Dear UJ community,
Over the years, our university has been at the forefront of dialogues on critical issues of public interest, both nationally and globally. Whether it is about gender equality and all forms of human rights, economic and social progress, or artificial intelligence (AI) and climate change, UJ has become the foremost forum to address issues that transcend national boundaries.
CNBC Africa AI Summit
Yesterday, I was honoured to be among the key speakers at the CNBC AI Africa Summit in Fourways. The summit brought together up to 300 of the continent’s top minds in business, government, and technology. As a landmark on Africa’s tech calendar, the summit aims to provide insights into and actionable direction for how AI can drive innovation, enhance productivity, and elevate service delivery across the continent. It also included deep dives into AI’s role in the workplace, its potential in transforming education and healthcare, and the fast-evolving regulatory landscape that seeks to balance innovation with ethical responsibility and leadership.
I had the pleasure of participating in the Fireside Chat on the topic The AI Regulatory Landscape: Balancing Innovation and Compliance. Leading UJ experts Professor Kat Yassim (Department of Education Leadership and Management) and Prof Arthur Mutambara (Director: Institute for the Future of Knowledge) also participated in panel discussions focusing on AI in Education: Personalized Learning and Future-Ready Skills, and Powering AI: Cloud, Infrastructure and Scalability, respectively. Click here to read more about this. You can also watch the livestream here.
UJ staff, alumni and students shine at the 2025 M&G Young 200 Awards
I have noted with pride that as many as 31 of our staff members, students and alumni have been named in the 2025 Mail & Guardian (M&G) 200 Young South Africans Awards. The awards, held annually and now in their 19th edition, recognise 200 Young South Africans who are pioneers and leaders in their respective fields. The winners of the 2025 edition were announced last Friday, on 8 Friday 2025, at a gala event which honoured the awardees. The awards, which have been taking place since 2006, recognise young people who have made significant contributions in various fields, including civil society, health, technology, arts, and entertainment. Since the awards’ inception almost two decades ago, UJ has consistently featured across multiple categories through its outstanding alumni, staff members, students and postdoctoral fellows. UJ takes pride in fostering a community of young people whose innovation, resilience, and commitment inspire others and drive positive change. Congratulations to everyone! To see all the UJ winners, click here.
Recognition for UJ In the HERS-SA Awards
After recent achievements by some of our staff members named amongst the winners in the 2024/2025 NSTF-South32Awards, as well as the 2025 National Research Foundation (NRF) Awards, I am thrilled that several of our female staff members have been nominated in the HERS-SA (Higher Education Resource Services South Africa) Awards. HERS-SA is dedicated to women’s advancement, leadership development, and career progression within the higher education sector as part of its contribution to the country’s commitment to fostering gender equity. To be nominated is a worthy recognition. I look forward to the announcement of the winners on 28 August 2025, and best wishes to all our nominees!
Annual Helen Joseph Memorial Lecture
On Wednesday evening, I was privileged to deliver the welcome address at the Annual Helen Joseph Memorial Lecture. The lecture pays tribute to an enduring legacy of Helen Joseph, a tireless campaigner against apartheid whose activities made her the first person placed under house arrest in South Africa, as well as the broader women’s movement in South Africa. The event featured Dr Silke Staab, a Research Specialist at UN Women, who delivered the keynote address. This lecture is an important platform for engaging with critical issues around gender equity and the advancement of women’s rights. It is fitting that this 20th lecture coincides with UJ celebrating its 20th Anniversary. Notably, and more apt, this year’s lecture was held under the theme Harnessing Social Protection for Gender Equality, Resilience, with Transformation. At UJ, we remain committed to creating spaces contribute to societal advancement.
Women’s Month
With the country in the midst of Women’s Month celebrations, we held this year’s edition of the UJ Women Leadership Development Plan Day (WLDP) Alumni event yesterday. In my address, I shared some insights into the paradox of gender empowerment and disempowerment, and how these twin forces seem to converge and indicate that even with progress, there is still regress. For instance, a recent Statistics SA study found that despite decades of advocacy, women in South Africa remain disproportionately affected by unemployment, sectoral segregation, informal work and caregiving burdens, all of which limit their full participation in the economy. Considering that this year we celebrate 30 years since the first National Women’s Day, this is an indictment on our women’s emancipation programmes. To break the paradox of simultaneous empowerment and disempowerment, we must be prepared to confront how that progress is being eroded while also celebrating our progress.
High Tea with the VC
Lastly, and as communicated last week, I invite you to the next edition of the High Tea with the VC Book Discussion on Friday, 29 August 2025. We will discuss the book The Splendid Tapestry of African Life: Essays on a Resilient Continent, its Diaspora, and the World by Professor Adekeye Adebajo. He is the former Director of the Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation (IPATC), and has also previously served as the executive director of the Centre for Conflict Resolution (CCR) in Cape Town as on the United Nations missions in South Africa, Western Sahara, and Iraq. As usual, we will meet at the UJ Library, Chinua Achebe Auditorium, Level 6, APK Campus, at 14h00.
Ke a leboha, ngiyabonga, thank you, baie dankie!
Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi: Vice-Chancellor and Principal
Times mentioned in this newsletter refer to the South African time zone.
