The University of Cape Town (UCT) has announced the appointment of Professor Mosa Moshabela as its 11th Vice-Chancellor, effective October 1, 2024. 

Professor Moshabela, currently serving as Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), will bring his visionary leadership and extensive experience in research and strategic partnerships to UCT. Since joining UKZN in 2021, he has driven research and innovation initiatives.

An esteemed academic and clinician scientist, Professor Moshabela is a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa and has earned numerous accolades, including the PHILA Annual Award from the Public Health Association of South Africa in 2022 and a Ministerial Special COVID-19 Award for his contributions to science communication during the pandemic.

In addition to his new role at UCT, Professor Moshabela holds significant positions in various research and health organizations. He is the Chairperson of the Governing Board at the National Research Foundation and serves as a Health Commissioner on the Premier’s Provincial Planning Commission in KwaZulu-Natal. His past roles include membership on the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) board and Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Health at the Academy of Science of South Africa.

Professor Moshabela's research focuses on the implementation science of health innovations in resource-constrained sub-Saharan African countries. His work aims to improve access, quality, equity, and impact of healthcare, with significant contributions in combating infectious diseases such as HIV and TB, and in health systems and policy research.

He has secured numerous scientific grants from prestigious bodies including the US National Institutes of Health, the UK Medical Research Council, and the National Research Foundation in South Africa. Additional funding has come from the Wellcome Trust, the International Development Research Centre of Canada, and various European and North American government agencies.

Globally, Professor Moshabela serves on the international advisory board for the Lancet Healthy Longevity and the Lancet Commission on synergies between health promotion, universal healthcare access, and global health security. He is also a commissioner on the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Global Roadmap to Healthy Longevity.

The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) congratulated Professor Moshabela on his appointment, recognizing his significant contributions to advancing collaborative research and higher education in Africa. UCT anticipates his transformative and values-based leadership will further enhance its academic and research excellence.

 

Article by Nyokabi Wanjiku

Photo/NRF

https://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2024-05-24-uct-announces-new-vc-professor-mosa-moshabela