IN A NUTSHELL
MAKE TODAY MATTER
believe that in every moment lies the potential to have a positive impact on the future and, in so doing, change the world for the better.
OUR GOALS ARE TO
Enhance access and successful student learning
Strengthen the University’s research and international profile
Foster and sustain a transformed, inclusive, and equitable University community
Enhance institutional sustainability
Strengthen the University’s social responsiveness and impact in society.
UP AT A GLANCE
We offer the widest variety of research and study opportunities in South Africa.
TOP 1%
Ranked in 14 of the 22 Essential Science Indicator (ESI) fields, and the only university in SA to feature in Economics and Business1 of universities in the world
Extensive academic offering
2nd
in Africa
Ranked as one of the top universities in Africa2
Unique features
As a leading research-intensive university in Africa, we are often the first or only South African institution to be invited to collaborate on or spearhead projects.
A leader in Africa
9 Faculties
• Economic and Management Sciences
• Education
• Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology
• Health Sciences
• Humanities
• Law
• Natural and Agricultural Sciences
• Theology and Religion
• Veterinary Science
1 Business School
Gordon Institute of Business Science, rated the best in Africa.
43 Research Chairs
Five research chairs focus on 4IR technologies and data integration to solve current and future problems.
82 Research Institutes and Centres
New research entities added in 2023:
• Centre for the Advancement of Sustainable Higher Education Futures
• Africa Centre for Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Policy
• Centre for Emerging Arbo and Respiratory Viruses
• Nuclear Medicine Research Institute
• Brain Tumor and Translational Neurosciences Centre
• Maarif Centre for Turkish Studies
• Centre for Environmental Justice in Africa
• African Centre for Biosecurity and Disease Risk Assessment.
World’s leading laboratory in DNA typing of rhinoceros
Africa’s lead laboratory in malaria control
The leading Centre for Viral Zoonoses in Africa
The only Centre for Asian Studies in Africa
First in Africa to set up or to host
• WHO Collaborating Centre (for the prevention of deafness and hearing loss)
• Nuclear medicine facility (for cancer and TB drug development and clinical research)
• Future Earth Africa Hub Leadership Centre (focused on advancing sustainability science)
• Virtual Reality Centre for mine design
• Independent transport reference and testing facility
• Portable emissions measurement system (to help set realistic carbon emission targets)
• First university to implement the Blackboard Ally (to make digital courses more accessible to all students)
First – or only – facilities in South Africa
• First university to have a “makerspace” (a creative laboratory where students create prototypes and test ideas)
• Only Brain Tumour and Translational Neuroscience Centre
• Only Faculty of Veterinary Science
• First Diabetes Research Centre at a public academic institution
BUILDING CAPACITY FOR AFRICA
UP is building not just a next-generation university. It is also ensuring that the next-generation workforce leaves well-equipped to become active contributors to the economy.
As a leader within the digital transformation space, the University of Pretoria (UP) has developed a “digital drive” strategy known as the UP Teaching and Learning Plan. This not only enables a smooth transition to remote teaching in the event of disrupted teaching and learning but prepares students for a workforce increasingly dependent on AI technologies.
Student support beyond software Digital learning space
It is a model that gives students the best of both worlds – online and contact – and will allow them to succeed at university and in life beyond university. In addition, this model will prepare a new generation of students to flourish in the world of work because it encourages students to take control of their learning, apply their skills, solve complex problems and, in the process, develop digital fluency.
Preparing our students for automation, digital platforms and other innovations is the cornerstone of education for a future that is already on our doorstep.
The first research chair in the Biodiscovery Centre, launched in 2023, will help us
make immense strides towards this goal.
An integral part of research at the Centre is to use AI for the discovery of natural product-led compounds that can be developed as pharmaceutical and food ingredients.
Hi-Tech Library
In a first for Africa, UP’s Faculty of Health Sciences has launched an interactive 21st-century hi-tech library, seeking to bridge the gap between learning and innovation, and providing virtual spaces and the technology for students to reach their potential.
The University also launched its first fully online undergraduate programme, the Higher Certificate in Sports Sciences, as part of its Comprehensive Online Education Services (COES). This initiative gives access to UP’s prestigious programmes for those seeking flexible learning options.
UP implements a multi-pronged strategy to enhance student success, the main driver of this strategy being the FLY@UP initiative.
FLY@UP uses various tools and tactics to help students graduate in minimum time (see box on page 7). The FLY acronym, which stands for ‘The Finish Line is Yours’, is a tagline unique to UP and it serves as a reminder to students that they are responsible for ensuring they complete their studies in the minimum time.
