SECTION 1 Executive Messages
SECTION 1 Executive Messages
VICE CHANCELLOR FOREWORD FROM THE
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n 2022, the University of Pretoria (UP) embarked on the last phase of a five-year strategic plan that will lead us to 2025 and beyond. Efforts over the past four years to achieve our strategic goals were rewarded with an increase in student access and success; high-quality research for greater societal impact; global recognition; diversity, equity and inclusion; and institutional sustainability. Examples of these can be found throughout this report. As we advance towards and beyond 2025, we will continue to strive to meet our goals for the greater good and benefit of society as a whole. Our well-educated, skilled graduates and relevant transformative research are key agents and drivers of sustainable inclusive development.
Growing young talent The University continued to see an increase in applications, with 46 854 undergraduate applications that meet minimum requirements received. This was 870 more than for 2021. We are still one of the largest contact universities in South Africa with 54 466 students enrolled in 2022. UP remains the university of choice for high-achieving students. Two exceptional school-leaving achievers – based on their Grade 12 results and their potential
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for success – are studying at UP through the ViceChancellor’s Distinguished Merit Awards (VCDMAs). Gauteng’s overall top performer of 2021, Kristen Erasmus, who received nine distinctions, was one of the recipients of the awards. Mongiwa Hazel Ntuli, aged 15 years, is our youngest recipient of a VCDMA. For the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown restrictions, the University hosted in-person graduation ceremonies. We awarded 13 555 qualifications (2021: 13 593), of which 333 were to doctoral graduates and 1 822 were for master’s degrees. Two notable graduates deserve mention. At 25, Mathias Shunmugam (bottom right) is the youngest PhD holder in the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies’ 105-year history. Karabo Maleka (bottom left) is the first black student to graduate with a PhD in speech pathology from UP. She was inspired by her late grandmother, who was a nurse, to pursue a career in the health sector.
UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA | ANNUAL REVIEW 2022
Preparing our students for work Preparing learners for automation, digital platforms and other innovations is the cornerstone of their education for a future that is already on our doorstep.
Centre for the Future of Work: This newly launched Centre looks at all the new ways of working and seeking fulfilment in our work. Through research, we intend addressing issues like youth unemployment, the gig economy and better ways of flexible and hybrid work.
Ongoing efforts to make our students future-fit has earned the University international recognition. In the 2023 QS World University Rankings, UP is now ranked second in South Africa and 190th in the world according to the Employer Reputation indicator. This indicates that we produce graduates who understand the world of work and can make a valuable contribution right from the start.
Digital Capability Laboratory: Launched towards the end of 2022, this laboratory will help students with the requisite skill-set to thrive in the evolving world of work. The laboratory is part of the European Union’s (EU) Erasmus+ SUCCESS Project, an initiative that researches ways to tackle youth unemployment and boost student employability in South Africa. UP is one of six higher education institutions involved in this Project.
Strengthening work-integrated-learning is an important feature of our curriculum transformation and programme design, as we prepare students for the future. Increasing focus is being placed on embedding innovation, entrepreneurship and digital literacy into the broad suite of student competencies. In 2022, some key developments in this area were:
Smart learning resources: UP’s Forensic Anthropology Research Centre has set up a comprehensive facility to help other departments in the Faculty of Health Sciences with the 3D-printing of replicas of bones and organs. Besides improving research methods and the teaching of students, this facility can open up the job market for students who can do 3D-image processing and 3D-print items for medical doctors.
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