Mentoring, counselling and support for underrepresented groups at UCT are consistent with the university's Vision 2030 values of transformation, excellence, and sustainability and its mission to “unleash human potential to create a fair and just society”.

In 2024, the University of Cape Town demonstrated a strong institutional commitment to mentoring, counselling and peer-support for underrepresented groups, including women, people of colour, LGBTQIA+ individuals and persons with disabilities. Support took the form of structured mentoring programmes (ATAP, STEM MentHER), peer and professional counselling via Student Wellness Services and Office for Inclusivity and Change, ally and first-responder training, and officially recognised LGBTQIA+ student societies (Rainbow UCT).

These initiatives operationalise UCT’s Vision 2030 values of transformation, excellence and sustainability, and contribute directly to the UN SDGs on Quality Education (SDG 4), Gender Equality (SDG 5), Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10) and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16).

1. Mentoring and development for underrepresented academics

  • The Academic Track and Accelerated Pathway (ATAP) programme, managed by UCT’s Research Office, provides mentoring, writing-retreats, and integration support for Black South African and other underrepresented early-career academics, addressing historical inequities in academic representation. The main aim of the programme is to attract and build a pipeline of
    high-performing black South African postgraduates, including supervised research master’s and doctoral students, as well as postdoctoral fellows who have an interest in and show a commitment to actively pursuing academic careers through postgraduate study into early-career positions at UCT, or at other institutions.

    ATAP was established in response to the underrepresentation of black South African academics in the higher education sector in South Africa. The programme offers scholarship and fellowship funding, as well as targeted capacity development support mechanisms to prepare students for academic careers.

    The support and development offerings provided by the programme include appropriate training for teaching, research, and engaged scholarship skills, as well as mentorship, integration into existing programmes, research writing retreats, and support for research and conference travel. This comprehensive support system aims to provide students with the tools and resources necessary to succeed in their academic careers.
  • The Emerging Researcher Programme (ERP) similarly offers long-term mentoring and research-development support, nurturing new academics (many from underrepresented groups) and improving demographic diversity in UCT’s research community.
  • The New Generation of Academics Programme (nGAP), is run by the Centre for Higher Education Studies (CHED) at UCT. It is a programme supported by funds from the Department of Higher Education (DHET) to build a new generation of black South African academics. The programme “involves the recruitment of highly capable scholars as new academics, against carefully designed and balanced equity considerations and in light of the disciplinary areas of greatest need”. The nGAP scholars are appointed into permanent positions where from the outset their conditions are customised to ensure their successful induction into the ranks of established academics. 

2. Mentoring and peer-support for women in STEM

  • The STEM MentHER@UCT programme, active from 2024, connects women undergraduates and postgraduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics with female mentors and role models to address gender imbalances and build inclusive professional networks. The programme is a mentorship initiative designed to inspire and empower young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

    STEM MentHER@UCT pairs high school learners (mentees) with experienced academics and senior postgraduate students (mentors) at universities across South Africa. These mentors provide invaluable guidance as mentees explore potential career paths and navigate the critical school-to-university transition.

    The programme is supported by seven leading universities including UCT, Stellenbosch University, the University of the Western Cape, North-West University, University of Johannesburg, the University of the Witwatersrand, and the University of KwaZulu-Natal. 

3. Counselling and peer-led support for students from diverse backgrounds

  • UCT’s Student Wellness Service (SWS) provides professional counselling, outreach and peer-led support addressing academic stress, identity, and wellbeing. In 2024, the Department of Student Affairs highlighted peer-counselling programmes and counsellor diversity to reflect the student body.
     
  • The Office for Inclusivity and Change (OIC) coordinates mentoring and psychosocial support for students with disabilities and other vulnerable groups through:
    • Short-term counselling and mentoring by the OIC psychologist;
    • Round-table mentoring meetings for complex student cases;
    • Leadership and awareness training for student mentors, residence leaders and orientation teams on inclusion and disability advocacy; and
    • Peer and carer support meetings for staff and student assistants.

4. Peer-support and ally training for vulnerable groups

  • Building upon the university's existing response and support vehicles for those affected by gender-based violence (GBV), the Office for Inclusivity & Change (OIC) ran a first-responder workshop in collaboration with the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Rape Crisis, to train and equip those students, student advisors or staff who, due to their caring nature, have become trusted confidantes of survivors of GBV. The workshop took place on 15 August 2024. It focused on training staff and student peer-supporters to respond to gender-based violence and provide trauma-informed assistance to survivors — many of whom belong to underrepresented or marginalised communities.

5. LGBTQIA+ peer-support and student societies

  • Rainbow UCT, an officially recognised UCT student society, provides peer support, advocacy, and community for LGBTQIA+ students and allies. It organises events, awareness campaigns and inclusion dialogues, and is supported under UCT’s recognised clubs and societies structure managed by the Department of Student Affairs.

Alignment with UCT values

These initiatives give practical expression to UCT’s Vision 2030 commitments to:

  • Transformation - advancing equity and social justice through targeted mentoring and inclusive support networks;
  • Excellence - empowering all students and staff to achieve their potential;
  • Sustainability - embedding inclusion in institutional culture and leadership pipelines.