WITS CENTENARY CAMPAIGN WITS. FOR GOOD. PAGE 1
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WITS. FOR GOOD. Wits occupies a special place in the hearts and minds of Africans. For Good. For the public good. For the good of all people. For the good of future generations. For the good of our country. For the good of our economy. For the good of an inclusive community. For the advancement of our society. For you and for me. For yesterday, today and tomorrow. For our collective futures.
Wits. For Good.
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“We cannot do it alone. We invite you to walk the Wits100 journey with us.” PAGE 4
OUR MOONSHOT MOMENT We live in a historic period characterised by change, amidst a pandemic and an uncertain global economy. Yet, this is a fortuitous moment for Wits – an opportunity to envision our ‘moonshot moments’ that could dramatically change society for good. We can chart a course that can propel us into a new world of discovery and innovation, knowledge-creation and generation, teaching and learning, advancement and social justice, for the good of our generation and the next. But we cannot do it alone. There are three core areas that Wits will bolster as we transition into our next century: developing excellent graduates who advance society; conducting world-class research and fostering innovation; and using our location in the economic heartland of Africa to lead from the Global South. We have an extraordinary head-start – we stand on your shoulders, and those of over 200 000 illustrious Witsies who have walked through our halls, inspired change, and left an indelible mark on society. For 100 years, Wits has nurtured intellectuals and innovators, discoverers and originators, problem-posers and problem-solvers, activists and artists, critical thinkers and thought leaders – all who punch above their weight. We continue to harness our intellectual resources for good. Wits researchers are tackling the
problems of the 21st Century and preparing the next generation of scholars to address the challenges of the future, some of which are still unknown. We are pleased to share with you our priority areas in digital transformation; innovation; health; solving global challenges; society, governance and justice; future proofing our national treasures; and developing the next generation of leaders and energising our alumni. Read more about how you can help to craft our collective futures. Wits makes a disproportionate impact in our complex society and stands strong, with courage, for what is right. We continue to play a critical role in fostering democracy in South Africa and we use our intellect, our research and our academic voices to hold those in power to account. My background in nuclear physics propels my fascination with time, space and distance, and the possibilities that are created when these areas align and converge. Universities flourish in times of flux, and, as we celebrate our centenary, Wits is on the cusp of one of these phenomenal moments. Our ‘moonshot moment’ is here, but we cannot do it alone. We need you – our colleagues, students, alumni, partners and funders – to walk this journey with us, and to leave a legacy for future generations, for good. Professor Zeblon Vilakazi Vice-Chancellor and Principal
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OUR GOALS Wits celebrates 100 years of excellence in 2022. We will strengthen three core areas as we transition into the next century: ` Develop excellent graduates who advance society; ` Conduct world-class research and foster innovation; and ` Lead from the Global South through our location in the economic heartland of Africa. To achieve this, we have launched a Centenary Campaign, Wits100, to raise R3 billion to support teaching, research and innovation; students; and infrastructure development. Over the past four years, we have raised R2 billion. We now aim to raise the final R1 billion as we move into our Centenary year and beyond. We invite you to contribute to causes that are important to you, or to projects in the Wits100 priority areas: ` driving digital transformation; ` catalysing innovation and entrepreneurship; ` ensuring better health for all; ` solving global challenges; ` advancing society, governance and justice; ` future-proofing our national treasures; ` developing the next generation of leaders; and ` energising broad-based alumni support. Read more about the priority areas on page 17 or visit the Wits100 website: https://wits100.wits.ac.za/
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WHY WITS? Wits is renowned for its academic and research excellence, its innovation, its commitment to social justice and the advancement of the public good. You know better than anyone else that Wits: ` Attracts the best academic talent (scholars, researchers and staff); ` Values academic and research excellence; ` Is a catalyst for change that advances society; ` Celebrates the diversity of people, ideas, disciplines, and places; ` Empowers students and staff to be active social citizens; ` Develops high-level, scarce skills to advance the economy; ` Creates new knowledge and technologies; ` Anticipates and solves 21st Century challenges through innovation; ` Offers world-class education at a fraction of the cost of comparable institutions abroad; ` Leads from the Global South; ` Pursues truth and justice, and ` Cherishes humanity.
