University Of Western Cape Vice Chancellor,The Council of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) has announced that Professor Tyrone Pretorius has accepted the position of Rector and Vice-Chancellor of UWC. The University has faith that he will provide leadership that continues to set UWC on the path to success.
Prof Pretorius will arrive at UWC during the second semester of this year to allow for a smooth transition, and will officially take up his new role in January 2015. The UWC Council has expressed its pride in Prof Pretorius’ appointment in a letter to staff.
A respected academic, teacher and leader, he holds two doctorates and has been published widely in the field of psychology, and currently serves as the Vice-Principal at the University of Pretoria (having previously served as Pro Vice-Chancellor and President of Monash South Africa).
Prof Pretorius is no stranger to UWC, having previously served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic, and Dean of the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences. He’s also a proud UWC alumnus, who earned his BA, BA Honours, MA and D.Phil right here at the University.
He has a vision of the University of the Western Cape as an institution fully prepared to engage with a transformed higher education industry. “The university of the 21st century is focused on, engages with, and is responsive to both its local context and global challenges. The grand challenges of our time revolve around creating economic and environmental sustainability, as well as social and cultural equity. Universities that want to be recognised, that want to be seen as excellent, will contribute significantly to addressing these grand challenges,” he explains.
To do this, universities need to educate students who are equipped and prepared to tackle these challenges, and to develop both basic and applied knowledge. Research strengthening, social innovation and the enhancement of community engagement are high on his agenda, as is strengthening professional and support services – enabling professional and support divisions to better support the academic mission of the University.
Prof Pretorius believes that the future looks bright for UWC: “The University of the Western Cape has a lot to be proud of, but it also has the potential to achieve much more. All the right and solid foundations have been laid, and the challenge is for UWC to build on these solid foundations to become one of the top universities in South Africa, recognised on the continent and beyond for its excellence and innovation.”