What a treat, tonight my wife and I were honoured to be able to attend the farewell concert of DR David Woods, Vice-Chancellor of Rhodes University, who retires early next year.

It's been such a long time since I was at a concert, wow! With pieces by the Johannesburg Youth Jazz Orchestra and the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra I just sat there in awe.

Dr Woods has been Vice-Chancellor since 1996 and has seen Rhodes through the challenging times that Academia has faced the past years, with all the changes brought on by the education department. Dr Woods has over 200 research papers to his name, what an amazing person. I think, to quote him, “We must never be afraid of academic excellence. It is the essence of what a university should be all about” rings true to many of us, just change the words academic and university to your name and then go look in the mirror.