Stellenbosch is set for a shake-up as Stellenbosch University (SU) changes its graduation dates! Get ready for potential traffic snarls, parking woes, and accommodation challenges. The Stellenbosch Municipality is bracing for impact, according to Stuart Grobbelaar, their communications manager.
What's Changing?
SU will hold its last December graduation ceremonies between 8 and 12 December this year. From 2027 onwards, the university will switch to a single annual graduation event, held over a few days between March and April.
Municipality Gears Up
Grobbelaar assures that SU and the municipality are working closely together to plan for these changes. Regular engagement and coordination are key, especially when it comes to large-scale events like graduations and student orientation. The municipality collaborates with law enforcement, traffic services, and tourism operators to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Impact on Stellenbosch
“March and April are already busy months in Stellenbosch,” Grobbelaar explains. “It's harvest season, Varsity Cup time, peak tourism season, and we often have various festivals and outdoor events happening.” The change in graduation dates will add another layer of activity to an already bustling period.
Why the Change?
Ronel Retief, SU registrar, explains that the later release of the annual matric results has been delaying the start of the academic year since 2020. This has reduced contact teaching time and compressed administrative timelines leading up to the December graduation week.
So, mark your calendars! The graduates of 2025 will be the last to experience a December graduation ceremony at the Coetzenburg Centre. After that, it's all about the single annual ceremony in March/April. Plus, all students in a class will graduate together, regardless of the type of assessments they completed.