Image: Shelley Christians/UWCThe University of the Western Cape (UWC) has officially renamed its landmark Life Sciences Building the Brian O’Connell Life Sciences Building - a powerful tribute to one of South Africa’s most visionary education leaders.
Completed in 2010, the building now stands not only as a centre for scientific innovation, but also as a living monument to Professor O’Connell’s enduring impact on UWC and the nation’s higher education landscape.
Earlier this week, at a moving ceremony attended by Prof O’Connell’s family, friends and colleagues, UWC unveiled a striking monogram bearing his image alongside new signage at the building’s entrance.
Professor Brian O’Connell, who served as UWC’s Rector and Vice-Chancellor from 2001 to 2014, passed away on 25 August 2024. His tenure is remembered as a defining era in the University’s history - one in which he defied a proposed merger with the former Peninsula Technikon and led UWC’s transformation from a struggling institution into a leading research university.
In his address, UWC’s current Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Robert Balfour, reflected on the symbolic weight of the renaming. “By naming this building after Professor Brian O’Connell, we honour not only his extraordinary contributions but also the spirit of solidarity and renewal that defined his leadership,” Balfour said.
“It was under his guidance that UWC began its remarkable journey of transformation - a journey that reaffirmed our role as a university of the people, for the people.”
Mr Larry Pokpas, who served as Prof O’Connell’s right hand during his tenure, recounted the visionary leadership that brought the Life Sciences Building to life. “The idea of the building emerged from sheer necessity - a need for growth and high-end research - but it was fuelled by the vice-chancellor’s unwavering belief in the transformative power of education,” said Pokpas.
“Brian stepped outside the daily constraints and reimagined what was possible for a historically disadvantaged institution in a democratic South Africa. He saw buildings not as mere bricks and mortar but as spaces that could inspire - enduring symbols of hope.”
The project, valued at R500 million, was jointly funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies, through the generosity of American philanthropist Chuck Feeney, and South Africa’s National Treasury.
Professor Ramesh Bharuthram. Image: Shelley Christians/UWCProfessor Ramesh Bharuthram, former Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic, described O’Connell’s leadership as “one of the great achievements in higher education.” Bharuthram, who co-authored From Hope to Action Through Knowledge: The Renaissance of the University of the Western Cape with Pokpas, said the book captures the essence of O’Connell’s transformative vision - a vision rooted in intellectual courage and human compassion.
Professor David Holgate, Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, paid tribute to O’Connell’s foresight in shaping an academic space that transcended boundaries. “When I joined UWC in 2013, I immediately recognised the legacy embedded in this building,” Holgate said.
“Even colleagues at Stellenbosch University remarked that UWC was setting the benchmark for modern teaching and learning spaces. It wasn’t the usual comparison - it was an acknowledgement that UWC was leading the way.”
He added that the Life Sciences Building was designed to change how science is done: “It was built to be collaborative and interdisciplinary - a space where ideas and people converge.”
Judith O’Connell. Image: Shelley Christians/UWCIn a heartfelt tribute, Judith O’Connell, Professor O’Connell’s widow, reflected on her late husband’s humanity and devotion. “Things didn’t matter; people mattered. Improving the lives of others mattered,” she said, her voice filled with emotion.
She spoke of a home filled with storytelling, poetry and purpose - the same values her husband brought to UWC. “When Brian retired in 2014, he left the University far stronger than when he arrived in 2001. But he never worked alone - his vision came alive through the dedication of UWC’s staff, the SRC, and the union, Nehawu. To all who believed in him, our family thanks you.”
The Brian O’Connell Life Sciences Building now stands as a symbol of what visionary leadership, collective effort and enduring faith in education can achieve - a beacon of knowledge rising from the heart of UWC, carrying forward the legacy of a man who truly believed that universities can change the world.
