The annual Summer School in January 2025 was a resounding success with the number of Summer School participants up by a staggering 70 per cent on the 2024 Summer School registrations. It was wonderful having close on 2 000 participants filling the lecture theatres and mingling over coffee between lectures.

The programme had 118 lectures, courses, in-conversation sessions, campus tours, practical art and writing courses, excursions and lecture-perfomances to choose from across a range of disciplines from literature, art and music; current affairs, history and economics to medicine and information technology. As always the practical writing courses were fully subscribed. 

Whilst there were too many highlights to mention, a few included a full Baxter Concert Hall with acclaimed visual artist and theatre director William Kentridge discussing his chamber opera, The Great Yes, a quartet of Opera UCT students singing extracts from a rich operatic repertoire, the series of lectures curated by the Neuroscience Institute that had overflowing lecture theatres and off course the Daily Maverick lecture series of lectures that included Zapiro, Marianne Thamm and Caryn Dolley, the lecture presented by the Vice-Chancellor and Dr Imtiaaz Sooliman as well as firm favourites such as Chris Danziger, Emeritus Professor Anwar Mall, Ralph Mathekga and Emeritus Professor Ian Aaronson. The second annual Distinguished Alumni lecture presented by Emeritus Associate Professor Richard Calland, preceded by a reception, was extremely well attended.

The inaugural partnerships with the Neuroscience Institute and the Daily Maverick mark the beginning of high-quality lectures in years to come. The Summer School was live-streamed to the Solution Space at the GSB Philippi Hub, which made it possible for those living in this resource-poor area to attend Summer School at no cost. We also welcomed adult learners from the Hopeful Leaders night school in Mannenberg for the first time as well as learners from Belgravia High.