Dear UWC Community,

It is with great enthusiasm and pride that I announce the appointment of Professor Raymond Parsons as an Extraordinary Professor in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of the Western Cape.

Professor Parsons is one of South Africa’s most respected economists and public commentators, whose career spans academia, policy advisory, and thought leadership. His appointment marks a significant milestone for our faculty and affirms our commitment to engaged scholarship that addresses South Africa’s development challenges.

“At the outset, I would like to express my appreciation for the honour which the University of the Western Cape has given in appointing me as an Extraordinary Professor in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. It forges, what I hope, will be a strong and productive relationship which can contribute to the University’s over-arching commitment to serious research on relevant issues,” said Professor Parsons.

“As an economist, the challenge in South Africa is to constantly demonstrate how economic knowledge can be realistically applied to the solutions of pressing socio-economic issues at various levels. I like to say that economics is not so much a body of concrete truth, but rather an engine for the discovery of concrete truth.

“This means not only pushing out the boundaries of our economic insights but also building the networks that can sharpen the impact of this knowledge on both the public and private sectors. I am therefore hoping that through my appointment to add value to the University’s existing track record of teaching and learning, research and public profile.

“Over the next couple of years, my new relationship with the faculty and the University will hopefully widen and deepen in ways that make a real difference. I look forward to joining the UWC team.”

Our Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Robert Balfour, has also lauded this significant appointment: “The University of the Western Cape is proud to welcome Professor Raymond Parsons to the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. As one of South Africa’s most respected economists and public commentators, Professor Parsons brings exceptional expertise and insight to UWC,” said Professor Balfour.

“His appointment reflects our growing strength in economic thought leadership and our commitment to addressing South Africa’s development challenges through engaged scholarship.”

Professor Parsons currently serves as a professor at the North-West University (NWU) Business School and chairs its Advisory Board. He studied economics at the Universities of Cape Town, Oxford, and Copenhagen, and has lectured at the University of Pretoria and the University of the Witwatersrand. His contributions to public and academic debate are extensive, with numerous publications and editorial work to his name.

He is well known for his ability to translate complex economic issues into accessible insights, and has received multiple awards for his public engagement—most notably as the academic who generated the most media coverage at his home university, with over 975 media features across broadcast, online, and print platforms.

At UWC, Professor Parsons will support the Department of Economics through a robust programme of community engagement and academic enrichment. His expected contributions include:

• Presenting public lectures and departmental series on Monetary and Political Economy  
• Contributing to curriculum alignment across economics sub-disciplines 
• Guiding emerging researchers and students with interests in political economy  
• Supervising Honours students and contributing to research publications

  We are honoured to welcome Professor Parsons to our faculty and look forward to the impact his presence will have on our students, staff, and broader academic community.

Professor Michelle Esau
Dean: Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences