Welcoming Prof Ralarala as DVC: Academic Dear Campus Community,It is with great pleasure that I announce the appointment of Prof Monwabisi Knowledge Ralarala as the new Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic, effective 1 Ja…
Bursary Description
Dear Campus Community,
It is with great pleasure that I announce the appointment of Prof Monwabisi Knowledge Ralarala as the new Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic, effective 1 January 2025.
On behalf of the campus community I would also like to extend our deepest gratitude to Prof Vivienne Lawack for her exceptional service and leadership during her ten-year term as Deputy Vice- Chancellor: Academic at the University of the Western Cape.
Her dedication to academic excellence and invaluable contribution to student success has been truly inspiring. We wish Prof Lawack the very best in her future endeavours.
Prof Ralarala brings a wealth of experience to this role, having served as the Dean of Arts and Humanities at UWC, where he has made significant strides in advancing academic and research excellence.
His leadership experience spans several institutions. He has previously held prominent positions such as Director of the Fundani Centre for Higher Education Development (CHED) at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) and Director of the Language Centre at the University of Fort Hare.
He is a recognised leader in his field, with research interests in language rights, forensic linguistics, and multilingualism, particularly in the context of higher education. His academic contributions include numerous published journal articles and co-authored books on forensic linguistics and language policy.
Prof Ralarala holds two PhDs from Stellenbosch University and the University of the Free State, underscoring his expertise in both African languages and language practice. He has been instrumental in shaping discourses on linguistic equality, demonstrated by his leadership as Chairperson of the South African Language Practitioners’ Council and founder of the African Association for Forensic and Legal Linguists (AAFLL).
With his extensive background, I am confident that Prof Ralarala will drive academic innovation at UWC, further strengthening our institution’s role as a leader in higher education.
Please join me in congratulating him on this well-deserved appointment. We look forward to his leadership in advancing UWC’s academic excellence.
Warm Regards
Professor Tyrone Pretorius