It has been almost ten months since Prof Robert Balfour took office as the University of the Western Cape’s eighth Rector and Vice-Chancellor. Much of this period was spent settling into his new role, marked by extensive engagement with stakeholders across campus and with local businesses. His focus during this time was on building a strong foundation for his leadership and deepening his understanding of the university’s ecosystem.

Following this initial phase, Prof Balfour embarked on a series of strategic visits aimed at strengthening existing partnerships and exploring potential new collaborations. This initiative reflects a proactive commitment to expanding the university’s network and influence.

One of these visits was a trip to the University of Cambridge in England. An alumnus of Cambridge, Prof Balfour earned his doctoral degree in Applied Linguistics in Education there in 2000 as a Cambridge Commonwealth Trust Scholar at Corpus Christi College, later serving as the Foundation Fellow at Clare Hall.

The UWC delegation – which included the Advisor to the Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Shaun Pather, and Dr Umesh Bawa, Director: International Relations – was warmly received by Cambridge’s Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education, Prof Bhaskar Vira. “This reception indicates a positive predisposition towards collaboration between the two institutions,” said Prof Pather, who explained that during the visit, several areas for potential cooperation were explored. Two key areas mentioned were food security and education. “This suggests a focus on agricultural and nutritional research, which could have significant implications for both institutions and their respective regions. Collaboration in the area of education was also discussed. This could involve exchange programs, joint research projects, or the sharing of educational methodologies,” Prof Pather continued.

Prof Balfour then travelled to the Netherlands to meet with Prof Wilco Hazeleger, Rector Magnificus of Utrecht University and a long-standing partner of UWC. Appointed in March 2025, Prof Hazeleger, together with Prof Balfour, reflected on ways to sustain the existing partnerships between the two institutions while also identifying potential new areas of collaboration.

Prof Robert Balfour, Dr Umesh Bawa and Prof Shaun Pather
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Prof Caroline Trotter, professor of Global Health and Director for Cambridge-Africa; Dr Maja Wallberg, Strategic Partnerships Manager; Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education, Prof Bhaskar Vira; Prof Robert Balfour and Prof Shaun Pather.

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Prof Dr Maja Wallberg, Strategic Partnerships Manager; Francesca Re Manning, Programme Manager of the Cambridge Global Food Security International Research Centre and Prof Robert Balfour.

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Cambridge’s Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education, Prof Bhaskar Vira and UWC Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Robert Balfour.

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Prof Robert Balfour and Prof Wilco Hazeleger, Rector Magnificus of Utrecht University.

Image: Supplied