GRASP
Volume 4 | Issue 1 May 2020
Issue 1 | May 2017
A communication with government on UP’s collaboration with government, government entities, foreign missions and international, inter-governmental organisations
ALIGNING NATIONAL, CONTINENTAL AND GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT AGENDAS:
The role of the University’s SDG Hub The
South African SDG Hub, which was established at the University of Pretoria to support the implementation of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), has published a Briefing Note on aligning the SDGs with African agendas, with a particular emphasis on their alignment with government’s National Development Plan (NDP). Supported by the Department of Science and Innovation, the SDG Hub is a national facility based in the Albert Luthuli Centre for Responsible Leadership on the Hatfield Campus, with Prof Willem Fourie as Coordinator. It aims to connect policy makers with the best South African research on the SDGs. Its focus is to enable access to relevant, useful and reliable knowledge resources, provide policy advice, promote dialogue and build capacity, thereby providing the blueprint to achieving a better future for all. It does this by collecting and disseminating open-access South African research on the SDGs through an open access platform.
The Briefing Note explores the alignment of national, continental and global development agendas. Titled Coordinating for impact: aligning Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with the NDP’s cycle of development, it focuses on how South Africa’s NDP, the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the global SDGs can be used together to improve people’s lives.
FIVE EMERGING LESSONS ARE IDENTIFIED IN THIS REPORT: • Significant SDG-NDP alignment on target level • The possibility of sequencing SDG implementation rather than identifying priorities • The interesting fact that SDG priorities are scattered across the NDP cycle of development • The enabling role of environmental sustainability • The cross-cutting importance of science, technology and innovation, and economic growth
Prof Willem Fourie, Coordinator of the South African SDG Hub
According to Prof Fourie, the Hub played a leading role in the drafting of South Africa’s first comprehensive SDG progress report, which was presented to the United Nations in September 2019. This report presented a mixed picture of South Africa’s progress. “The country is doing very well on some of the goals, notably the innovation components of SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure). It has made some strides in attaining gender equity (SDG 5) and has even made some progress (admittedly from a low base) in promoting renewable energy (SDG 7). As far as SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) is concerned, it is seeing progress in the reduction of maternal and infant mortality rates, although it still has a long way to go. In some respects, however, notable economic growth and employment (SDG 8), it is not doing that well. At the presentation of the Briefing Note in October 2019, the University’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Tawana Kupe, remarked: “We are very proud to work with our national government to provide this particular kind of service because universities are not entities in their own right. Universities belong to society. The only reason they should exist is to be transformative agents in society.” Prof Fourie concludes that it is gratifying to see the research being done through the SDG Hub translated into action through the provision of structured policy advice and the hosting of public lectures by renowned experts.
Towards a brighter future for all 1
From the
Manager’s desk: The Office of Government Relations and Special Projects at the University of Pretoria
This
first edition of the fourth volume of GRASP is published during a period of unprecedented uncertainty, confusion and anxiety, triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was, however, compiled before the announcement of the disaster in South Africa. The content, therefore, does not reflect the University of Pretoria’s comprehensive response to the pandemic, including the contributions that the institution and members of its community have made to addressing aspects related to the pandemic individually and collectively, also in support of government. The next edition should feature those inputs, but – hopefully – by that time, we would have seen the end of the crisis. The University has also restarted its academic programme online in an attempt to save the academic year, and thereby contribute to maintaining the human capital pipeline that supports the South African economy, including government’s role in it. This edition has a strong focus on the University’s commitment to transformation. Apart from our regular feature on transformation in which we reflect on UP’s comprehensive anti-discrimination policy, the ViceChancellor and Principal, Prof Tawana Kupe, also reflects on transformation in his message, which derives from his Human Rights Day message to stakeholders. In it, he enumerates some of the ways in which the University has, and continues to contribute to human rights in South Africa. On our cover page, we feature the role of the University’s SDG Hub. The Hub has recently published a Briefing Note that outlines the alignment between the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations and African agendas, as well as government’s National Development Plan. The