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Sustainability Amid the challenges of this volatile and unpredictable era, UP aims to optimise resources and enhance institutional resilience to secure future viability.
One of the critical priorities of the University in 2020,
FINANCIAL RESILIENCE
heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic, was to resolutely
Universities were already experiencing sustainability
maintain and enhance institutional sustainability. The
challenges before the pandemic. Demands for tuition
pandemic was both a disruptive force and an opportunity
and accommodation fee rebates, reductions in budget
to reimagine and reposition the University to secure its
allocations
long-term success and vitality.
related to procuring personal protective equipment also
and
additional
unbudgeted
expenses
negatively affected the financial position of South African UP published its first integrated Sustainable Development
universities, including UP.
Report in 2020, showing the progress towards integrating sustainability into all parts of the institution, and the
The University’s Financial Sustainability Plan for the period
various gains that the University has made across various
2019–2025, developed in 2019, is guiding our response
dimensions of sustainability.
to the financial impact of the COVID-19 health crisis. The key focus areas are to maximise operational efficiencies, contain costs and optimise all income streams. The plan acknowledges that creating a sustainable university strengthens our core mission of teaching, research and having a positive impact on society. It also recognises
“The key focus areas are to maximise operational efficiencies, contain costs and optimise all income streams.”
that the challenges confronting us are complex and interconnected, demanding an ever-evolving approach. The plan was revised to address financial sustainability challenges heightened by the pandemic. As noted earlier in this review, financial aid to students increased over 2020, and this included contributions from UP’s own funds increasing by 5% to R171 million. There was an increase of 21% to R1275 million in managed funding from third parties, mainly due to NSFAS centralised funding activities (excluding NRF and studentships).
Annual Review 2020
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