovation, the ARUA Centre of Excellence in Water and Energy, and the Fraunhofer Research Laboratory, and opened our cutting-edge Biomedical Research Institute (BMRI).

In his presentation, Rector and Vice-Chancellor Prof Wim de Villiers also referred to the BMRI and highlighted that this state-of-the-art facility had already received a few visits from high-profile delegations. These included the delegations led by President Cyril Ramaphosa and World Health Organisation director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus respectively in February.

The Rector proceeded to provide an overview of our institution's many achievements of 2021, graduation statistics, the Welcoming Period, our rebrand, the draft Communication Policy and the proposed vaccination rule. He also reported a significant increase in student applications. Compared to 2021, the University received 143% more applications this year, which Prof De Villiers partly attributed to the success of the new application process in broadening student access.

On the issue of student debt, the Rector said that staff members and students were again preparing to participate in the upcoming Cape Town Cycle Tour to raise funds for this deserving cause. “Fundraising to help students – whether with debt or food insecurity – is a proud Matie tradition, with staff members keen to get involved," he said.

In their respective timeslots, Prof Nico Koopman, DVC: Social Impact, Transformation and Personnel, gave initial feedback on the Staff Well-Being, Culture and Climate at Work survey, while Chief Operating Officer Prof Stan du Plessis assured staff that the University followed a “collaborative process informed by market realities" to draw up our institution's budgets.

SU also introduced an interpreting service to its staff assembly for the first time. The main proceedings took place in English, with real-time online interpreting provided in Afrikaans and isiXhosa.

• ​For a PDF of the staff assembly presentations, click here.​
• To access VIDEO recordings of the meeting (the English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa channels), click here.