University’s own focus on sustainability is timeous to the extent that the Times Higher Education has recently introduced university impact rankings that are designed to measure the extent to which higher education institutions are working towards fulfilling the United Nations’ SDGs. The SDGs seek to improve health and education, reduce inequality and foster economic growth. UP’s focus on the SDGs echoes its commitment to the common good and lends further testimony to its commitment to societal transformation. The articles on collaboration with the three spheres of government, as well as with foreign missions and governments, represent a small selection of many similar endeavours at UP. Restrictions of space inhibit the publication of many others. Our featured alumnus working in government, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, was recently appointed to head the Investment and Infrastructure portfolio in the Presidency. We are proud of this celebrated graduate, who obtained both his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Pretoria. We trust that you find this edition of the newsletter interesting and hope that it will motivate more government entities to make use of the University’s resources of knowledge and skills, as well as experience, in pursuit of achieving their objectives and goals. Quite apart from our proud record of excellence, it makes practical sense for doing so, as we are located on their doorstep in the capital city. Prof Denver Hendricks Manager
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SDG
FOCUS
Global collaboration
for African food security
Food
security is a major issue in Africa. About 20% of its population is undernourished, with sub-Saharan Africa being the worst hit. The University of Pretoria (UP) is committed to addressing this global challenge. On 23 October 2019, UP signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) to explore opportunities to achieve greater impact in food, agriculture and natural resources. The FANRPAN is a policy research, analysis and advocacy network with operational nodes in 18 countries. UP, on the other hand, has experience and capacity in high-quality, collaborative food securityrelated research. By sharing its strengths and resources, it will be able to increase the impact of research and policy innovation in socioeconomic development in Africa. During a recent visit to Wageningen University and Research (WUR) in The Netherlands, the University’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Tawana Kupe, engaged in discussions with the leadership of WUR to conduct collaborative research related to sustainable agriculture. This includes the development of a Rural Development Report (RDR) for the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), with a particular focus on guiding the strand for sub-Saharan Africa. Dr Lindiwe Sibanda, a visiting fellow at UP’s Centre for Advancement and Scholarship, will direct UP’s leadership of this continental process. Another fellow of the Centre for Advancement and Scholarship, Prof Frans Swanepoel, has been recognised for creating an impact in Africa’s agricultural development. The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) has honoured Prof Swanepoel for his significant contributions in pursuit of excellence in higher education in Africa, and for creating agricultural and food systems that facilitate change and transformation. Research in the Department of Consumer and Food Sciences is focusing on Africa’s burden of malnutrition, which is compounded by issues such as poverty, conflict, population growth and climate change. Prof Kwaku Gyebi Duodu aims to overcome this burden by promoting the use of indigenous and locally available grains. Grains such as sorghum and cowpea are not only resilient in harsh climates. They are also very nutritious. An issue of concern for researchers in the Department of Nutrition is the fact that South Africa’s average salt intake for adults is almost double that recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Together with its research partners, the Department has been awarded a two-year international grant to evaluate how well the South African food industry is complying with sodium targets for processed foods. According to Dr Beulah Pretorius, the programme will encourage enforcement of mandatory sodium targets in processed foods.
GRASP University of Pretoria
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
International study
Message from the Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof Tawana Kupe
on children’s liberty
UP academic community actively contributes to the promotion of human rights
The
As
University of Pretoria’s Centre for Human Rights recently hosted the subregional launch of the United Nations’ Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty. Among other things, the study found that more than seven million children are deprived of liberty worldwide, and provided recommendations to remedy this global challenge. The Global Study Advisory Board is chaired by Prof Ann Skelton of the University’s Faculty of Law. The aim of the launch was to give southern African states the opportunity to reflect on ways in which they can provide national measures to implement the recommendations of the Global Study. Former Constitutional Court Justice, Albie Sachs, gave the keynote address, while the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Candith Mashego-Dlamini, took the opportunity to reiterate the South African government’s support for the study.
