As he closes his first 100 days as Rector and Vice-Chancellor at UWC, Professor Robert Balfour’s attention turns to the university’s next big task: shaping UWC’s Institutional Operating Plan (IOP) for 2026–2030.
At the heart of this process is a commitment to preserving UWC’s legacy as a university rooted in academic excellence, transformation, critical thought and social justice.
Looking back over the past 100 days, Balfour emphasised that vision achieves impact through action.
Although officially taking office on January 1, Balfour began immersing himself in campus life months before, walking the grounds, meeting with students and staff, and warmly welcoming guests to UWC, always wearing one of his signature hats. By the time he stepped into the role, he already had a strong sense of the institution and its people because of an intensive stakeholder engagement exercise across the length and breadth of the entire campus. The stakeholder engagements continued into the first 100 days to include visits to Premier Alan Winde, Vice-Chancellors of sister universities, influential donors and the hosting of several Consul-generals and international delegations.
The year began with national tensions over fees, accommodation and financial exclusions, and UWC experienced relatively little disruption with the VC and his team ready to engage with student leadership to ensure minimal negative impact on teaching and learning. In addition, Balfour has tasked the executive with urgently improving systems related to transportation planning, the provision of new accommodation, and the overhaul of the maintenance reporting process.
One of the standout moments of his early days in office was his directive to organise a no-cost inauguration. Aware of the financial pressures facing UWC and the higher education sector at large, Balfour challenged the management team to deliver a meaningful inauguration without burdening the university’s budget. They not only succeeded but secured donations that created a surplus which helped reimagine the student-led iKamvalethu Fund, a flagship project of the SRC. At the cheque handover, Balfour presented R1.6 million to the SRC president to grow the fund, which supports students who fall outside of NSFAS’s funding model.
At his inauguration held at the Cape Town Civic Centre on February 15, Balfour shared a powerful vision for UWC - one grounded in social justice, inclusion and public good. Among the messages in his inaugural address was a commitment to reimagine the role of UWC as a home of the intellectual left and a call to transition from a research-led to a leading-research university.
In March, collaborations between local TVET colleges including Northlink and Boland were realised with a view to enhancing existing areas of the university’s research, for example on regenerative agriculture, and a commitment to expanding access through more explicit articulation routes from TVET to university.
Balfour has also visited schools in the surrounding communities to explore how the university can support sporting and other events to build connections, partnerships and synergy.
Spontaneous pop-in visits to campuses in Woodstock and Bellville CBD, and also onsite walkabouts to residences and facilities, are part of his style of engagement and accessibility.
Also in March, Balfour launched a national alumni engagement tour, commencing in Bloemfontein. The roadshow has been designed to reconnect with former students, celebrate UWC’s legacy, and build support for current and future generations of learners. Stops in the Cape Metro, Gqeberha and Kimberley are scheduled in the months ahead.
At the end of March, a special sitting of the Senate approved UWC’s improvement plan. This was an important governance process to endorse the university’s official response to the recommendations of Council on Higher Education’s Institutional Audit Report which was received in quarter 4 of 2024.
In early April, Balfour announced the launch of a series of inclusive Campus Dialogues, inviting staff and students to help shape UWC’s priorities for the next five years.
Cape Times