Cherish Vundisa, a Master’s student in Development Studies at UWC, has been selected as one of five global fellows of the Harrison Middleton University Fellowship in Ideas. Picture: Supplied

University of the Western Cape (UWC) master’s student Cherish Vundisa has been selected as one of only five fellows worldwide for the Harrison Middleton University Fellowship in Ideas - an elite international programme hosted by Arizona-based university in the United States.

The fellowship brings together scholars who engage deeply with global intellectual traditions, philosophy, public policy and social change. This year’s selection places UWC among a small group of globally recognised institutions, including Princeton and Stanford, represented within the fellowship cohort.

Reflecting on the significance of the achievement, Vundisa said: “Being selected means that South Africa and the University of the Western Cape are represented in a very small global space, and that is something I carry with a lot of responsibility.” He added that the recognition was deeply connected to his academic journey at UWC and his commitment to amplifying voices from the Global South.

Vundisa is currently completing a Master’s degree in Development Studies at UWC’s Institute of Social Development, having chosen the university for its strong focus on social development and public-good scholarship. 

“UWC’s approach to development is rooted in social justice,” he explained, “and that aligns with what I want to do, not only academically, but in the world.”

The Harrison Middleton Fellowship focuses on critical engagement with global policies, ideas and philosophies, particularly examining whether dominant frameworks from the Global North meaningfully align with Global South realities. Participants undertake intensive reading, debate policy positions, analyse films and contribute to discussions on how ideas shape societies and governance.

UWC postgraduate Cherish Vundisa represents South Africa among a select group of international scholars chosen for a prestigious global ideas fellowship. Picture: Supplied

“We are reviewing policies from different countries and asking whether they truly reflect the needs and contexts of the Global South,” Vundisa said. “It’s about interrogating power, knowledge, and whose ideas shape the world.”

Vundisa’s path to the fellowship has been shaped by resilience and determination. While pursuing his postgraduate studies at UWC, he was diagnosed with a specific learning disorder, including multiple forms of dyslexia, after years of academic struggle. With support from UWC’s Centre for Student Support Services, he found strategies that enabled him to thrive academically.

“For the first time in my academic life, I started passing because I finally understood how my mind works,” he said. “That support changed everything.”

Inspired by his studies, Vundisa has also emerged as a climate justice advocate, conducting research on climate disinformation in rural communities and contributing to work that shaped discussions at COP30. Looking ahead, he hopes to pursue doctoral studies and contribute to policymaking spaces.

“I want to fill spaces where decisions are made,” said Vundisa, “because stronger policies are needed to protect communities that are most affected by climate change but least responsible for it.”

Vundisa’s achievement underscores how UWC continues to develop scholars whose work challenges dominant narratives and contributes meaningfully to international debates on ideas, policy and social justice.