We believe our multi-layered support systems play a significant role in student success.
In 2023, the overall module pass rate for UP increased to
while the examination pass rate stands at
In 2023, we implemented Anthology REACH as a Student Relationship Management system to further support student success and retention. This enables Academic Success Coaches to manage the student success processes and improve communication, planning, and tracking tools from one central hub.
We are also broadening students’ access to learning material by using Blackboard Ally to enhance digital content and build a more inclusive learning environment. We believe our multi-layered support systems play a significant role in student success.
We are proud to be building Africa’s future workforce through a range of tools and skills.
Preparing students for the world of work
The University’s ongoing efforts to make our students fit for the new way of working, have earned us international recognition.
UP was ranked number one in South Africa in the Times Higher Education (THE) World Reputation Ranking for Employer Reputation (and 155th in the world). This confirms that we produce graduates who understand the world of work and can make a valuable contribution immediately.
The UP-Career Services Mentorship Programme, available to all final-year students to hone their skills, was named the Best Mentorship Programme in the 2023 South African Graduates Employers Association (SAGEA) awards.
The Career Services office also won the SAGEA Best Career services award. The programme recognises the importance of students receiving the guidance of industry specialists to prepare them for the world of work.
Shaping resilient students
A vibrant student experience encompasses more than successful grades and social connection, and UP offers a wide range or support services:
First Year Experience Programme: Assists first-year students to deal with challenges and issues they face during their first academic year.
Disability Unit: Helps with the added challenges experienced by people with disabilities as they adapt to the new university environment.
Student Counselling Unit: Provides readily accessible counselling services through virtual or face-to-face consultations.
Student Health Services: Provide comprehensive primary healthcare and health promotion programmes to all registered students.
Disability support
• Free online Ready for Work courses help our students prepare for the workplace and what to expect from a corporate work environment.
• The Entrepreneurship Programme, another free online course, teaches them how to use their knowledge, skills and talents to start their own businesses, enabling them to become job creators rather than job seekers.
Support for success
• The Academic Orientation Programme encourages the academic development and success of first-year students.
• Academic Success Coaches (ASC) advise and refer students for the support or intervention they need.
• Online learning platforms help students attend a tutorial from
wherever they may be, or log in to the recorded tutorial.
• The High Impact Modules project improves the success rate of modules that indicate a pass rate of below 75%.
• Peer advisors work closely with ASCs to answer questions around administrative processes.
More than learning
The UP Giving Matters campaign raises philanthropic awareness and instils a culture of giving in the University’s communities. Its aim is to raise R100m by the end of 2024, to supplement UP’s dayto-day fundraising projects, which offer financial assistance to ‘missing middle’ students. By the end of 2023, the UP Giving Matters campaign raised around R36m for various projects, including bursaries. This was a significant improvement on the 2022 campaign, which raised R26m of new money.
Sharing brilliant minds
Shaping and producing the next workforce and leaders of our country is a responsibility that our staff take to heart and they continue to grow in their roles. The quality of our teaching is reflected in admirable subject rankings in 2023-2024. UP retains its top position for having the highest proportion of academic staff who hold doctorates (73%) across all South African universities. The national average is approximately 43%. We also have the highest number of NRF-rated researchers (593) of all universities and research institutions.
It is largely due to this qualified corps of teachers that UP ranks among the world’s top universities to study 21 subjects according to the 2024 QS World Rankings by Subject, and that we are rated among the top three universities in South Africa to study for 18 of them. The UP Faculty of Law once again achieved the highest ranking in Africa and secured a remarkable 65th position globally in the 2024 THE Subject Rankings.
Among the best
A top-tier traditional university
With the most academic staff who have a PhD
Offering top business training
• Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS)
First faculty of its kind in South Africa and Africa to be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
With the most NRF-rated researchers
With the largest number of students enrolled
Total student numbers (55 845)
• Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
Ranked by the UK’s Financial Times as one of the leading business schools in the world (#32).
International champions from Africa
On the sporting front, the University of Pretoria also had much to celebrate as TuksSport athletes took their places on international podiums in 2023 and at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
UP athletes made up 30% of Team SA at the World University Games in Chengdu, China, in July 2023. Of the 17 individual medals brought home by the national team, 11 came from UP-Tuks studentathletes.
The overall TuksSport BestMed Sports Woman and Man of the Year awards went to UP-Tuks alumni and current international medal winners Tatjana Smith (née Schoenmaker) (TuksSwimming) and Christian de Klerk (TuksArchery).
