Rector's Office
Professor Robert Balfour: Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Western Cape
Professor Robert John Balfour became the eighth Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) on January 1, 2025. With nearly two decades of experience in academic and administrative leadership, he brings a wealth of expertise to this role.
Prior to his appointment at UWC, Professor Balfour served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning at North-West University (NWU). His extensive leadership experience includes serving as Registrar at St Augustine College of South Africa and Dean of the Faculty of Education Sciences at NWU.
An accomplished academic, Professor Balfour holds a BA, BA Honours in English and a Higher Diploma in Education from Rhodes University. He completed his Master’s in English and Education with distinction at the University of Natal (KwaZulu-Natal, UKZN). He earned his doctoral degree in 2000 in Applied Linguistics in Education in Cambridge where he was a Cambridge Commonwealth Trust Scholar in Corpus Christi College, and subsequently the Foundation Fellow at Clare Hall.
Professor Balfour’s scholarly expertise spans applied linguistics, post-colonial literary criticism, and education. He has published extensively on topics such as post-colonial identities, multilingualism, and inclusive education in South Africa and beyond. His contributions have earned him recognition as a National Research Foundation (NRF)-rated academic since 2010.
In addition to his academic achievements, Professor Balfour is a sought-after keynote speaker on language and education in South Africa. He has served previously as member of the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) of the Council on Higher Education (CHE), and as Chairperson of the HEQC’s National Standards and Reviews Committee
His academic career is complemented by his creative pursuits as a painter, poet and short fiction author in national and international literary journals.
Professor Balfour’s leadership is underpinned by a deep commitment to advancing language learning, rural education and post-colonial studies.
Professor Robert John Balfour became the eighth Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) on January 1, 2025. With nearly two decades of experience in academic and administrative leadership, he brings a wealth of expertise to this role.
Prior to his appointment at UWC, Professor Balfour served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning at North-West University (NWU). His extensive leadership experience includes serving as Registrar at St Augustine College of South Africa and Dean of the Faculty of Education Sciences at NWU.
An accomplished academic, Professor Balfour holds a BA, BA Honours in English and a Higher Diploma in Education from Rhodes University. He completed his Master’s in English and Education with distinction at the University of Natal (KwaZulu-Natal, UKZN). He earned his doctoral degree in 2000 in Applied Linguistics in Education in Cambridge where he was a Cambridge Commonwealth Trust Scholar in Corpus Christi College, and subsequently the Foundation Fellow at Clare Hall.
Professor Balfour’s scholarly expertise spans applied linguistics, post-colonial literary criticism, and education. He has published extensively on topics such as post-colonial identities, multilingualism, and inclusive education in South Africa and beyond. His contributions have earned him recognition as a National Research Foundation (NRF)-rated academic since 2010.
In addition to his academic achievements, Professor Balfour is a sought-after keynote speaker on language and education in South Africa. He has served previously as member of the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) of the Council on Higher Education (CHE), and as Chairperson of the HEQC’s National Standards and Reviews Committee
His academic career is complemented by his creative pursuits as a painter, poet and short fiction author in national and international literary journals.
Professor Balfour’s leadership is underpinned by a deep commitment to advancing language learning, rural education and post-colonial studies.