UP’s contribution to law for South African children
The
Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola, has appointed the Director of the University of Pretoria’s Centre for Child Law, Advocate Karabo Ozah, to serve on the Advisory Committee of the South African Law Reform Commission's Project 100D on Care of and Contact with Children (incorporating Family Dispute Resolution). This project is focused on investigating and making recommendations on how to make the family justice system more oriented towards addressing the needs of all children and families, as well as how to foster early dispute resolution and minimise family conflict. Adv Ozah has dedicated her legal career to using the law to make a difference, in particular to ensure that children's constitutional rights are advanced and protected. “I am honoured to be appointed and excited about the work,” she said.
South Africa continues to evolve nearly 26 years into its democratic era, special occasions such as Human Rights Day, which took place on 21 March, are a sobering reminder of the struggle and sacrifice that so many undertook for the benefit of all. Human Rights Day annually memorialises the 69 people killed and 180 injured during the Sharpeville Massacre in 1960, which followed a march by ordinary people demonstrating against unjust pass laws that infringed on their right to freedom of movement. Fifty years after this tragedy, South Africans rightly celebrate a democratic ethos built on a culture of human rights, freedom and dignity for all. The University of Pretoria (UP) is proud to be part of building the South Africa envisioned in our Constitution in ways that are reflected in our outlook, culture, policy, vision and mission. Equitable access to a high quality of education produces graduates who are creative and critical thinkers; leaders who excel in the world beyond university; innovative research that has an impact on society and transforms lives; and a deep desire to make an impact on the future of our continent and world by making today and every day matter. New research conducted at UP highlights just how seriously the institution takes human rights. Academics in UP’s Centre for Human Rights were closely involved with drafting South Africa’s Constitution, a founding document that is regarded as one of the most progressive, liberal and protective of human rights in the world. The University is equally proud of the many other ways that its academics and researchers contribute to human rights in South Africa. These include the following: • The Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication ensures that the human rights of people with disabilities and complex communication needs are upheld by having access to the justice system. • The Centre for Child Law is responsible for advocating for the rights of society’s vulnerable children. • The Department of Family Medicine ensures that the health and wellbeing of persons with substance use disorders are cared for with suitable interventions to prevent further drug abuse. • The Centre for the Study of Resilience in the Faculty of Education focuses on acknowledging the human rights of learners who overcome great adversity and obstacles, and trains teachers and industry practitioners to be cognisant of and to understand the rights of these learners or employees in various sectors. • The Centre for Sustainable Communities in the Faculty of Theology conducts research that combines faith with the collective human rights of communities through poverty reduction, improving the quality of lives, eco-justice and rural livelihoods. • The Department of Business Management runs the Mamelodi Business Clinic, which strengthens human rights through poverty reduction by encouraging entrepreneurship and imparting business skills to the community to help people grow their businesses and break the cycle of poverty through education and skills. • The Institute of Food, Nutrition and Wellbeing promotes human rights by actively researching and promoting the use of sustainable, indigenous staple food and crops so that South Africans can have basic food security. We envisage the University of Pretoria as an inclusive institution that has an affirming and transformed institutional culture, curriculum, campus and residence life. Treating all people with respect, dignity, kindness and upholding the human rights of all is “THE UP WAY”.
UP Vision: To be a leading research-intensive university in Africa, recognised internationally for its quality, relevance and impact, and also for developing people, creating knowledge and making a difference locally and globally. 3
GRASP University of Pretoria
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT COLLABORATION HIGHLIGHTS
ROAD RESEARCH RECEIVES A MAJOR BOOST Research into the future of road design and transport infrastructure has received a major boost through a collaboration between the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL), the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the University of Pretoria. The world-class transportation hub will enable South Africa to be at the leading edge of research and testing, as well as
the training of the next generation of engineers, scientists, technicians and artisans. The integrated laboratory facility will include the SANRAL National Roads Materials Reference Laboratory and an accelerated pavement testing facility. In addition, it will include a concrete research laboratory and an active traffic track for real-time testing. The aim is to establish a research hub where scientists and researchers
from across industry, the academic community and government can collaborate to find solutions for issues relating to road infrastructure and transportation. This will contribute to the broader national efforts to make South Africa a smart country and improve its ability to meet the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is characterised by rapid advances in technology and artificial intelligence.
