Dear Campus Community,

We are delighted to share the first edition of CREATE (Co-creating Research Excellence and Transformative Engagement), a publication from the Special Projects Unit, DVC: Research and Innovation.

Themed "Towards a Leading Research University: Turning Evidence into Impact," this edition explores how research excellence at the University of the Western Cape is being translated into meaningful societal impact. Through the voices of faculty leaders, research chairs, directors, centres, institutes, and support units, CREATE showcases the collective efforts driving UWC's research mission forward.

This first edition highlights the people and initiatives shaping UWC's research landscape, demonstrating how evidence informs policy, advances innovation, strengthens communities, and contributes to addressing complex local and global challenges.

More than a showcase of research achievements, CREATE reflects UWC's commitment to fostering a vibrant research culture grounded in excellence, collaboration, transformation, and engagement. The stories featured throughout this edition illustrate how research leadership extends beyond knowledge creation to generating impact that matters.

As you journey through these pages, we hope you will be inspired by the dedication, vision, and scholarship of colleagues who continue to position UWC as a leading research university.

Read the full edition here:

We extend our sincere appreciation to all the faculty leaders, research chairs, directors, researchers, centres, institutes, support units, photographers, writers, designers, and contributors who made this first edition possible. Your willingness to share your stories, achievements, insights, and aspirations has helped create a publication that reflects the depth, diversity, and impact of research at UWC.

We also congratulate everyone featured in this edition and thank the broader UWC research community for its continued commitment to advancing knowledge, fostering innovation, and creating meaningful societal impact.

Thank you for supporting our shared vision of research excellence and transformative engagement. We trust that this first edition of CREATE will inspire meaningful conversations, celebrate research achievement, and showcase the collective impact of our research community.

#IamUWC #CollectiveFutures #PoweredbyReseach #Leadership

Join us on the Special Project Units Social Media platform pages for the latest information on upcoming webinars and more.

Facebook: Special Projects Unit
Instagram: specialprojectunit
X: @SpecProjectUnit
LinkedIn: UWC Research and Innovation