Allow me on behalf of the Postgraduate Student Association, to take this opportunity to extend our warmest welcome to you, to one of the most aesthetically alluring and academically prestigious universities of our time.
The Postgraduate Students Association (PGSA) is an organisation established to represent postgraduate students (i.e. Honours, Masters and Ph.D.) at the University of Cape Town. Its major role is ensuring that postgraduate students are enabled to make a visible impact in the strife of this University to be a world class research institution. To achieve this, PGSA has begun strategically placing itself in University structures that set the ground for maximum participation of postgraduate students; in activities that define being a postgraduate student at UCT. Postgraduate students are indeed presently represented on important decision making bodies in the University, such as Senate and Council. As PGSA, we owe the vision and the perseverance that finally saw to the bearing of the organisation, to the late Prof. J.B. Martin, who saw the link to excellent research at an institution of higher learning, vested primarily in the well-being of postgraduate students.
We also pay our outmost tribute to comrade Simon Chauke and his team, whom as an Interim Executive Committee set up in 1998, developed a constitution and paved the way for an official launch of the association. The launch occurred in September 1999, where the present Executive committee was elected. This committee will operate until September 2000, when an Annual General Meeting will be convened to elect office bearers for 2001. As the acting chairperson, I am proud to be part of a die-hard team that is committed to ensuring that PGSA is taken seriously in the university community, and that it goes a long way in achieving the vision it set for itself. Before leaving, Dr Mamphela Ramphele made sure she left behind the infrastructure for world class research activity, embodied in the new library facilities, the Centre for Higher education and many other new developments. There is therefore very little excuse for postgraduate students to be engaged in less than premier research endeavours.
We also have the support of the University's Executive team, including Dr Loveness Kaunda. I also have no doubt in my mind that the recent appointments of Dr Sibisi and Prof. Ndebele will bring forth new and exciting possibilities for research at UCT. PGSA is not under illusion of the major challenge facing it, that of visibility amongst postgraduate students. It is crucial that PGSA provides a platform for postgraduate students to share their experience as postgraduate students, and to ensure that their views are heard in the structures where they are represented. To this end, PGSA will soon officially launch its accommodations at upper campus, where a lot of activity is envisioned. We hope to see you there. Meanwhile, we do hope that you are enjoying your stay at UCT.
Elelwani Ramugondo
Acting Chairperson, PGSA
Message from the Chair of the
University Research Committee, Professor J B Martin,
before he passed away.
As Chair of the University Research Committee and of the Postgraduate Scholarships
Committee, the well being of postgraduate education is a high priority. The link with
research lies primarily in Master's and
Doctoral students, and those students at Honours level preparing themselves for research.
This group is a very important stakeholder group within the university, and has not in the
past received the recognition it deserves. In many areas of the university, postgraduate
students are an integral part of the research endeavour, and play an equally important
role as teaching assistants in many departments.
With the promulgation of the new University of Cape Town Act, postgraduate students will,
for the first time, be represented on important decision making bodies in the University,
such as Senate and Council, as a specified part of the student participation. Together
with this, the formation of a Postgraduate Students'
Association is very timely. It will provide a forum for postgraduate students to discuss
the quality of their experience as postgraduate students, and then to ensure that these
views are heard in the councils of the university.
The University of Cape Town is committed to ensuring that its postgraduate programmes are
stimulating and fulfilling, ensuring that postgraduate students receive a balanced
education at this level in preparation for careers in academe, research, or in other
ventures.
Professor J B Martin
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research)