Prof Gert van Zyl (third from right) from the Division of Medical Virology in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) delivered his inaugural lecture on Tuesday, 21 May. He spoke about Along a meandering road: Highlights and lessons in medical virology. Also at the lecture were Profs Julia Blitz (Vice-Dean: Learning and Teaching at the FMHS), Wolfgang Preiser (Division of Medical Virology), Hester Klopper (Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Strategic Initiatives and Internationalisation), Jimmy Volmink (Dean of the FMHS), and Dr Therese Fish (Vice-Dean: Clinical Services and Social Impact at the FMHS). Photo: FLORENCE DE VRIES
Prof Coenie Koegelenberg (middle) from the Division of General Internal Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) delivered his inaugural lecture on Monday, 3 June. The title of his address was The significance of sound: Learning through listening. Also at the lecture were Profs Wim de Villiers, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, and Jimmy Volmink, Dean of the FMHS. Photo: WILMA STASSEN.
Op Donderdag 23 Mei het prof Lou-Marie Kruger van die Departement Sielkunde in die Fakulteit Lettere en Sosiale Wetenskappe haar intreerede, getiteld Love in a time of violence: Of caring and of shame, gelewer. Saam met Kruger by die geleentheid was proff Anthony Leysens, Dekaan van die Fakulteit Lettere en Sosiale Wetenskappe, en Stan du Plessis, Uitvoerende Bedryfshoof. Foto: STEFAN ELS
On Wednesday 12 June, Prof Christo Thesnaar (middle) from the Department of Practical Theology and Missiology in the Faculty of Theology delivered his inaugural lecture. He spoke about Divine discomfort: A relational encounter with multi-generational and multi-layered trauma. With Thesnaar at the lecture were Profs Reggie Nel, Dean of the Faculty of Theology, and Stan du Plessis, Chief Operating Officer. Photo: ANTON JORDAAN

Prof Reinette (Oonsie) Biggs (middle), from the School of Public Leadership in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences and incumbent of the DST/NRF Research Chair in Social-Ecological Systems and Resilience, delivered her inaugural lecture with the title Resilience: An approach to navigating towards more sustainable futures in the Anthropocene, on 5 August 2019.  With her on the photo are Prof Eugene Cloete, Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies and Prof Ingrid Woolard, Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences.  Photo: Anton Jordaan

Prof Ingrid Woolard (middle) , Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, delivered her inaugural lecture entitled Mind the gap: Income inequality in post-apartheid South Africa on 7 August 2019. With her on the photo are Prof Nico Koopman, Vice-Rector: Social Impact, Transformation and Personnel and Prof Stan du Plessis, Chief Operating Officer of Stellenbosch University.  Photo: Anton Jordaan

Prof Deon de Bruin (middle), a professor of Industrial Psychology at Stellenbosch University, delivered his inaugural lecture with the title Measurement in Industrial Psychology: Advances in theory and practice, on 19 August 2019.  With him on the photo is Prof Ingrid Woolard, Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences and Prof Eugene Cloete, Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies at SU. Photo: Anton Jordaan

Prof Ronelle Burger (middle), a professor of Economics at Stellenbosch University, delivered her inaugural lecture with the title Amplifying the voices of our communities, on 20 August 2019.  Prof Burger’s research examines why vulnerable communities receive such poor public services.  With her on the photo are Professors Ingrid Woolard, Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences and Wim de Villiers, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University. Photo: Anton Jordaan

Prof Zurab Janelidze (middle), a professor of Mathematics in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Stellenbosch University, delivered his inaugural lecture with the title Formulas and forms in categorical algebra, on 3 September 2019.  With him on the photo are Prof Louise Warnich, Dean of the Faculty of Sciences and Prof Eugene Cloete, Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies.  Photo: Anton Jordaan

Prof Catharine Esterhuysen (second from left) and Prof André de Villiers (third from left) both delivered their inaugural lectures on 12 September 2019.  Prof Esterhuysen’s lecture was titled Intermolecular interactions: Insight into chemical properties and Prof de Villiers’s lecture was titled New dimensions in chromatographic separations.  With them on the photo are Prof Nico Koopman, Vice-Rector: Social Impact, Transformation and Personnel and Prof Louise Warnich, Dean of the Faculty of Science. Photo: Anton Jordaan