Training in project management helps government keep up with the global market
New cohort of IGMDP graduates ready to serve government
Delegates
from the Independent Development Trust (IDT), a Schedule 2 stateowned entity reporting to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, recently benefitted from in-house training on project quality, risk and time management presented by the University of Pretoria. The IDT’s mandate is to implement and deliver critically needed social infrastructure programmes on behalf of government. Two groups of 20 delegates each followed the customised short course presented by lecturers from the Department of Construction Management, facilitated by Enterprises University of Pretoria. The participants had the opportunity to equip themselves with the experience required to apply three of the ten project management body of knowledge areas (quality management, risk management and time management) directly to the construction and built environments.
Graduates
of the University of Pretoria’s Incubation Governance and Management Development Programme (IGMDP), which has been successfully presented by Enterprises University of Pretoria for the third successive year, benefitted from some words of wisdom from Nomalungelo Gina, the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, who delivered the keynote address at their recent graduation ceremony. According to Deputy Minister Gina, the country is in dire need of incubators to assist start-up businesses. “The successful implementation of this programme will no doubt ensure that we will have the necessary capabilities to stimulate effective incubation. We are looking forward to the sustenance of this programme at the University of Pretoria,” she said.
COLLABORATION WITH PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT University hosts Third Technology and Innovation Conference
The
University of Pretoria hosted the Third Technology and Innovation Conference (TIC) with the theme “Automotive development for Africa: local challenges and technology solutions” on 16 October 2019. Jacob Mamabolo, Member of the Executive Committee (MEC) for Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, delivered one of two keynote addresses.
Addressing local challenges with technology solutions 4
According to MEC Mamabolo, technological innovation is key to improving road safety and growing the economy. He remarked that it is important for government to invest in new technologies and innovative solutions that will save lives on our roads and place Gauteng on a positive growth trajectory. “Gauteng plays an integral role in the transport value chain. Therefore, it is imperative that government works with transport industry experts and academics to leverage smart technology, ideas and solutions to improve road safety,” he said.
GRASP University of Pretoria
COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT Campus security enhanced with launch of new satellite station
The
safety and security of the area surrounding the University’s Hatfield Campus has been enhanced with the launch on 19 November 2019 of a new 24-hour Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) satellite station. This is the first of its kind for the city. The station will not only assist in crime prevention, but will also act as an access point for the public to engage directly with the TMPD. The Hatfield City Improvement District played an important role in this initiative, and the University has donated two vehicles for use by the TMPD.
Precinct Plan for Hatfield Campus Village to be extended to the rest of the city
The
Urban Design Framework, which was developed for the Hatfield Campus Village with the assistance of funding from the Kresge Foundation, has been elevated to the status of a Precinct Plan at the request of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (CTMM). This will meet the requirements of the City to adopt the document as official policy that will determine all future developments in Hatfield. A study, titled “Spatial and Institutional Development and Management Framework for the Hatfield Campus Village”, was commissioned by the University of Pretoria (UP) in 2015. It was aimed at improving conditions around UP’s Hatfield Campus, where the majority of its academic activities are focused. The envisaged goal was to develop a plan that – in the longer term – would lead to the creation of a vibrant, mixed-use suburb that would counteract the creeping urban decay that posed a threat to the long-term sustainability of the campus (and the University as a whole). The Hatfield Precinct plan is a direct outflow of the study. The CTMM plans to develop similar plans for all the precincts into which the city has been divided. The Hatfield Precinct Plan will serve as a model on which all the other plans will be based.
Inter-university Innovation Challenge to boost service delivery
The
University of Pretoria (UP) is participating in an inter-university innovation challenge with Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) and the University of South Africa (Unisa) to assist the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality with ideas for innovative and efficient service delivery. The goal of the challenge is to develop highly competent and confident student entrepreneurs with the capacity to conceive and implement innovative solutions that can solve service delivery challenges that are experienced, and ultimately improve the quality of life of the residents of Tshwane, South Africa, and beyond.
