News and Events

UWC Launches Queer Dubs

The University of the Western Cape (UWC) is leading the way toward inclusivity and social justice with the launch of Queer Dubs, a staff-led forum for LGBTIQA+ members and allies. After months of planning, the forum was launched on 24 October 2025.

UWC Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Robert Balfour, showed his support for Queer Dubs and emphasised that leadership within the LGBTIQA+ community often emerges not from authority, but from lived experience saying, “we are not only about affirming the history of what it has meant to be outside of inner circles, but we are about creating the new inner circle in which everybody is welcome.”

Read the full story here

Opportunity

There is an opportunity to contribute a chapter to an upcoming academic publication with Bloomsbury Publishing, titled The Bloomsbury Handbook of LGBTQIA+ Inclusion in Education. This volume will explore LGBTQIA+ inclusion across educational contexts, including both schools and universities, from a global perspective.

The editorial work on the publication began in 2024. The publication date is scheduled for May/June 2026, with the latest possible release by October 2026.

To date, there are approximately six contributions from South Africa. However, there are currently no confirmed contributors from the University of the Western Cape (UWC). This presents a valuable opportunity for UWC scholars and students to contribute to a significant international academic discourse.

Chapter Submission Details:

Focus: LGBTQIA+ inclusion in education (schools or universities) 
Length: 8,000–10,000 words
Review: All chapters will undergo a peer review process coordinated by one of the editors
Submission Process: Submit a 250-word abstract for initial consideration.
                                       Abstracts will be reviewed by the lead editors.
                                       Feedback will be provided, and selected contributors will proceed to write their chapters.
                                       Authors will complete Bloomsbury’s contributor forms.
                                       Chapters will undergo peer review and revision.
                                       Final inclusion will be subject to editorial approval.

Interested individuals are encouraged to express their interest and submit abstracts as soon as possible. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a globally relevant and socially impactful publication.

Please email - rbalfour@uwc.ac.za for more information and to submit your abstract.

The updated listing can be viewed HERE