De Klerk is the first South African archer to win an individual medal at the World University Games in Chengdu, China.
Tatjana Smith upped her Olympic medal tally to four, making her South Africa’s “GOAT” – greatest of all time – in women’s sport at the Olympics. She finished first in the women’s 100m breaststroke and second in the women’s 200m breaststroke at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in France. In the Japan 2020 Olympic Games she won silver and gold, respectively, for these two events.
Fellow swimmers Pieter Coetze and Kaylene Corbett also made it to the finals in Paris.
Our Sports Woman and Man of the Year: Tatjana Smith (née Schoenmaker) (TuksSwimming) and Christian de Klerk (TuksArchery).
Akani Simbine, Bradley Nkoana and Shaun Maswanganyi (TuksAthletics) won silver in the 4 x 100m men’s relay at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Marione Fourie set a new South African record in the Swiss U23 Championships when she won the 100m hurdles, making her one of the world’s 16 fastest 100m hurdlers.
Marione Fourie
Christian de Klerk
Tatjana Smith
Akani Simbine, Bradley Nkoana, Bayanda Walaza and Shaun Maswanganyi
FUTURE-FIT STUDENTS
Employers rate UP highly
1st in South Africa 185th in the world
We produce graduates who understand the world of work and can make a valuable contribution immediately1.
UP prepares students well
Sterling pass rates
8th
in the world for SDG8
The 2024 THE Impact Rankings rates UP’s strategy to ensure youth employment and equip students with the skills necessary for the evolving labour market, as world-class. We do this through2:
• A Mentorship Programme helps finalyear students hone their skills for the workplace.
• Centre for the Future of Work researches new ways of working to create future-fit graduates.
• Ready for Work online courses help students prepare for the workplace.
• An Entrepreneurship Programme teaches students how to become job creators rather than job seekers.
Top-rated subjects
1st in South Africa3
An enabling learning environment
• Hybrid teaching and learning model – prepares students for a workforce increasingly dependent on AI technologies
• FLY@UP – ensures students can graduate in minimum time
• FLYHIGHER@UP – improves postgraduate success rate
• Social learning spaces – mimic real-world work and social environments
• Interactive spaces – learning through innovation and technology
• Connected campuses – fibre optic connectivity across all campuses
• Dedicated ECP campus – the Mamelodi Campus hosts UP’s flagship BSc and BCom extended curriculum programmes (ECPs) to set students up for success in the first year of their studies.
• jT Online e-learning platform – helps high-school learners with free learning content.
Source: 12024 QS World University Rankings: Employer recognition 22024 THE Subject Rankings
32024 QS World University Rankings by Subject
SOLUTIONS FROM AFRICA
Our research and collaborative efforts with partners are key to transforming lives and society by providing African solutions to global concerns.
Wide research network
As a leading African global university, we are widely recognised for the solutions we provide through our research outputs.
In 2023, UP achieved a significant milestone by securing the 26th position in the world for its international research network, according to the 2024 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings. This acknowledges our collaborative efforts with other leading global institutions and researchers to find solutions to the world’s most pressing problems.
UP is also ranked among the top 50 impactful universities. It achieved position 42 out of 1 705 universities in 115 countries in the 2024 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings.
This rates universities on the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and their commitment to creating a sustainable and equitable future for all, through research, teaching and practices.
We are ranked second in South Africa, as well as in Africa.
Impact and visibility
UP is rated among the top 1% of universities globally in 14 of the 22 Essential Science Indicator (ESI) fields and is the only university in South Africa to feature in Economics and Business.
It is possible to use ESI statistics to identify the top 1% of scientists and published articles internationally, based on citations. As of January 2024, a total of 270 UPpublished papers were among these top papers world-wide, spread over 20 of the 22 ESI subject fields. UP continues to dominate the subject category of Plant and Animal Sciences.
Three of our researchers are ranked in the top 1% by ESI worldwide.
New research developments
The 2023 academic year saw the University expand its research entities and research leadership substantially. The Faculty of Health Sciences inaugurated three centres focusing on tobacco-related issues, emerging viruses and brain tumours, as well as an institute focusing on nuclear medicine.
The Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure facility at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital will provide cutting-edge diagnostics and treatment in relation to cancer, tuberculosis and other major diseases.
The Faculty of Education established the Centre for the Advancement of Sustainable Higher Education Futures, while the Faculty of Law was proud to inaugurate the Centre for Environmental Justice in Africa, and the Faculty of Veterinary Science established the African Centre for Biosecurity and Disease Risk Assessment.
