Professor Robert Balfour has been appointed as the new rector and vice-chancellor of the University Western Cape (UWC).

In a statement released on Thursday, 4 April, Xoliswa Daku, chairperson of UWC’s council, said the appointment would be effective on 1 January 2025.

Balfour is currently at the North-West University (NWU), where he is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Teaching and Learning.

“(He) brings a wealth of experience in academic and administrative leadership spanning almost 20 years in public and private higher education institutions,” Daku says.

“Frequently invited as a keynote speaker on language and education in South Africa, Professor Balfour has also served as a peer reviewer to education institutions such as the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Wits, NWU and the University of the Free State for the Council on Higher Education.”