Prof Robert John Balfour

Prof Robert John Balfour 
Chancellor of the University of the Western Cape (UWC)

Prof Robert John Balfour completed his doctoral degree in English language acquisition in Applied Linguistics in Education in Cambridge in 2000, before moving to English Studies at UKZN where he taught in Postcolonial Literature, and in Education as a specialist in language policy and planning for higher education.

He has published on postcolonial identities, multilingualism and inclusion in South Africa and beyond. Previously Registrar at St Augustine College of South Africa from 2008-2010, Robert was appointed as Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Education Sciences at NWU in 2011, before being appointed as Deputy Vice Chancellor (Teaching and Learning) in 2017, also at North-West University (NWU).

He assumed Office as the 8th Rector and Vice Chancellor of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in 2025. He is a painter, writer of poetry, and continues to publish widely. Professor Balfour has been an NRF rated academic since 2010.