Telescope project equips African universities with practical radio astronomy teaching tools to boost interest in STEM fields
Across Africa, a new wave of radio telescope deployments is igniting interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and empowering future scientists. The TART (Transient Array Radio Telescope) project is a collaboration between the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø, the Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø of Stellenbosch, and the Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø of Otago (New Zealand).
Reimagining Education as Ethical Action in Times of Crisis with Professor Lausanne Olvitt
At the 2025 Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø graduation ceremony, Professor Lausanne Olvitt was honoured with the Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Senior Teaching Award, showcasing her dedication to fostering inclusive and impactful learning environments.
Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø celebrates staff academic growth at annual Vice-Chancellor and Thomas Alty Awards
Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø recently honoured the academic achievements of 65 staff members at its annual Vice-Chancellor and Thomas Alty Awards. The recipients earned a diverse array of qualifications, including eight postgraduate diplomas, five advanced diplomas, 21 Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø certifications, two bachelor's degrees, four honours degrees, nine master’s degrees, and 16 PhDs.
Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø honours long-serving staff members in an award ceremony
Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø hosted a heartfelt awards ceremony to honour and celebrate staff members' unwavering commitment and years of service. The 190 honourees have collectively dedicated a remarkable 3,005 years to the institution, an achievement the Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø recognised with deep appreciation and pride.
Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø embraces global vision from Rio de Janeiro Declaration
With a well-earned reputation for excellence in South African public education spanning more than 120 years, Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø is set to embark on an exciting new chapter of international collaboration and innovation. Vice Chancellor, Professor Sizwe Mabizela, recently returned from the Forum of BRICS Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø Rectors in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, brimming with enthusiasm after the adoption of the transformative Rio de Janeiro Declaration on June 7, 2025.
Posting with Purpose: Psychology students partner with SANCA to fight substance abuse online
To connect psychological theory with real-world practice, final-year Psychology students at Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø recently partnered with SANCA Central Eastern Cape to create Instagram-based awareness campaigns focused on substance abuse prevention.
[AFRICA MONTH] Africa Month unites Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø through learning, culture, and critical debate
The Global Engagement Division, in collaboration with academic, students and external partners, succeeded in curating a month-long programme to celebrate Africa month, bringing African ideas, identities and innovations to the fore and affirming Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø as an active and engaged space of learning, critical reflection, and public dialogue.
[AFRICA MONTH] Exploring the concepts of justice and reparations in a global context
Inspired by the African Union’s 2025 theme “Year of Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations”, a panel discussion, chaired by Thabang Moleko from the Rhodes Business School, was held on 26 May, in celebration of Africa Day.
Makhanda independent schools join Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø in funding top local learners
In a transformative step toward expanding access to higher education, Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø proudly announces the launch of the Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø 120th Anniversary Merit Scholarship, a prestigious new award aimed at recognising and empowering top-performing learners from the Makana Local Municipality.
Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø affirms its commitment to inclusivity with accessible bus for students with disabilities
Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø has strengthened its commitment to creating an inclusive and enabling environment with the acquisition of a new bus. Designed to support students with disabilities, the vehicle marks an achievement in efforts to remove barriers to full participation in campus life. This was succeeded by the recent #Monday2Monday Movement advocacy campaign, aimed at helping raise disability awareness and promote greater accessibility and inclusivity for people with disabilities at Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø.
Legal Practitioners Forum sparks debate over rights, risks, and reform in the higher education sector
Earlier this month, Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø played host to some of South Africa’s most esteemed legal professionals during the 2025 Legal Practitioners Forum (LPF). Organised by Ms Sue Smailes, Director in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, in collaboration with the university’s Legal Unit, the event marked a significant milestone in legal collaboration across the country’s higher education sector.
Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø students launch Intetho Magazine to amplify young Black voices
Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø students launched a magazine in October 2024 that goes beyond storytelling to give space, recognition, and respect to those who rarely see themselves represented. Intetho Magazine was created to celebrate often-ignored voices, with a special focus on young Black creatives. It is a project under Echoes of Uhuru, a personal and artistic multimedia initiative started by Nqobani Dabengwa to explore cultural storytelling through collaboration, expression, and radical imagination. Dabengwa is pursuing a Master's degree in Pharmacy Practice.
Prep Like a Pro: Oppidans Crack the Exam Code
To empower students with effective academic strategies and promote well-being during exam season, the Oppidan Hall Committee, together with the Division for Student Services and Development (DSSD) and the Centre for Higher Education Research, Teaching and Learning (Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø), hosted a comprehensive Study Skills and Exam Preparation Workshop for Oppidan students ahead of the mid-semester exams at Amazwi South African Museum of Literature.
Acclaimed broadcast journalist Zikhona Tshona tells aspiring reporters ‘It’s about humans, not headlines’
At the 2025 JMS Annual Academic Assembly, broadcast journalist Zikhona Tshona shared an inspiring message with aspiring reporters: journalism is a public service, anchored in dignity and respect. “Whether it is a child, a grandmother, or someone who has never had a voice, they matter,” she emphasised. “People need to see themselves represented in the news to believe in it.”
Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø launches Africa Research and Knowledge Hub to drive interdisciplinary dialogue and research collaboration across the continent
Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø marked an important milestone in its commitment to advancing African scholarship with the official launch of the Africa Research and Knowledge Hub (ARKH), a dynamic new Research Group housed in the Department of Sociology.
Professor Emeritus Alan Kirkaldy Receives Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Book Award for Everyday Communists in South Africa’s Liberation Struggle
By the time most academics retire, they have packed up their office plants, maybe published a few final papers, and faded into the footnotes of departmental memory, but not Professor Emeritus Alan Kirkaldy. At Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø, where history comes alive through the library stacks, Prof Kirkaldy has done something quite revolutionary.
Postgraduate Funding Fair presents a gateway to opportunity and transformation
The Eastern Cape Postgraduate Funding Fair has become a landmark gathering that unites students, scholars, funders, and institutions across the province in a shared pursuit of educational advancement. Launched in 2024 at Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø, the 2025 edition represented a compelling convergence of vision, collaboration, and opportunity at Nelson Mandela Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø (NMU).
[RU120] A night of unity and rhythm: RU120 Concert celebrates culture, community, and 120 years of excellence
Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø marked a significant moment in its centenary celebrations with the RU120 Makhanda Community Concert, held at the 1820 Settler’s Monument. Headlined by legendary South African musician Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse, the concert formed part of the closing events for the university’s #RU120 celebrations.
Dialogue urges universities to reimagine their purpose through community engagement
Amid increasing pressure on universities to focus on global rankings, research output, and graduate employability, a recent dialogue hosted at Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø made a powerful case for re-centering community engagement and the public good. The event, Higher Education Community Engagement: The Cultivation of Humanity, positioned these values as essential to university success.
VC stresses equity, transformation, and collaboration at the HRD Forum as a Community of Practice of Universities South Africa (USAf)
Rhodes Å·ÖÞ±×ãÇòÍø_ÍâΧÂòÇòappÍÆ¼ö-Ͷע|¹ÙÍø recently hosted the Human Resource Directors’ Forum, which brought together senior HR leaders from South Africa’s public universities for two days of strategic discourse and reflection.