In keeping with a long tradition of international collaborations for research and teaching, the Faculty of Humanities established the Maarif Centre for Turkish Studies.
The total number of research entities – which include Centres of Excellence, Institutes and Research Chairs – increased from 115 in 2022 to 123 in 2023.
Research innovation
Two excellent examples of the University marrying its priorities of local relevance and international cooperation were published in leading scientific journals in 2023. Our researchers were at the
forefront of a very special first for South African plant sciences when they unravelled the precise genetic make-up of the country’s national flower, the king protea (Protea cynaroides). It is the first plant that is unique to South Africa to have its entire genome sequenced in-depth and the resulting paper was published in The Plant Journal.
They collaborated with plant genome evolution expert Prof Yves van de Peer’s research group at Ghent University and the VIB Centre for Plant Systems Biology in Belgium. Prof Van de Peer is also a Visiting Professor at the University of Pretoria.
UP researchers were also part of a team of global experts known as the Mammalian Methylation Consortium, which unpacks the secrets of ageing in mammals.
The studies, published in Science and Nature, offer insights into the lifespans of different mammal species and could help to predict the onset of age-related diseases and how to treat them.
Africa’s first nuclear medicine facility
Awards and accolades
It is a credit to our excellent academic staff that they capture attention on both the local and global stage. Their success – and that of UP’s top academic achievers – ensures that the University of Pretoria produces a world of answers, answers that help create sustainable futures for South Africa, the continent and the world. A few of the highlights are listed here.
Commercialisation of research
In the past five years, UP has put its knowledge to work with pleasing growth in intellectual property activity. There have been 71 new invention disclosures, with 25 South African patents and 48 international patents filed. Two new start-up businesses have been formed.
Particularly pleasing has been the doubling of international patents granted in the recent past, from six in 2022 to 12 in 2023.
Professor Vukosi
Marivate, who holds the ABSA UP Chair of Data Science, has been accepted into the Forum of Young Global Leaders, established by the World Economic Forum to gather and train outstanding young people to address the world’s most pressing issues.
The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging bestowed the 2023 Presidential Distinguished Award on Professor Mike Sathekge, Head of the Department of Nuclear Medicine at Steve Biko Academic Hospital, in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the field of nuclear medicine.
Professor Lise Korsten, a professor in plant pathology and Co-Director of the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security at UP, has been elected as the first female president of the African Academy of Science.
Professor Sunil Maharaj was appointed as an Honorary Doctor of Technology by Malmö University in Sweden. In addition, Prof Maharaj earned an Exceptional Leadership Award for the role he played as the Chairperson of the Global Engineering Deans Council (2021–2023).
Professor Ann Skelton of UP’s Faculty of Law has been elected to chair the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, where she will be holding states accountable for failures to protect the rights of children globally.
Professor Dire Tladi, an international law expert at the Faculty of Law, has been elected to the International Court of Justice (the World Court) – the first South African to serve in this capacity. This recognition further attests to the standing of UP’s Faculty of Law globally.
Thulani Makhalanyane
DEEP RESEARCH FOOTPRINT
Global impact
8th in the world
Ranking for SDG 1: No Poverty and SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth1
UP is rated a global leader in its research on poverty issues and support for poor students, and for promoting employment opportunities and economic growth.
65th
42nd
in the world for impact
Ranking based on achieving the 17 SDGs1
World rankings based on the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which address the most serious and critical global challenges.
Robust research pipeline
International postdoctoral fellows
170
193
Postdoctoral fellows
2022: 282
2023: 325
• Agriculture and sustainable food systems
• Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability
• Data Science and Machine Learning
• Economic development and sustainable futures
• Energy
• Food Nutrition and Well-being
• Genomics
This recognition further attests to the standing of UP’s Faculty of Law globally. in the world for law
Source:
UP’s Law programme once again achieved the highest ranking in Africa2
12024 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact
Rankings
22024 THE Subject Rankings
32024 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Sustainability
Rankings
42024 QS World University Rankings
Enlarged research entities
2022: 115
2023: 123
Knowledge without borders
23rd
26th in the world
in the world
Ranking for UP’s knowledge exchange3
This ranks our efforts to partner in research, share knowledge and spur educational growth.
Ranking for UP’s international research networks4
UP’s global engagement and its ability to create and sustain research partnerships across borders are highly rated.
