UCT Vice Chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng Celebrates Receiving Honorary Doctorate From University of Ottawa

• UCT's Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng is celebrating after being awarded another honorary doctorate, this time from Ottawa University
• As part of the award’s ceremony, the UCT vice-chancellor delivered a speech, reflecting on her time at the university and her goal of keeping the institution at the top in Africa
• Phakeng was one of nine individuals who received the recognition from the Canadian university for their contributions to their professions

The vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Town, Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, has done us proud once again by receiving another international honorary doctorate, this time from the University of Ottawa.

UCT's Phakeng is one of nine individuals to receive the accolade from the Canadian university this Tuesday for their significant and sustainable contributions to their professions.

The 55-year-old also delivered a speech at the institution and spoke about her time at UCT and her goal of keeping the university ranked high in Africa, Sunday World reported.

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According to UCT, Phakeng also reflected on her goal of continuing to rapidly transform the university while retaining the institution’s standards of excellence:

“There is an obsession with the idea that if we transform, we will lose excellence. There are people who are convinced that if we change the status quo [we’re] going to fail. We cannot overlook the individuals involved in the process of transformation because it is the people who are having the conversations and interactions who make the change."

In a post on Twitter, the VC dedicated the honour to her mother because of the sacrifices she made during her upbringing.

“Makes me so happy to see my mother happy. She’s my superwoman! She denied herself even the basics in life to make sure that each of her children had enough education to make something of their lives,” she wrote.

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This is the second honorary doctorate Phakeng has received as in 2019, she was celebrated by the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom (UK), SABC News reported.

Halala: Noxolo Grootboom granted honorary doctorate from Nelson Mandela University

In a related story by Briefly News, retired television anchor, Noxolo Grootboom, was awarded an honorary doctorate in philosophy from Nelson Mandela University.

Grootboom retired last year following a 27-year-long career in journalism, with her contribution to journalism and language acknowledged with the honorary degree.

She also received a doctorate from Rhodes University and was conferred the ‘Doctor of Letters’ degree.

Source: Briefly News