Each year, graduation is celebrated with splendour and this year, but due to lockdown UKZN is celebrating the achievements of its students a little bit different this year - with a virtual graduation ceremony.
The university’s annual and traditional graduation ceremonies are at the heart of the academic calendar, and this year is no different. UKZN jhas left no stone unturned to ensure graduands enjoy their proudest moment – a joyous and grand occasion shared with peers, family and friends.
The virtual ceremony, like any graduation, confers degrees on graduands who have succeeded in fulfilling their academic requirements – including those who will receive their qualifications posthumously. It includes an address by UKZN’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Nana Poku as well as congratulatory messages by four Deputy Vice-Chancellors.
Graduands can find out more via the university’s link:
“Technology advancement has made our lives easier in all sectors of society, be it in education, business or personal life. We have to take advantage of it and make use of it to our benefit. It is no longer a luxury but a necessity, as we need it in our daily lives. As UKZN, we recently hosted a number of successful public engagement events virtually.
"These events made headlines in the media as they touched and impacted on the lives of many people. We want to assure our stakeholders, especially parents and students that we will keep on improving the way we present and deliver graduation ceremonies to make them more exciting,” says Normah Zondo, acting executive director of corporate relations.
This graduation season, the university is conferring 9 963 degree certificates, 6 505 of which will be awarded to undergraduate recipients and 3 458 to postgraduates.
There are 414 Masters degrees (thesis) and 228 doctoral graduands. Moreover, there are 104 summa cum laude and 270 cum laude graduands.
As has been the trend in previous years, female graduands continue to excel, with women making up 70 percent of the summa cum laude graduands and 67 percent of the cum laude graduands.
The university is especially proud of the achievements of 80 graduands with disabilities, 31 of whom have completed postgraduate studies. Two exceptional achievers will graduate with PhDs and six with Masters.
There are 276 international graduands, 217 of whom will receive postgraduate certificates. Overall, 1 609 degrees will be conferred in the College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, 5 087 in the College of Humanities, 2 254 in the College of Law and Management Studies and 1 013 in the College of Health Sciences.
“To our graduands, rest assured you are going to graduate virtually with a degree or any qualification and become a bona fide graduate of UKZN today. You are now armed with the best education in the world. Go out there and inspire greatness in all that you,” adds Zondo.
Follow UKZN on these social media #tags: #UKZNgrad2020 and #ItCanBe
Congratulations to the class of 2020.