Prof Jonathan Jansen (second from left), delivered his inaugural lecture titled From ‘die sedelike toestand van die kleurling’ to ‘the cognitive functioning of coloured women’: A century of research on coloured people at Stellenbosch University on 16 September 2018.  With him on the photo is Prof Nico Koopman, Vice-Rector: Social Impact, Transformation and Personnel, Prof Mbulungeni Madiba, Dean of the Faculty of Education and Prof Eugene Cloete, Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies. Photo: Anton Jordaan

Prof Cara Schwarz (second from left) and Prof Guven Akdogan (third from left) both delivered their inaugural lectures on 18 September 2019.  Prof Schwarz’s lecture was titled Phase equilibria of fluid phase systems and Prof Akdogan’s lecture was titled Matte to metal: Understanding the intricacies of PGM processing.  With them on the photo are Prof Wikus van Niekerk, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Prof Eugene Cloete, Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies. Photo: Anton Jordaan

Prof Razeen Davids (middle) delivered his inaugural lecture, titled Physiology, epidemiology and e-learning – the adventures of a nephrologist  on 30 September 2019.  With him on the photo are Prof Stan du Plessis, Chief Operating Officer and Prof Jimmy Volmink, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Photo: Hermien Nel

Prof Taryn Young (middle) delivered her inaugural lecture, titled Influencing the evidence ecosystem – a reflection on 10 October 2019.  With her on the photo are Prof Jimmy Volmink, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and Prof Stan du Plessis, Chief Operating Officer. Photo: Wilma Stassen

Inaugural Lecture​s

An inaugural lecture is a formal event for newly appointed professors or those who have been promoted to full professor. They have to present the lecture within a year of their appointment or promotion. These lectures are held throughout the year in hybrid format, i.e., in person and virtually.

The lectures offer these professors the opportunity to share their knowledge, scientific discoveries and even personal journeys in their respective fields with the public and the academic community. Colleagues, family members and other interested parties are also invited to attend these inaugural lectures.

The Registrar’s Division is responsible for coordinating the production and publishing of inaugural lectures. The Corporate Communication and Marketing Division collaborates with the relevant faculties regarding the logistical arrangements for these events.

Upcoming Lectures

11 August 2022

Prof Corné Coetzee

Modelling of granular materials: Discrete and continuum approaches

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Reitz Hall, Engineering Faculty, 156 Banghoek Road, Stellenbosch Central
Stellenbosch, Western Cape 7605 South Africa
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11 August 2022

Prof Rong-Wie Wang

Electrical machine technology: Innovation and research

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Reitz Hall, Engineering Faculty, 156 Banghoek Road, Stellenbosch Central
Stellenbosch, Western Cape 7605 South Africa
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16 August 2022

Prof Dion Forster

Living more decently in an indecent world? The virtues and vices of a public theologian

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Room 2031 Attie van Wijk Auditorium, 171 Dorp Street, Stellenbosch, 7600, 171 Dorp Street
Stellenbosch, 7600 South Africa
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Past Lectures

05 May 2022

Prof Bill Tucker

Forward together, sonke siya phambili, saam vorentoe

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First Year Chemistry Building, de Beer Road, Stellenbosch, 1 De Beer Road
Stellenbosch, 7600 South Africa
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10 May 2022

Prof MJ (Thinus) Booysen

Engineering for Africa: Our Internet of Things

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Reitz Hall, Engineering Faculty, 156 Banghoek Road, Stellenbosch Central
Stellenbosch, Western Cape 7605 South Africa
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12 May 2022

Prof Annie Bekker

What we can learn from the way a ship shudders on an icy wreck hunt

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Reitz Hall, Engineering Faculty, 156 Banghoek Road, Stellenbosch Central
Stellenbosch, Western Cape 7605 South Africa
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12 May 2022

Prof Richard Walls

Fire safety engineering – where physics and disasters meet

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Reitz Hall, Engineering Faculty, 156 Banghoek Road, Stellenbosch Central
Stellenbosch, Western Cape 7605 South Africa
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17 May 2022

Prof Johan Fourie

South Africa’s Long Walk to Economic Freedom: A Personal Journey

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Room 1046, Van der Sterr Building, Bosman Street, Stellenbosch, 12 Bosman Street
Stellenbosch, Western Cape 7600 South Africa
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31 May 2022

Prof Anita Cloete

Being human in a technology-driven world: Checkmate or opportunity for social responsibility?

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Room 2031 Attie van Wijk Auditorium, 171 Dorp Street, Stellenbosch, 7600, 171 Dorp Street
Stellenbosch, 7600 South Africa
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