Pictured above : Dr Max Price (UCT Vice Chancellor); Dr Catarina Arruda (Consul-General of Portugal); Professor Yasin Dutton (UCT School of Languages and Literatures); Professor Sakhela Buhlungu (Dean, UCT Faculty of Humanities). Front row: Hugh Amoore (UCT Registrar) and H.E Antonio Ricoca Freire (Portuguese Ambassador to South Africa). Photo appears courtesy of UCT Monday Monthly.

The University of Cape Town has secured an agreement with the Portuguese government that will see an extension of the Portuguese language curriculum to benefit additional students.  The protocol was signed at an official ceremony at the University, on 17 June 2015.

Undergraduate Portuguese language courses have been offered through UCT School of Languages and Literatures since 2006. However, these courses were available at first and second year levels only. The new agreement will see the roll out of third and fourth year courses and include funding for an additional member of staff, thereby strengthening the Portuguese course major. According to Professor Yasin Dutton (Head, UCT School of Languages and Literatures) the Portuguese government has a particular interest in creating expertise in translating and interpreting services in South Africa. The assistance provided to educational institutions is intended to create future capacity for these and other Portuguese language services. A similar agreement (to further Portuguese language study at UCT) was reached in 2014 with the Federative Republic of Brazil.

UCT Vice Chancellor Doctor Max Price hosted H.E Antonio Ricoca Freire (Portuguese Ambassador to South Africa); Dr Catarina Arruda (Consul-General of Portugal) and Ms. Stela Maria S. Brandao (Consul-General of Brazil) alongside Hugh Amoore (UCT Registrar); Professor Sakhela Buhlungu (Dean of the Faculty of Humanities); Professor Yasin Dutton (Head, UCT School of Languages and Literatures) and Gina Brazier (UCT Portuguese language lecturer). Portuguese High School teachers Isabel Barros and Sofia Rego attended the event also.

“The highly valued support we have received from the Portuguese government will enable further variation of our Portuguese curriculum offerings. Where other sections at the UCT School of Languages and Literatures often have a maximum of two teachers, Portuguese now has three. This will greatly enhance our academic programme, ultimately benefiting UCT students” said Professor Dutton.