ALUMNI FOCUS
Our alumni are our most enduring asset
ALUMNUS HEADS THE PRESIDENCY’S INVESTMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE PORTFOLIO Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Head of Investment and Infrastructure in the Office of the President of South Africa since November 2019, holds both a doctorate and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Pretoria. He is an alumnus of the University’s School for Public Management and Administration (SPMA) in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. In the Office of The Presidency, he will focus on managing government’s R100 billion Infrastructure Fund, which is being incubated at the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA). His office will also enable The Presidency to oversee coordination between all structures dealing with infrastructure development. This will allow The Presidency to monitor progress and address blockages in priority infrastructure projects and private-sector projects. As such, Dr Ramokgopa is committed to growing the South African economy and creating jobs for its people. Prior to joining The Presidency, Dr Ramokgopa was the Member of the Executive Committee (MEC) for Economic Development, Agriculture and Environment in the Gauteng Legislature. This followed a six-year term of office as the Executive Mayor of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (CTMM) (from 2010 to 2016). At the time, he was one of the youngest mayors of a metropolitan municipality in South Africa. Previous positions include that of CEO for both the Metropolitan Trading Company and the Johannesburg Market, and Deputy Chairperson of the Limpopo Board of Trade and Investment. His participation in politics dates back to the 1980s when, as a teenager of 14, he was a member of the Atteridgeville-Saulsville Residents Organisation (ASRO). He enrolled for a BSc degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Durban-Westville, where he joined the South African Student Congress (SASCO). He became branch chairperson, and was later deployed as a Secretary-General of the Student Representative Council (SRC). He was also chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC) in Ward 51, the ANC’s zonal chairperson in Atteridgeville and regional chairperson in Tshwane. He currently serves as a member of the party’s Provincial Executive Committee in Gauteng. Dr Ramokgopa is an avid reader and enjoys following sports. He is actively involved in soccer development in his home township of Atteridgeville and once owned a team that played in the ABC Motsepe league. In his free time, Dr Ramokgopa presents lectures on leadership and public management at various tertiary institutions, something he does pro-bono. He lives by the motto: “If you live truthfully, you shall prevail against all adversity.”
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GRASP University of Pretoria
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION Paving the way for integrated solutions for water, energy and land
UP hosts UN Week of Science and Peace Conference
The
University of Pretoria (UP) hosted a United Nations Week of Science and Peace Conference on 12 November 2019, titled “African innovative solutions to sustainable African peace and development”. This inaugural conference was organised by the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security in conjunction with UP’s Department of Political Science in the Faculty of Humanities, and the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. It examined the critical role that science can play in promoting peace.
UP Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Tawana Kupe and IIASA Director General and CEO, Dr Albert van Jaarsveld.
During
a recent visit to the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Laxenburg, Austria, the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria, Prof Tawana Kupe, met with the Institute’s CEO, Dr Albert van Jaarsveld, and members of the IIASA’s external relations team. He also met with representatives of the “IIASA World in 2050 Initiative”, the “IIASA Integrated Solutions for Water, Energy and Land Initiative”, and the “IIASA ScaleWAYS” project to learn more about their work related to meeting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The meeting led to discussions on research synergies between UP and IIASA in meeting the SDGs, and also on working towards the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Discussions touched on the work of the Gauteng Research Triangle (GRT), which involves research collaboration between UP, the University of Johannesburg and the University of the Witwatersrand, and the possibility of IIASA becoming more involved in working with UP as part of this collaboration.
According to Prof Lise Korsten, Co-director of the Centre of Excellence in Food Security, the event was intended to initiate networking and pathways for strategic partnerships where industry, academia and government can leverage each other’s strengths to use science, innovation and technology to benefit respective societal needs. The conference, which was attended by delegates from across the private, public, civil society and academic sectors, covered the following four sub-themes: • African technology driving food security, climate change solutions and industries creating jobs and sustained social development. • Science in understanding African migration and developing horizontal governance mechanisms to positively approach immigration and emigration on the continent. • Progress in developing African decolonial theories to reduce gender and child-based violence in war, while promoting peaceful negotiations. • How African governments can support small, medium and large-scale business to create and promote innovation to achieve the SDG’s 2030 and AU Agenda 2063.
