Prof Mutlu Özcan - the Director of the Center for Dental Medicine at the University of Zurich and Acting Head of Prosthodontics, Prof Sadika Khan, pose for a photo during a tour of The Faculty of Dentistry at the University of the Western Cape. Image: Shelley Christians/UWC

The University of the Western Cape’s (UWC) global research footprint is expanding with the Faculty of Dentistry formalising a new partnership with the University of Zurich, Center for Dental Medicine –– one of the world’s prestigious research institutions.

Last week, a prominent researcher specialising in dental medicine, Prof Mutlu Özcan –– the Director of the Center for Dental Medicine at the University of Zurich –– formalised the partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with UWC Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic, Prof Monwabisi Knowledge Ralarala and Faculty of Dentistry Dean, Prof Veerasamy “Jeff” Yengopal.

The five-year partnership marks the beginning of a collaboration intended to strengthen dental research and academic collaboration between the two institutions and turning internationalisation into tangible academic and scientific outcomes, “while positioning both institutions as equal partners in advancing dental research”, said Prof Sadika Khan, Acting Head: Prosthodontics within the Faculty of Dentistry.

Prof Mutlu Özcan, the Director of the Center for Dental Medicine at the University of Zurich during her visit to UWC recently. Image: Shelley Christians/UWC

Prof Khan emphasised the importance of forging functional partnerships rather than allowing MOUs to remain inactive agreements, noting that the partnership would provide UWC with opportunities to collaborate with scholars with strong research portfolios, such as Prof Özcan, while supporting the University’s research objectives.

Prof Mutlu Özcan, the Director of the Center for Dental Medicine at the University of Zurich during her visit to UWC recently.

Prof Özcan is one of the world’s most accomplished dental researchers and sought-after academic speakers, having authored more than 1,000 scientific publications, received numerous international awards and served on the editorial boards of several leading scientific journals. The University of Zurich, meanwhile, is widely recognised as a leading international research university, consistently ranking among the top 10 institutions globally in both the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) and the QS World University Rankings.

Prof Khan said the latest MOU would also create opportunities for cross-institutional PhD programmes, mentorship for junior academics and dentists, and further advance the Faculty of Dentistry’s vision of strengthening its global engagement.

A peek into one of the procedure rooms at The Faculty of Dentistry at the University of the Western Cape during the facility tour. 19 August 2026. Image: Shelley Christians/UWC

“Having her on board to guide even our junior colleagues and everybody else is really a good thing. I think her presence, encouragement and support are going to play a huge role in our department,” she said.

Welcoming Prof Özcan, Prof Ralarala said the partnership aligns with UWC’s Institutional Operating Plan (IOP) 2026-2030, which places global partnerships and collaborative relationships at the centre of the University’s ambitions under Vision 2040. He said the collaboration with the University of Zurich is distinctive because it was built around mutual benefit rather than a traditional “big brother” model, in which knowledge and expertise flow predominantly from institutions in the Global North to those in the Global South.

The partnership also comes against the backdrop of UWC’s work to strengthen its quality assurance systems for collaborative qualifications, including cross-border programmes.
“I think our partnership with the University of Zurich, particularly with the Center for Dental Medicine, is not only adding value in terms of delivering on our mandate, but it is also important in terms of translating our vision into reality, which is Vision 2040,” he said.

Faculty of Dentistry Dean, Prof Veerasamy “Jeff” Yengopal, with Prof Mutlu Özcan - the Director of the Center for Dental Medicine at the University of Zurich and UWC Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic, Prof Monwabisi Knowledge Ralarala, during the signing of the MOU. Image: Sipokazi Fokazi

Vision 2040 is a strategic roadmap to transform UWC, a historically disadvantaged institution, into a globally competitive, research-intensive African university.

For Prof. Özcan, the partnership is intended to deliver mutual benefits for both institutions while going beyond a formal agreement on paper. She said it would create opportunities for academics and students from both universities to experience different cultures and treatment philosophies, while promoting the exchange of knowledge, expertise and ideas.

While one of her motivations for the partnership was to give back to communities in areas where resources and opportunities may be limited, she also highlighted the value of South Africa’s clinical environment.

The country’s higher patient volumes, compared with many European settings, provide opportunities to generate clinical evidence that could contribute to global research.

“Internationalisation is a priority for most universities today. Globally, we need to collect evidence, particularly clinical evidence, which is important. Through these collaborative efforts, we can combine our databases and generate evidence that is relevant not only to our institutions, but to the wider global scientific community,” she said.