SU's Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic, Prof Liezl van Dyk, stepped into her new role at SU on Wednesday, 1 July. Van Dyk brings extensive experience in higher education to the role. Van Dyk says she sees her role as connecting dots, building relationships and working across functions.

Stellenbosch University (SU) will host the 14th World Congress of the Bachelier Finance Society (BFS) in 2028. This is the first time the prestigious event will be held on the African continent. Prof Mesias Alfeus will be the lead local organiser for the 2028 congress.

Multilingualism is a powerful tool for learning, participation and belonging in higher education. A workshop titled Building Community through Multilingualism: A Look at Academic Spaces, presented during Stellenbosch University's (SU) first Teaching-Learning-Assessment (TLA) Day on 18 May. Multilingualism can be a practical way of building clearer understanding, richer participation, more inclusive classrooms and stronger academic communities.

Su recently hosted a “Gambling and student wellbeing” symposium organised by the South African Association of Senior Student Affairs Professionals (SAASSAP) in partnership with Higher Health. The symposium brought together higher education leaders, researchers, student affairs practitioners and policymakers from around the country to examine how gambling is affecting student wellbeing, academic success and financial security. In a statement of intent, participants committed to working together on implementing programmes aimed at addressing the growing challenge.

Cape Winelands Airport and Stellenbosch University (SU) have entered into a cooperation agreement aimed at advancing innovation under the shared themes of “Smart” and “Green” development. Through this partnership, both parties will actively seek opportunities to align academic research, industry expertise, and infrastructure development to address real-world challenges and unlock new opportunities. Beyond its aviation role, the airport expansion is expected to become a major driver of regional economic development and job creation within the Western Cape.

Prof Hafizah Yousuf Chenia of the Department of Microbiology delivered her inaugural lecture on 23 June 2026. She focuses on how microorganisms communicate, share resistance genes, survive hostile environments and behave like organised communities. She explores innovative alternatives for addressing antimicrobial resistance.

Switched from music to law. Recipient of the Rector’s Award for best LLM thesis. A deep appreciation for the value of living and learning alongside people from different backgrounds.

SU’s Division of Health Systems and Public Health and the Institute for Life Course Health Research, in collaboration with partners at the University of Cape Town, the University of the Western Cape and Wits, hosted a symposium, entitled “Showing Courage and Solidarity with Refugees and Migrants in South Africa”. Held ahead of World Refugee Day on 20 June, the event brought together researchers, civil society organisations and asylum seekers to discuss the challenges faced by refugees and migrants. Discussions also focused on misinformation about why people leave their homelands.

International Women in Engineering Day was observed on 23 June. Prof Sara Grobbelaar of the Department of Industrial Engineering wrote an opinion piece. South Africa needs a systems- and lifecycle-based approach to development.