African diplomats forge research alliances
Mozambican Leadership Development graduates Employees of Mozambique’s state-owned power company, Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM), have successfully completed their Leadership Development Programme through Enterprises University of Pretoria. This delivery of the University’s renowned Leadership Development Programme had been tailored to the specific needs of EDM, and was presented to 116 delegates, including members of the company’s Board of directors, as well as directors and managers of the organisation’s various departments. The interactive programme equipped delegates with great tools for the facilitation of change and their overall growth on a personal level.
Delegates of the Leadership Development Programme
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Delegation of African diplomats More than 30 African ambassadors and high commissioners to South Africa were recently introduced to the University of Pretoria’s Future Africa Institute and Campus. The event provided a platform to share information about opportunities for students from other African countries to become fellows for the various programmes on the advancement of sustainability science implemented at the research institute. The institute promotes a transdisciplinary approach to problem-solving by bringing together researchers and partners from various disciplines and sectors. It also intends to address complex societal challenges and contribute to the achievement of Africa’s sustainable, inclusive and equitable development.
GRASP University of Pretoria
UP partners with the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Russia The University of Pretoria has become the first South African institution to partner with the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Russia in order to strengthen the University’s research efforts into nuclear sciences and related disciplines. The relationship between UP and the JINR was formalised at a ceremony held to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the JINR’s offices in Dubna on 27 February 2020. The JINR presents a training programme known as the JINR Expertise for Member States and Partner Countries (JEMS), which is targeted at administrators and managers of international projects in science and research in nuclear sciences and related disciplines. Its main objective is to present JINR’s operating principles, research and educational programmes, user policies, as well as means and formats of participating in JINR activities. Key features of the programme include heavy ion physics and accelerator technologies, neutron applications and nanoworld theory, information and education, nuclear medicine, life sciences on earth and in space, and neutrino.
UP professor receives Chinese government’s highest honour Prof Ian Craig, Section Head: Control Systems in the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, has been awarded a 2019 Chinese Government Friendship Award. This is the highest honour to be given to foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to the country’s economic and social progress.
Prof
Craig’s relationship with the Chinese control systems community started about 20 years ago. In particular, he supported this community in its efforts to increase international participation, as President of the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC) from 2011 to 2014. He was also appointed Chief Academic Master of the Chinese Government 111 Project on intelligent control and decision optimisation for manufacturing processes at Central South University in Changsha, China, in 2017. In this role, he acts as advisor to the School of Automation at Central South University. There have also been a number of exchanges between UP and Central South University that have led to joint research projects.
UP students meet German Chancellor
Future Africa Director leads UP delegation to Japan
A
delegation from the University of Pretoria (UP), led by Prof Cheikh Mbow, Director of the University’s Future Africa Campus, visited Japan from 20 to 24 January 2020 to initiate and deepen existing partnerships with Japanese institutions. This follows a visit to Japan in August 2019 by UP’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Tawana Kupe, when he participated in the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development. The UP delegation initiated a framework for institutional collaboration with the University of Tokyo through the Institute for Future Initiatives (IFI) and UP’s Future Africa Campus. The relationship between UP and the University of Tokyo is anchored on areas of mutual interest, driven by sharing resources and intellectual capital for capacity building and enhancing the universities’ relevance to society.
Prof Cheikh Mbow Director: Future Africa Campus
More
than 200 of the University of Pretoria’s students had the opportunity to meet German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, one of the world’s most important leaders, at the Future Africa Campus on 6 February 2020. The students were invited from faculties across the University. The event followed a programme that started with an official meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Union Buildings and a visit to the BMW factory in Rosslyn. Merkel took questions from students on a wide range of topics, including transformation, disruptive technologies, renewable energy, education, job creation, climate change, corruption, leadership, gender equality, public health and the coronavirus.
Collaboration for Africa’s digital economy
The
University of Pretoria’s Future Africa campus, in partnership with the United States Chamber of Commerce’s US-Africa Business Center and Microsoft, recently hosted a multi-partner forum on digital drivers that could grow Africa’s digital economy. The forum aimed to bring together government, policy and industry experts, academics and innovators to stimulate and foster discussion on relevant topics, with the aim of highlighting the policy issues and recommendations needed to effectively address challenges in this sphere.
