HONORARY DOCTORATES
UJ Graduations go virtual
Over 13 000 graduates gathered virtually to celebrate their graduations. The University of Johannesburg (UJ)’s virtual graduation celebrations were held from 16 March to 11 May 2021. The virtual celebrations took the form of pre-recorded videos during which the UJ Chancellor, Prof Njabulo Ndebele, and the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, congratulated all those who fulfilled the requirements of their qualifications, and whose names appear in the respective graduation programmes. More than 10 000 undergraduate diplomas or degrees and almost 3 000 postgraduate degrees – including more than 500 master’s and 100 doctoral degrees – were awarded. Among those conferred with their respective qualifications, UJ honoured 5 pioneers of social justice and civil rights activists during the 2021 graduation ceremonies. Prof Marwala noted that due to restrictions on public gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic, the University had to postpone its in-person graduations, which would have comprised more than 60 graduation ceremonies. “The COVID-19 pandemic has changed almost every facet of our lives, not least the way universities operate. As the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) thought leader in Africa, UJ had to be fast in adapting to and demonstrating its agility in the 4IR space,” he says. “Because we embrace technological advancements, our students are at the centre of 4IR
through innovative learning. The University, in its quest for 4IR, had enhanced its blended learning and succeeded in giving our students access to our online teaching and learning platforms.”
gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic, the University had to shift from in-person to virtual graduation ceremonies. This was in recognition of a graduation ceremony being such a momentous occasion in a student’s life. We hope that through these virtual ceremonies, our graduates and their families and friends were able to experience some elements of a graduation ceremony.”
The University’s Registrar, Professor Kinta Burger, says a graduation ceremony is a momentous occasion in a student’s life.
“Due to restrictions on public
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