ChatGPT has dominated news headlines since the release of ChatGPT 3.5 in November 2022 and has been followed by an explosion of GenAI tools and services. These AI tools and services will likely grow and continue to develop new capabilities in the future. How can the academic community stay up-to-date about the latest developments and be supported to leverage AI for academic purposes?

Applied statistician and author of the best-seller “Elements of Statistical Learning”, Professor Trevor Hastie, has donated $5000 to Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网, bringing the combined donations from North America and the United Kingdom to over R1.5 million in seven months.

Twenty-year-old Bachelor of Social Sciences student Thabisile Msenga became the first recipient of a R135,500 (CAD$10,000) allocation from a newly inaugurated scholarship fund established in an agreement between Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 and Myriad Canada. The fund currently has a total value of R680,000 (CAD$50,400) over four years.

With the #RU120 anniversary year in full swing, Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网’s resource mobilisation efforts are set to receive an energising shot in the arm with the restoration of the prestigious Neilen Locke coaching award.

The #RU120 Sports Festival, scheduled for 9-10 August 2024, expects participation from Nelson Mandela 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网, Walter Sisulu 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网, East Cape Midlands TVET College, and local sports clubs and institutions outside the Eastern Cape. Key events from this festival will be streamed online, ensuring the festival's excitement reaches a global audience.

In a shared plenary session at the 68th conference of the South African Institute of Physics (SAIP), Head of Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网’s Department of Physics and Electronics Professor Makaiko Chithambo and Visiting Adjunct Professor in Flow Physics at the 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 of the Witwatersrand Professor Igle Gledhill speculated on what might be accomplished by the year 2124. The talk served as an intellectual time capsule for future physicists to look over and “possibly laugh at our ignorance” as Professor Chithambo joked.

At 22, Zozibini Mali stands as a testament to resilience and determination. A third-year BCom Accounting student at Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网, his journey is one of perseverance against the odds. Raised in Bhisho by his grandmother and mother, Zozibini grew up without a father figure, navigating his formative years in a challenging environment. From a young age, he attended a boys' school, where he balanced the influence of the strong matriarchs in his life with the values of independence and self-reliance instilled at school. This unique blend of influences has moulded him into the resilient and driven man he is today.

Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 and the Canon Collins Trust have announced a landmark partnership to increase educational opportunities for Southern African postgraduate students. This collaboration represents a significant step forward in fostering academic excellence and providing vital support to these students, marking a pivotal moment in the advancement of higher education in the region.

"It should not be, and it cannot be that an academically deserving young person will be deprived of an opportunity to receive quality and transformative education simply because they happened to have been born into a family of limited means,” said Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 Vice Chancellor, Prof Sizwe Mabizela.

On the evening of 16 July 2024, Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 celebrated the dedication of 64 staff members at a Long-Service Awards ceremony, recognising their collective 1,495 years of service. Among the honourees was Vice-Chancellor Professor Sizwe Mabizela, who proudly marked his 20th year at the 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网. This milestone coincided with Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网’s 120th anniversary (RU120), adding special significance to the evening.

Every year, the historic town of Makhanda (Grahamstown) comes alive with the vibrancy and creativity of the National Arts Festival, attracting visitors from all corners of the globe. Amid this bustling celebration, Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 hosts a special cocktail event, bringing together its alumni, fondly known as Old Rhodians, along with friends and supporters of the institution. This year’s gathering, however, held an extra layer of significance as it marked two monumental anniversaries: Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 continuing its celebration of its 120th year and the National Arts Festival its 50th. This convergence of milestones provided a unique opportunity to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and envision a future of sustained excellence and mutual support.

From 6-7 July 2024, Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 hosted the inaugural Young Leaders Bootcamp, a transformative engagement that sought to empower the next generation of leaders. This two-day programme brought together Makhanda High School student leaders and the Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 Student Representative Council (SRC) to participate in a programme designed to reflect on ethical leadership and community engagement.

As part of celebrating its bidecacentennial anniversary year of academic excellence, Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 hosted the international Higher Education Close-Up 11 (HECU11) conference from 3 to 5 July last week.

As Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 marks its 120th anniversary, the Department of Music and Musicology proudly presents a series of tribute concerts on 13 July 2024. These concerts celebrate "firsts," highlighting the university's pioneering role in shaping South African music and its ongoing legacy of excellence and innovation. This special event will honour the ground-breaking contributions of two distinguished composers, Dr Bongani Ndodana-Breen and Dr Paul Hanmer, whose works have set significant musical precedents.

A new research laboratory, the Electromagnetics Innovation (EMI) lab, was opened last week at the Centre for Radio Astronomy Techniques and Technologies (RATT), Department of Physics and Electronics at Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 by Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网’s Dean of Science, Professor Joanna Dames.

On Friday, 5 July 2024, the SAIP2024 conference concluded with a grand Gala dinner held at the Nelson Mandela Dining Hall, Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网. The evening was marked by a series of inspiring speeches and the celebration of excellence within the physics community.

The 68th Annual Conference of the South African Institute of Physics (SAIP) was held at Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 between 1-5 July 2024, and brought together students, professionals, educators, and government officials.

Thank you for the honour and privilege of being part of this important young leaders bootcamp – an opportunity to engage young leaders of our city on leadership issues. Seeing so many of you this morning inspires me with great hope and optimism that our future is bright with promise. You, our country's youth, will help us create a better society and world.

Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 is hosting the Young Leaders Bootcamp at Eden Grove on 6-7 July 2024, featuring Allan Magubane as the keynote speaker. Magubane, born in 1989 in Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, has contributed to education and corporate consultancy, focusing on leadership ethics, strategy, and diversity.

Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 is taking the next step in its transformative involvement in the broader education sector in Makhanda through a trailblazing bootcamp for school leaders, aimed at cultivating ethical leadership.