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GRASP University of Pretoria
Transformation at UP
UP Anti-discrimination policy: Creating a safe environment for learning and working
Since
universities are the microcosms of the environments within which they operate, issues related to discrimination are not unique to the University of Pretoria (UP). For this reason, organisational polices can never be separated from social issues. UP recently reviewed its policies on discriminatory practices, and developed the Anti-discrimination Policy, which is an all-encompassing policy that tackles issues of discrimination based on the following prohibited grounds: race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth, or other comparable grounds, including country of origin, HIV status, socio-economic status, albinism, gender
identity, gender expression, intersex status, class, political opinion, year of study, physical appearance, body shape, mental health status or occupation. UP is committed to the prevention, redress and sanctioning of discriminatory practices as part of its transformation imperatives. Our Anti-discrimination Policy does not just serve the University in isolation, but filters into redressing societal ills. This is to ensure that we create a safe environment for learning and working. This is a basic necessity, and is essential to foster academic excellence. We therefore employ a zero-tolerance approach towards discrimination of all kinds. The Transformation Office of the University of Pretoria exists to serve the University community in all issues of social justice.
A showcase of UP’s transformation efforts The University of Pretoria (UP) is committed to becoming a gateway of opportunity for the full diversity of South Africa’s population. Through its transformation initiatives, UP proudly takes its place among fellow South African universities, determined to make its own contribution to the comprehensive development of our young democracy and in the transformation of South African society. The University is proud to report great strides towards achieving this goal. UP Transformation Charter Guided by our values of diversity, inclusivity, equity and integrity, we fully support our transformation mandate. This includes, among other things, the production of a skilled workforce that will make a meaningful contribution to the national, continental and global economy. We facilitate equity of access and provide a fair chance of success to all our hard-working students, recruited from different social and economic backgrounds. Transformation is at the heart of all our ongoing strategic initiatives. We have an institutional Transformation Office and an institutional Transformation Committee, whose main task is to promote the transformation of institutional culture. Some institutionalised strategies include the UP 2017–2021 Plan, the UP Employment Equity Plan and the Transformation Implementation Plan.
Human resources To address transformation gaps, UP places significant focus on staff development, particularly the appointment, development and retention of black academics. Development programmes include the New Generation of Academics Programme (nGAP), facilitated by the Department of Higher Education and Training, the Early Career Researcher Programme, the Programme for Academic Leadership (PAL) and the HERS-SA Programme for the career and leadership development of women.
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Research
Academic support for students
On a global scale, there is a broad realisation that the issues facing the world cannot be resolved by any discipline in isolation. Because the majority of research is funded publicly, the valid expectation is therefore that it should be of public interest. To achieve this, the connection between research and sectors outside the research environment is important. The University’s Future Africa Institute and Campus, as well as its focus on topics related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations through the South African SDG Hub, serves to connect local and international research expertise.
UP recognises that the profile of students entering the system is changing. Some students come from rural areas and are the first generation in their families to embark on tertiary education. These students are often financially needy, and do not always have the necessary digital or academic literacy in the language of instruction. In this regard, tutors and advisors have become essential to support lecturers teaching large classes. Students also complete a Student Academic Readiness Survey in their first week on campus, and are referred to advisors and mentors on the basis of this early warning system. Mentors are allocated to students from rural areas and/or who are first-generation students. All faculties also incorporate Academic Information Management modules, which focus on digital and information literacy.
Community engagement UP’s community engagement and development programme ensures that every student graduates with at least one experience of working at a community site of learning, thus ensuring the graduate attribute of social responsiveness. Most students apply knowledge that they are learning in local contexts to solve real-world problems while earning credits towards their degrees, although many do it as volunteers.
Student funding UP has always assisted poor students in various ways. Apart from NSFAS support, UP provides scholarships, bursaries and loans to poor students. UP also runs schemes to assist needy students with meals on campus.
Language In 2016, the UP Council adopted a new language policy whereby English has become the language of instruction and assessment. The policy supports the University’s commitment to the transformative imperative by rejecting exclusivity and privilege, promoting an educational environment that recognises dignity and respect for all – actively seeking to overcome discriminatory practices of the past in favour of an environment that reflects the diversity of our society.