The pandemic has changed much about how education is carried out and that extends to graduations, with the University of Cape Town (UCT) now planning to host its ceremonies this year with both online and in-person components.
Taking place on 13th and 14th December, the UCT graduations are trying to balance keeping students and their family safe with closure on their qualifications which sometimes necessitates being physically on campus.
“We do still want to be able to celebrate with our graduands in a fitting manner and we understand that being on campus one last time is an important step in our graduands’ journey. Because of this, all December graduands are invited to a live ‘walk of celebration’. This is not a graduation ceremony but an opportunity where graduands can invite up to three of their guests to watch them walk across a platform outside the Sarah Baartman Hall and have their name called out while I and their loved ones congratulate and celebrate with them,” Writes Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, Vice-Chancellor of UCT.
The “walk of celebration” will be done in conjunction with the online virtual graduation. One does not replace the other.
The walk of celebration takes place at the following times –
- “Commerce: Monday, 13 December between 13:30 and 14:30
- Humanities: Monday, 13 December between 14:30 and 15:30
- Engineering & the Built Environment, and Science: Tuesday, 14 December between 10:15 and 11:15
- Health Sciences and Law: Tuesday, 14 December between 14:30 and 15:30.”
The virtual graduation takes place at the following times and can be watched on Twitter, Facebook and on the UCT website –
- “Commerce: Monday, 13 December at 17:00
- Humanities: Monday, 13 December at 19:30
- Engineering & the Built Environment, and Science: Tuesday, 14 December at 17:00
- Health Sciences and Law: Tuesday, 14 December at 19:30.”
[Image – Gillian Callison on Pixabay]
