Professor Raymond Parsons has been appointed as an extraordinary professor in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of the Western Cape (UWC).

In a media release, UWC describes Parsons as one of South Africa’s most respected economists and public commentators, whose career spans academia, policy advisory and thought leadership.

UWC says his appointment marks a significant milestone for the faculty and affirms its commitment to engaged scholarship that addresses South Africa’s development challenges.

“At the outset, I would like to express my appreciation for the honour which the UWC has given in appointing me as an extraordinary professor in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences.

“It forges, what I hope, will be a strong and productive relationship which can contribute to the university’s over-arching commitment to serious research on relevant issues,” says Parsons.

“As an economist, the challenge in South Africa is to constantly demonstrate how economic knowledge can be realistically applied to the solution of pressing socio-economic issues at various levels. I like to say that economics is not so much a body of concrete truth, but rather an engine for the discovery of concrete truth.

“This means not only pushing out the boundaries of our economic insights but also building the networks that can sharpen the impact of this knowledge on both the public and private sectors.

“I am therefore hoping, through my appointment, to add value to the university’s existing record of teaching and learning, research and public profile.

“Over the next couple of years, my new relationship with the faculty and the university will hopefully widen and deepen in ways that make a real difference. I look forward to joining the UWC team.”

Rector and vice-chancellor, Professor Robert Balfour, has also lauded this significant appointment.

“The UWC is proud to welcome Professor Raymond Parsons to the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. As one of South Africa’s most respected economists and public commentators, Professor Parsons brings exceptional expertise and insight to UWC,” says Balfour.

“His appointment reflects our growing strength in economic thought leadership and our commitment to addressing South Africa’s development challenges through engaged scholarship”.

Parsons currently serves as a professor at the North-West University (NWU) Business School and chairs its advisory board.

He studied economics at the Universities of Cape Town, Oxford and Copenhagen, and has lectured at the University of Pretoria and the University of the Witwatersrand.

UWC describes his contributions to public and academic debate as extensive, with numerous publications and editorial work to his name.

The university says he is well known for his ability to translate complex economic issues into accessible insights and has received multiple awards for his public engagement – most notably as the academic who generated the most media coverage at his home university, with over 975 media features across broadcast, online and print platforms.

At UWC, Parsons will support the Department of Economics through a robust programme of community engagement and academic enrichment.

His expected contributions include presenting public lectures and departmental series on Monetary and Political Economy; contributing to curriculum alignment across economics sub-disciplines; guiding emerging researchers and students with interests in political economy; and supervising honours students and contributing to research publications.

“We are honoured to welcome Professor Parsons to our faculty and look forward to the impact his presence will have on our students, staff, and broader academic community,” says UWC.