Upper Campus at the University of Cape Town (UCT) came alive with a familiar plethora of anticipation, pride, and nervous excitement on Saturday 31 January 2026, as first-year students and their families gathered for UCT's First-Year Orientation Day. 

Parents walked alongside their young adults through spaces that will soon become lecture halls, meeting points, and spaces that will help shape and inspire. For some, however, the day carried a stronger sense of belonging – it was a return to a university that had once shaped their own lives.

A warm welcome to all 

The centrepiece of the morning was the official welcome address by Prof. Mosa Moshabela, Vice-Chancellor of UCT, delivered to a packed Sarah Baartman Hall. Speaking to students and parents, Moshabela reflected on the significance of joining the UCT community and the responsibility that comes with it.

“Gaining access to UCT is not easy,” he said. “It reflects hard work, commitment and the ability to meet very high academic standards.”

He reminded families that admission to the university is both a privilege and an achievement, earned through years of dedication and sacrifice. Beyond academic success, he emphasised that UCT’s mission extends beyond the classroom.

“I, too, applied to UCT many years ago and was rejected. I still hold a grudge,” he quipped, drawing laughter from the hall, before adding, “UCT is not only about obtaining a qualification. It is about shaping ethical, critical thinkers who can engage meaningfully with society and contribute to a better future.”

Addressing parents directly, Moshabela acknowledged their ongoing role in supporting students, while underpinning the need for students to take ownership of their journey.

“Parents remain important partners in this process,” he said, “but university is also the space where students begin to take full responsibility for their learning, their values and their independence.”

He concluded by reaffirming UCT’s enduring purpose: “While the world is changing rapidly, UCT remains committed to academic excellence, transformation and social responsiveness. This is a place where young people are challenged to grow not only intellectually, but as human beings.”

Passing the baton: reflections from UCT Alum

Building on this message, Prof. Elelwani Ramugondo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) for Transformation, Student Affairs and Social Responsiveness, as well as the programme director of the Orientation Day, reflected on her own journey as a UCT alumna, an academic, and now witnessing her daughter’s decision to study at the university.

“Occupational Therapy is a profession that found me rather than the other way around,” Ramugondo said. “As a young student, I didn’t grow up knowing about it, but its focus on empathy, relationships, and understanding how people live, learn and work resonated deeply with me.”

While she never expected her daughter to follow the same path, the choice felt natural.

“From a young age, she showed a remarkable capacity for empathy and an ability to bring people together,” Ramugondo continued. “Those qualities sit at the heart of occupational therapy.”

Returning to UCT now, as both an alumna and a parent, carries deep emotional weight.

“It truly feels like passing the baton to the next generation,” she reflected. “While much has changed, UCT remains a place of rigorous academic learning and personal growth.”

Alumni parents reflect on their own UCT journeys

Among those in the audience were several parents for whom the moment carried resonance – alumni returning with their children as a new generation begins its journey.

Mark Russell, who arrived at UCT in 1988 from the Eastern Cape to study engineering, graduated in 1992 and spent his first year in residence at Leo Marquard Hall. Alongside his studies, he became deeply involved in student life through sport.

“We worked closely with the SRC (Student Representative Council) to help upgrade and develop the gym facilities at the time,” he recalled. “It took a lot of energy outside of my studies, but it was incredibly rewarding.”

More than three decades later, Russell returned to campus with his son, Andrew (18), who is enrolled to study a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance.

“Hearing the Vice-Chancellor speak about how competitive it is to get into UCT really brought it home,” Russell said. “The history, the heritage, the standards – it reminds you just how special this institution is.”

A full-circle moment for a new generation

Sean Germond believes that Orientation Day marked a full-circle moment. He first arrived at UCT 41 years ago and later completed a master’s degree in psychology.

“UCT played a formative role in shaping how I think and how I approach the world,” he said.

Now back on campus with his son, who is enrolled for the Business Science programme, Germond described the experience as deeply meaningful.

“It feels like handing over the baton to the next generation,” he said. “So much has changed – the campus, the context, the world – yet UCT remains a place of academic excellence and personal growth.”

A legacy renewed

As parents and students moved between sessions, pausing to take photographs and share memories, Orientation Day served as both an introduction to university life and a reminder of UCT’s role in shaping lives across generations.

For alumni parents, it was a moment where past and future converged – a legacy renewed with every new intake of students.

Gallery images by: Photo Revolution