Vice-Chancellor’s outstanding service & leadership honoured

Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) Vice-Chancellor Professor Cheryl de la Rey received the Symons Medal at the opening gala of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) Congress 2025 in Nairobi last night.  She was acknowledged for her sustained contribution to strengthening collaboration, equity and opportunity across the Commonwealth, recognising her exceptional service to the ACU and her leadership within the global higher education community.

Professor De la Rey has held significant governance roles within the ACU for more than a decade. She first served on the ACU Council from 2013–2017, including four years as Vice-Chair, before being re-elected in 2022 and appointed Chair of Council in 2023. Her term as Chair concludes on 31 December 2025, and her final term as a Council member will run until July 2026.

Upon conferring the Medal, ACU Secretary General and Chief Executive, Professor Colin Riordan said, “Professor Cheryl de la Rey has been an outstanding Chair of the ACU Council, as well as a powerful advocate for the role of higher education in building a better future for all.

“Throughout her tenure, she has demonstrated a tireless commitment to strengthening the Commonwealth’s global community of universities, championing equitable access to education, driving progress on sustainable development and fostering meaningful collaboration across borders and cultures. Her leadership has helped to ensure that universities remain engines of innovation, opportunity and social transformation.”

Professor De la Rey has contributed to the international tertiary sector for more than 30 years. Before joining UC, she held senior leadership roles in South Africa, including Chief Executive of the Council of Higher Education and nearly a decade as Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria.

Her academic background is in Social Psychology, with a PhD and a significant body of research focused on intergroup relations and gender. Alongside her scholarship, she has championed access to quality education and strengthened institutional partnerships across continents.

Professor De la Rey said she was honoured to receive the Symons Medal. “This recognition is especially meaningful because it reflects the collective spirit of collaboration and shared purpose that defines the ACU.

“In a world facing complex and interconnected challenges, organisations such as the ACU play a pivotal role in bringing together global knowledge, fostering cultural exchange and advancing equal opportunities through higher education. It has been a privilege to serve as a Council member and Chair and to contribute to a network so dedicated to creating a more inclusive, sustainable and educated Commonwealth.”

About the Symons Medal

Established in 1973 through a gift from Professor Tom Symons, the founding Vice-Chancellor of Trent University in Canada and former ACU Chair, the Symons Medal is awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the ACU or to universities of the Commonwealth. The bronze medal was specifically designed for the ACU by renowned Canadian artist Dora de Pedery Hunt.

The Medal was most recently awarded in 2021 to Sir Edward Byrne, former President and Principal of King’s College London and former President and Vice-Chancellor of Monash University, Australia.