In a grand ceremony marked by intellectual exchange and celebratory fervour, the University of the Western Cape (UWC) officially launched its Centre for Humanities Research's (CHR) Humanities Hub at its Woodstock Campus on Tuesday night.

Distinguished guests, including local and international academics, diplomats, and university executives, gathered in person and online to mark the significant milestone in UWC's journey towards academic excellence and innovative research.

In his heartfelt and reflective speech, UWC Rector and Vice-Chancellor Professor Tyrone Pretorius spoke about the personal significance and institutional impact of the CHR’s new Hub, highlighting the collaborative efforts behind it and describing it as a culmination of hard work and visionary planning.

He recounted that when he resumed his position in 2015, CHR had already been recognised as a national Flagship of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) - still the only one of its kind in South Africa in the Humanities. This recognition, he said, was a testament to the centre's substantial achievements and its potential to influence humanities research both nationally and internationally.

According to Prof Pretorius, it was the role and responsibility of UWC as an anchor institution to forge more productive partnerships and working relationships with a range of role players and stakeholders. The CHR, he noted, was an excellent example of putting this anchoring approach into practice. 

"Today, as we celebrate, we see the fruition of a big and gutsy vision brought to life by the hard work and the dedication of our collective efforts. This building will constantly remind me of the transformation journey that the University of the Western Cape has been on for the last 20 years. From a relatively obscure ethnic institution to one of the great institutions in South Africa,” said Prof Pretorius.

Prof Pretorius said that in support of the conventional and unconventional scholarship at the CHR, the University had transformed what was previously a derelict school building in Woodstock into a state-of-the-art research facility. 

“A UWC facility on this site should not be seen as a coincidence. During apartheid, Greatmore Street was the boundary between white and black communities in the area. In transforming the space, we contribute to social cohesion through humanities-based higher education,” he said. 

“This is more than a building; it is a place to reimagine our university and its commitment to community and the ideals of non-racialism … and the history of struggle at UWC. This Hub has great potential for revitalising Cape Town's intellectual and cultural life and transformation for future generations.”

In her address, CHR Director Professor Heidi Grunebaum recalled that a decade ago, the CHR was instrumental in contributing to the National Charter for the Humanities and Social Sciences across South African universities, advocating for a post-apartheid vision for higher education that was both affirmative and transformative.

"The CHR has continued to abide by the Charter's commitment to a post-apartheid humanities vision that would shape a 21st-century vision for societal transformation in South Africa, embedded in the continent as much as in the rest of the world," said Prof Grunebaum.

She said the CHR has flourished with the support of the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences and the A.W. Mellon Foundation (which had subsequently withdrawn from South Africa), establishing itself as one of South Africa's leading humanities research centres.

Prof Grunebaum said the CHR's fellowship programme had produced more than 300 graduates who had secured academic positions at renowned universities locally and internationally, as well as at institutions of public scholarship. The CHR’s Flagship programme also resulted in 253 research outputs, including books, journal articles, and special journal issues, as well as some 50 outputs of creative expression, such as exhibitions, public arts interventions, performances and films.

One of the highlights of the evening was the announcement of the CHR's latest international collaboration. The Ukwanda Puppetry and Arts Collective, resident artists at the CHR, was commissioned to create the prototypes for 600 life-size animal puppets for "The Herds”, a public art project focused on the climate crisis. This project, the brainchild of The Walk Production’s David Lan and Nizar Zuabi, is set to traverse 20 000 kilometres from Kinshasa to the Arctic Circle, and aims to engage an audience of more than two million people about the climate crisis.

Prof Grunebaum also celebrated CHR's global partnerships, with ongoing collaborations with institutions such as the University of Minnesota, the University of Virginia, and the Trinity Longroom Hub at Trinity College Dublin. These partnerships facilitated numerous academic exchanges and joint research projects, enriching the CHR's educational and arts tapestry.

The refurbished building, once a primary school, was designed by Ilze Wolff of Wolff Architects and represents a significant step in reconnecting the University with the city and its diverse constituencies. 

"This remarkable achievement would not be possible without the enormous energy, commitment, and shared vision of the CHR's academics, administrators, arts educators, postgraduate fellows, and artists," said Prof Grunebaum, highlighting the collective effort that drove CHR's success.

Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande congratulated UWC for the historic launch of the Hub, aligning it with the goals outlined in the 2011 Charter for the Humanities and Social Sciences. This Charter envisioned the establishment of the National Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) and created five humanities hubs dedicated to ongoing research, education and heritage preservation.

He said that since its inception under the leadership of then-director Professor Premesh Lalu, the Hub has grown significantly, contributing to progressive intellectual discourse and engagement in Cape Town and beyond.

Minister Nzimande praised the Hub's diverse projects, including the Factory of Art and the Laboratory of Kinetic Objects, which integrated various cultural productions and creative disciplines such as photography, performance, puppetry, sound and filmmaking.

He acknowledged the Hub's efforts to establish relationships with communities from Barrydale to the Cape Flats, and to foster links across the Global South.

"This hub represents hope - a beacon for communities, youth, and mobility. It represents an open space, open to possibilities and collaborations," Dr Nzimande said.