FIELD TRIP
Exploring innovation and discovery in the Cape winelands
Field trip date: 9 December 2025
Organisation: Stellenbosch University
City: Stellenbosch
Tour capacity: 12 people
Transport: Local return shuttle from Cape Town to hosts will be provided, courtesy of NITheCS
Accommodation: Contact the Neelsie Travel Agency for accommodation packages in Cape Town – marianka@neelsietravel.co.za
Please advise regarding any mobility challenges or special needs. Comfortable shoes, sunscreen, hat, and water recommended. Ensure your medical aid and travel insurance policies are in place and at hand.
A field trip to Stellenbosch University to engage with leading scientists, explore groundbreaking research, and experience the Cape Winelands’ rich heritage.
This field trip requires travel to Cape Town. Travel and accommodation costs are at your own expense.
Situated in the second oldest town in South Africa, Stellenbosch University (SU) lies in the Cape Winelands, framed by several prominent mountain ranges that are part of the Cape Fold Belt, a geological formation known for its dramatic landscapes and biodiversity. SU is home to more than 35 000 students and over 1 000 academic staff, and it ranks among the top universities in the world.
During this visit to our picturesque campus, you will engage with leading scientists in the fields of global change, computational and data sciences, quantum communication technology, and quantum computing, and learn about the latest research from the team that first described the persistence of insoluble ‘microclots’ in the blood of patients with Long COVID. The visit also includes a meet-and-greet with the founders of several high-tech and biotech spinout companies incubated by the SU LaunchLab – in 2024, these ventures, all originating from postgraduate research, generated an estimated R1 billion in revenue and attracted over R857 million in investment funding.
Your visit will conclude with a Pinotage wine-tasting at Welgevallen Cellars. SU is the only university in South Africa with a working wine cellar, and this year celebrates the unique 100-year history of Pinotage.
Itinerary
11:30 Pick up at iThemba LABS
12:00 Welcome and lunch at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study
13:30 Guided tour of campus
14:00 Presentations and Q&A, National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Sciences
15:00 Transfer to LaunchLab
15:30 Meet and greet biotech entrepreneurs
16:30 Transfer to Welgevallen Wine Cellar
17:00 Pinotage wine tasting
18:00 Transfer to hotels / Cape Town International Convention Centre