Dear UJ community,
As the Heritage Month celebrations continue in South Africa, I pondered some of the opportunities and threats of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI is emerging as a powerful tool for digitising, preserving, and safeguarding our cultural heritage, especially artefacts, artworks, historical sites and other valuable items that can easily be at risk of loss, damage or deterioration. While AI can revolutionise entire industries by making decisions previously reserved for human judgment, it is also prone to mistakes. The question arises: how do we protect individual privacy and rights in a world where AI can analyse vast amounts of data with unprecedented speed and accuracy?
Launch of AI and the Law book
It is precisely because of the challenges associated with the seismic changes brought about by AI that, together with my predecessor, Professor Tshildizi Marwala, I decided to write a book titled Artificial Intelligence and the Law. The book explores how AI impacts the very foundation of justice and governance – the law. It delves into the changing landscape ahead for AI, both from a technological and legal perspective, dissecting the distinct gap between the law and human rights. I believe that this book is a valuable resource that addresses the complex intersection of technology and law, especially in ensuring that our legal frameworks keep pace with technology. As I said at the launch, may this work serve as a call to action for legal professionals, AI developers, and policymakers to collaborate across disciplines and borders.
UJ Research and Innovation magazine
Still on publication matters, the third quarter edition of UJ’s Research and Innovation magazine is now available, showcasing the excellent work of UJ researchers. This edition features UJ Geology’s exploration of how the dynamic planet looked 1,200 million years ago, while Dr. Fidele Tugizimana’s team from Biochemistry investigates microbes that help crops like maize in challenging weather conditions. The UJ Virtual Reality project, led by Prof. Umesh Ramnarain, offers school learners a unique experience of San culture. Additionally, Prof. Marlize Lombard from the Palaeo Research Institute highlights how ancient bowhunting likely shaped human focus. At the Soweto Campus, student teachers are learning to manage difficult learners using mixed reality simulations under the guidance of Prof. Sarah Gravett. Click here for the online version of the magazine.
UJ’s Harmony of Hands Indaba champions inclusivity for Left-Handed individuals
Last month, our Centre for Education Rights and Transformation (CERT), in collaboration with the African Left-Handers Foundation (ALHF), hosted the Harmony of Hands Indaba and Festival launch event to celebrate left-handed individuals and address the challenges they face in a world designed for right-handed people. On Tuesday this week, the Centre hosted a similar event to further raise awareness. The event explored new trends and research in education and highlighted the lived experiences of left-handed individuals to foster inclusivity. Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka, the Public Protector of South Africa, delivered the keynote address, while renowned composer, percussionist, and educator Eugene Skeef (FRSA), led a series of captivating artistic performances. To read more about this, click here.
UJ Future Walk
As indicated on this platform last week, we are drawing closer and closer to the 2024 edition of the UJ Future Walk, our fifth fundraising walkathon, on Saturday, 28 September. This year, UJ will be supported by Lucky Star Heartbeat Sessions as part of the event’s objectives to foster a healthy agenda through mutually beneficial partnerships. The Lucky Star Heartbeat Sessions, fully supported by the Heart and Stroke Foundation, are designed to promote healthy living through physical exercise, focusing on preventing heart disease in underserved communities. Celebrity fitness personalities, including Connie Ferguson and King of Squats, will lead fun, interactive workout sessions for the UJ community.
This partnership, which will be launched at the UJ Future Walk, also aligns perfectly with the values of the UJ Healthy Campus Programme and the Heart & Stroke Foundation. Tickets are available on the UJ Sport App and the UJ website, www.uj.ac.za. Prizes will be awarded for the “Largest Participating Team” and the “Best Performing Team,” along with various individual prizes on the day. The UJ Future Walk has raised over R2 million since its inception in 2015.
Heritage Day Message
Last, and as alluded to above, next week, Tuesday, 24 September, marks Heritage Day in South Africa. Heritage Day allows us to reflect on our diverse backgrounds and acknowledge our shared histories. We are an incredibly diverse nation, and remarkably, our differences have emerged as a great unifier. Acknowledging and celebrating our heritage is not a dismissal of our dark past but rather a celebration of the freedoms we vehemently fought for. We must thus continue to carve out spaces for all South Africans to feel that they belong and where every voice is heard. With that, I urge you to embrace the richness of our heritage, learn from one another, share your stories, and build friendships across the lines of race, language, culture, and tradition. With Heritage Day this year on a Tuesday, Monday is a University Holiday. I wish you all a very happy and restful Heritage Day!
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.
