Meeting up with Alumni in Australia and Hosting an AGM in Sydney 

Sarah Archer, Executive Director of Development & Alumni, visited Sydney, Perth and Melbourne in Australia, meeting with alumni and friends, focusing on reigniting UCT engagement in Australia.

The UCT Australia Trust hosted an alumni event and AGM. Those who couldn’t meet in person joined online.  At the event we shared the new VC Professor Mosha Moshabela’s vision and goals for the university and how the country context presents opportunities under new leadership. 

 

Alumni Event in Johannesburg

Johannesburg-based alumni and friends gathered for a memorable evening to warmly welcome Vice-Chancellor, Prof Mosa Moshabela. The evening saw about 80 attendees, spanning generations from graduates of 1975 to 2023, brought together by a shared commitment to our university's future. Prof Moshabela's call to action resonated deeply, urging attendees to become “Guardians” of our university, offering mentorship, expanding networks, and championing our institution's mission in their respective fields.

 

VC Engagement

Mutle Mogase, Chair of the UCT Foundation Trust, hosted an intimate lunch with the Vice-Chancellor and selected alumni donors. This is part of ongoing planned intimate engagements with UCT leadership, alumni, donors and friends.

 

Golden Graduation

The UCT classes of 1974 and 1975 were welcomed back onto UCT campus to attended Golden Graduation.  The 44 golden graduates who graduated 50 years ago, met up at the Development and Alumni offices before being shuttled up to Sarah Baartman campus where they attended the graduation ceremony.  After graduation, they attended a celebratory lunch in the gardens of Glenara, the Vice Chancellor’s home. It was a time of conversation, connection and reminiscing with alumni who had come from far and wide across South Africa and the globe to be together.

Professor Moshabela described how despite the many challenges UCT faces, the alumni share the many stories of challenges that have been overcome.  He commented, “This demonstrates the resilience of UCT and this resilience comes from people such as yourselves.

The event also celebrated golden graduate Professor Michael Hayden’s honorary doctorate which he received in recognition of his exceptional contribution to medical science, renowned for his pioneering work in Huntington’s disease and breakthroughs in neurodegenerative diseases.

The VC invited the golden graduates to come close to UCT, be part of the conversations, be invested in the future of UCT and to be part of the intergenerational exchange of experience and knowledge building the institution of the future we want to see.

Read more about Golden Graduation here

 

Medical Class of 1975 50^th Reunion

The UCT medical class of 1975 recently celebrated their 50th reunion with a week of gatherings and celebrations, including attending UCT's Golden Graduation. It was a special week of connection and renewing friendships.

Dr Joan Louwrens commented, “Our class of 142 members graduated in 1975. Our country was in political turmoil. Two-thirds of our class left our shores. But we persisted in coming together, to keep the friendships forged at medical school alive; to develop a deeper understanding of the trials of those years spent studying together and thus we held reunions every 10 years. We have just celebrated our 50^th reunion and all the efforts and persistence over those years rewarded us all with a strong feeling of drawing closer, of healing, of respecting each other’s stories, and of valuing and cherishing our time together at UCT.” To read more about the reunion and see images click here.

 

New York City:  Celebrating Women Who Lead

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UCT alumni, friends and supporters gathered at Soho House NYC for a powerful and inspiring conversation on women’s leadership.

Hosted by UCT’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mosa Moshabela, and moderated by Porcha Dodson , the evening featured four extraordinary UCT alumnae:
🎬 Jodi Balfour – Actor and Filmmaker 
🌍 Roxsanne Dyssell – Co-founder of Afamba and UCT Fund Board Member
💼 Ariana Omar – Vice President at Goldman Sachs
💡 Sue Phillips – Founder and President at Scenterprises 

Together, they shared insights on navigating male-dominated fields, leading with authenticity, building networks of support, and the importance of resilience and imagination in shaping change.

It was wonderful to meet with alumni and friends an celebrate women who are making a difference.

UCT Medical Class of 1973 reunion in Charleston, USA

Trevor Kaye, organised a UCT Medical class of 1973 reunion in Charleston, USA.
The team has already started planning another reunion for their classmates in Australia and New Zealand, to be held in Sydney in March 2026.  

Please contact Nomcebo or Cindy if you want support for your reunion: alumnievents@uct.ac.za