43 Active research chairs
23 industry-funded research chairs
20 SARChl chairs
*SARChI = Department of Science and InnovationNational Research Foundation South African Research Chairs Initiative
Heritage studies • Inequalities, Social Justice and Human Rights
One Health
Smart Cities and Urban Planning
Water
Diseases
ENGAGEMENT ACROSS AFRICA
AND BEYOND
Collaboration enables us to make important advances in teaching, learning, research and innovation by building on each other’s areas of expertise.
Comprehensive approach
The range of our partnerships and collaborations spans all levels of society to ensure no one is left behind. In 2023, these activities ranged from preparing learners from underprivileged schools for the future world of work, to hosting the Future Earth Africa Hub Leadership Centre to coordinate sustainability efforts across Africa, to membership of the Alliance for African Partnership, a consortium of ten leading African universities working to transform the continent through knowledge-based innovations.
We recognise that only by forming partnerships with multiple stakeholders and networks can we find innovative solutions to complex local and global challenges.
Global engagement
In 2023, UP took yet another significant step towards making its presence felt with its entrance into the International Association of Universities (IAU). The IAU is a United Nations-endorsed body that connects about 600 member institutions from more than 130 countries with the
aim of enhancing the higher education community’s role and actions in advancing societies worldwide. It is worth noting that UP’s invited application was processed in record time because of its growing stature and standing among global academic institutions.
Our strategy for global engagement is producing rich results. We collaborate with over 3 000 institutions across the globe and have some 230 international institution-wide partnerships across 70 countries and six continents.
Almost half of our research (44%) is conducted with international collaborators.
Community engagement
We encourage our students to contribute to their communities through knowledge co-creation and civic responsibility. In 2023, all faculties were extensively involved in compulsory Curricular Community Engagement, with 24 357 students across 233 modules participating. The engagement covered diverse sites, from the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists to hospitals and welfare organisations, and featured a wide array of engagement
locations including early childhood development centres, animal shelters, schools, clinics, farms and nature reserves. As an example, the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology (EBIT) have been teaching and mentoring learners from underprivileged township and rural schools in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers.
In 2023, a new flagship programme –Tuks Robot School – was launched where robotics, computer programming, and sensor technology are presented to prepare and inspire these learners for the
future world of work. The programme was inspired by UP’s ten-year-old annual Robot Car Race, which saw many asking EBIT to initiate a similar experience for school learners.
We furthermore encourage our students to become global citizens in South Africa through UP’s Global Online Teaching and Learning initiative. This consists of 36 online teaching and learning projects that cut across disciplines, from architecture and occupational therapy to marketing management and political science. The projects include 49 UP lecturers and 91 international lecturers from 30 countries.
Tuks robot school
Engaging events
The University had a highly productive year during which it welcomed luminaries in the political and academic world.
• UP hosted its first University Partnership Initiative Summit in partnership with the USA’s State Department at the Future Africa Campus. The theme was Equitable and sustainable partnerships for impact.
• UP’s Faculty of Law hosted a high-level regional conference that focused on the Hague Conference on Private International Law and the relevance of its work for southern Africa.
• UP Africa Week 2023, a biennial scientific leadership summit, brought together
thought leaders from Africa, the US, the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand to discuss the most pressing challenges and opportunities affecting science systems on the continent.
• UP hosted the first ARUA Distinguished Annual Public Lecture, which was presented by Professor Salim S Abdool Karim, and coincided with the meeting of ARUA DVCs (Research). The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) is a network comprising 16 research-intensive universities across Africa.
Alumni achievements
UP’s over 320 000 alumni continue to be global ambassadors of the University, and their achievements in an array of disciplines demonstrates their impact in the real world.
322 587
Number of alumni around the world
2023 Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans list: Every year the Mail & Guardian celebrates people under the age of 35 who make a positive, tangible impact on society. Of the 200 inspiring young people recognised in 2023, 16% (32) come from UP.
Future Africa
Professor Bruce Gummow (Master of Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacology, 1993) received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southern African Society of Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine for his contribution to the veterinary profession and disease control.
Joseph Shiraaz (BSc Physiotherapy 2006), a clinical supervisor for paediatrics in UP’s Department of Physiotherapy secured both gold and bronze medals at the prestigious Asia Africa Cup organised by the Japan Karate Shoto Federation.
Ndamulelo Madima (Bachelor of Education (Hons) 2021) produced a 100% pass rate in English First Additional Language in his 2022 Grade 12 class. His success resulted in him being recognised as the best educator in the Limpopo Province’s Warmbaths circuit in the subject.
Shameela Soobramoney (Master of Business Administration, 2007) has been appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of National Business Initiative (NBI).
A GLOBAL FORCE
North
South
Kuseni Dlamini Chair of UP Council