Why a New Institutional Operating Plan?
UWC renews its Institutional Operating Plan (IOP) every five years, not as a bureaucratic formality, but as a co-created commitment to clarity, direction, and transformation. The 2026–2030 IOP is being developed in a moment of profound transition in higher education and society.
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Globally, universities are navigating the disruptive impacts of artificial intelligence, climate breakdown, geopolitical instability, and renewed struggles for justice. In South Africa, institutions face deepening inequality, constrained resources, and urgent calls for relevance and responsiveness.
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As a university rooted in social justice, UWC must respond without compromise. Reaffirming its values while crafting inclusive, agile strategies that shape a just and connected future through dialogue, innovation, and collective imagination.
Rooted in Struggle - Shaping Futures
The University of the Western Cape was established in 1960 by the apartheid state as an institution for people classified as “Coloured.” Yet UWC refused to be defined by the restrictions imposed on it. During the 1970s and 1980s, it emerged as a powerful intellectual and political space for anti-apartheid resistance, academic freedom, and social justice. That legacy endures today.
UWC is now a diverse, research-led university serving over 24,000 students and engaging deeply with the needs of South Africa, Africa, and the global South. With strong roots in community, activism, and equity, the university continues to shape graduates who are ethical, engaged, and equipped to lead in an increasingly interconnected world.
Enduring Values
Previous IOPs
