Speaking to the Cape Town Press Club last week, Prof Deresh Ramjugernath, Stellenbosch University (SU) Rector and Vice-Chancellor, reflected on his first year in office, referring to it as a year of “setting direction and strengthening alignment”.

Ramjugernath officially became the 13th Rector and Vice-Chancellor of SU on 1 April 2025.

“If I reflect honestly on the past year, it has not been a year of dramatic announcements or quick wins,” he told representatives of the media, the diplomatic corps and members of the Cape Town Press Club. Instead, it was a year of developing a shared understanding of where the University is headed. “No university achieves its ambitions through strategy alone. It does so through people who are aligned, motivated and moving in the same direction.”

Excellence with purpose

Already recognised as one of Africa’s leading research-intensive universities, SU must now strive or excellence with purpose, said Ramjugernath. “In our South African context, shaped by inequality, unemployment and deep structural challenges, this is not optional.” He noted that SU awarded the highest number of qualifications in its history at the latest graduation. Also, for the first time, more women than men graduated at doctoral level. 

But beyond the impressive statistics, SU is intent on academic excellence with relevance and impact, Ramjugernath emphasised. “It is about ensuring that the knowledge we produce speaks to the realities of the country we are part of.”

Transformation and inclusion

Ramjugernath highlighted the importance of inclusion and transformation – not as “side projects” – but as central to institutional quality and legitimacy. “Inclusion strengthens excellence. It expands the range of questions we ask. It deepens the relevance of our research.” As a multilingual university rooted in Africa, with a global reach, SU is committed to ensuring that language widens access, deepens inclusion and enhances learning. SU must also remain globally competitive to produce graduates that can succeed anywhere in the world. “If we get this balance right, our identity becomes a strength.”

Ramjugernath acknowledged that perceptions of SU are still shaped by its past. “Our task is not to dismiss that perception, but to engage it, respond to it and demonstrate, through evidence, how the institution is evolving.” When asked after his address about changing residence culture, he said that “practices and cultures have to evolve. Our student leadership understands that there needs to be change.”

Financial challenges

When asked about student protests on campus related to funding challenges, Ramjugernath acknowledged that this is a global issue. In South Africa, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) model is unsustainable, creating challenges for higher education institutions, he explained. In response, SU has been proactive in addressing some of the challenges that arise because of funding shortfalls. “Our approach has been to engage with the students and the Student Representative Council.” As a result, the protests that took place at the start of the year were driven by parties outside of the University, and not students.

Innovation with impact

SU has a strong history of innovation, noted Ramjugernath. Through LaunchLab, the University’s innovation incubator, SU has helped to launch more than 35 spinout companies, attracting millions in investment. But ideas on their own are not sufficient, he added. “(They) must translate into economic opportunity, societal benefit and policy impact.”

Looking ahead

In conclusion, Ramjugernath defined his first year as SU’s 13th Rector as a year of listening – across the institution and beyond it. “But listening on its own, is not enough. The next phase must be about delivery, partnership and momentum.” Furthermore, this delivery must be “visible, measurable and felt”.

Looking ahead, he said that while the first year had been about getting the fundamentals right, the next phase will be about acceleration. “We have strong people, strong systems, strong partnerships. Now the task is to get the best out of all of it. To move at greater pace and to translate strategy into results.”

To listen to the address, visit https://marionedmunds.com/cape-town-press-club-recordings and use "Stellies" as the password.