Inauguration of the 13th Rector and Vice-Chancellor
Prof Deresh Ramjugernath
Inauguration programme
Prof Deresh Ramjugernath, the 13th Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University, stepped into his new role on 1 April 2025. He will officially be inaugurated on Wednesday 1 October 2025. The inauguration will take place on the Stellenbosch campus and live streaming of the event will commence at 10:00.
The role of the Rector and Vice-Chancellor
The Rector and Vice-Chancellor is the principal, chief executive, accounting officer and academic leader of the University, and is accountable for the management and administration of the University as well as for additional responsibilities delegated by the University Council.
About the Rector and Vice-Chancellor
A seasoned and highly experienced higher education leader with extensive senior executive experience in the sector in South Africa, Prof Deresh Ramjugernath officially joined Stellenbosch University in January 2021, and served as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Learning and Teaching.
Before making Stellenbosch his home, Prof Ramjugernath was Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Pro Vice-Chancellor: Innovation, Commercialisation and Entrepreneurship at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).
He boasts extensive board and governance experience having served on several company and organisation boards. A pre-eminent scientist in the field of chemical engineering and specifically in chemical thermodynamics and separation technology (becoming the youngest full professor in his field in Africa at age 31), Prof Ramjugernath held the DST/NRF South African Research Chair (SARChI) for Fluorine Process Engineering and Separation Technology until 2018.
He has successfully graduated over 130 Master's and PhD students and supervised over 20 postdoctoral fellows. Prof Ramjugernath has published more than 350 peer-reviewed journal papers and has presented at least 300 papers at international conferences. He studied at UKZN and obtained the degrees BSc Eng (Chemical) in 1993, MSc Eng (Chemical) that was upgraded to a PhD in 1995 and a PhD in Chemical Engineering in 2000.
Prof Ramjugernath resides in Stellenbosch with his wife, Prof Prathieka Naidoo, an accomplished academic in her own right, and their three daughters. Besides being a dog lover and an avid sports fan who plays tennis, paddle and golf, Prof Ramjugernath loves the outdoors.
Appointment
On 15 April 2024 the Stellenbosch University Council formally announced that it had commenced the search for the University’s 13th Rector and Vice-Chancellor. Following a transparent and inclusive process, the Council announced on 5 September 2024 the appointment of Prof Deresh Ramjugernath as the new Rector and Vice-Chancellor.
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"We can only be great if we work together and, importantly, if we all move forward together. I believe in a fresh, service-oriented approach to leadership. I lead by example - if I expect academic excellence, I must model it myself. Leadership, to me, is about service, not status. It's about empowering others - giving people agency and helping them realise their potential, just as others did for me."
- Prof Deresh Ramjugernath
Focus areas
Prof Deresh Ramjugernath views academic excellence to be front and centre as one of his three focus areas for the next few years – with the other two being people, culture and processes; and partnerships and sustainability. He shared his vision with the University community on his first day in office.