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WE RANK HIGHLY
TOP 1%
IN THE WORLD (out of about 25 000 universities) Equivalent to top 10 in Canada and Australia, top 30 in the UK and top 65 in the EU and US FACULTY OF HUMANITIES
RANKED NO.1 IN AFRICA (QS)
TOP 100 In Health and Clinical Medicine
1 500 6 000 2 500
TOP 2 IN AFRICA ` ` ` ` `
Times Higher Education (251-300) Academic Ranking of World Universities (301-400) Centre for World University Rankings (292) THE Emerging Economies (11) US News (192)
Times Higher Education reviews research intensive universities on teaching, research, international outlook and industry income. Wits scores: INDUSTRY INCOME
No 1 globally RESEARCH
ACADEMICS
No 1 in Africa We are the home of talented staff and students
EMPLOYEES
J O I N T STA F F
90 15
OVER
RHODES SCHOLARS MANDELA RHODES SCHOLARS
41 000 STUDENTS
39% 61%
POSTGRADUATE UNDERGRADUATE
57% FEMALE
9%
I N T E R N AT I O N A L STUDENTS
WE DEVELOP HIGHLY-EMPLOYABLE GRADUATES
10 000
Over highly employable students graduate annually. Of those employed,
93%
find employment within six months of graduating
200 000
Over graduates worldwide
98th
Ranked in the world for Alumni Employability
5 FACULTIES Commerce, Law
and Management Engineering and the Built Environment Health Sciences Humanities Science
25.8% 18.6% 17.2% 24.8% 3.6%
WE ARE RESEARCHINTENSIVE
96%
of Wits’ research is published in international, peerreviewed high-impact journals
56
research entities
12
donor-sponsored research chairs and centres
30
South African Research Chairs
6
Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) National Research Foundation (NRF) Centres of Excellence
434
National Research Foundation-rated researchers
26
National Research Foundation A-rated researchers
(Researchers who are unequivocally recognised by their peers as leading international scholars in their field for the high quality and impact of their recent research outputs.)
OUR BEGINNINGS Wits’ history is inextricably linked to mining, political and civic activism, and the development of Johannesburg, the City of Gold. We have a proud tradition of standing up for human rights. Our history has informed our values, which remain at the heart of our University.
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OUR VALUES An open public university, we cherish academic freedom and pursue the truth. We prepare students not just for a profession, but for a life of active citizenship. We uphold no distinctions of class, wealth, race or creed. We are unashamedly committed to academic and research excellence, social justice and the advancement of the public good.
Independent enquiry and trust International partnerships Intellectual excellence and integrity Academic freedom and institutional autonomy Collegiality Social engagement and responsiveness Diversity Accountability Debate and critical engagement
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Alumnus and South-African born philanthropist Patrick Soon-Shiong launched an ambitious R3-billion initiative to build capacity for advanced health care in Africa.
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Photo credit www.washingtonpost.com
OUR ILLUSTRIOUS ALUMNI We build on the legacies of great Witsies who laid the foundation of a world-class university for over 100 years. We walk in the footsteps of Johnny Clegg, Sibongile Khumalo, Mark Lamberti, Patrice Motsepe, Koos Bekker, Ruth First Robert Sobukwe, Adrian Gore, Nthato Motlana, Brian Joffe, Maria Ramos, Gail Kelly, Sipho Maseko, William Kentridge, Patrick Soon-Shiong, Neal Froneman, Stephen Koseff, Wendy Lucas-Bull, Donald Gordon, Ismail Mahomed, Thuli Madonsela and generations of others who are changing the world. Wits is the home of four Nobel Prize Winners: Nelson Mandela (Peace), Sydney Brenner (Medicine), Nadine Gordimer (Literature) and Aaron Klug (Chemisty). For Good.
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OUR ORIGINS Our excellence in the palaeosciences serves as a global hub for the study of the origins of species including humans, animals and plants. We continue to strengthen our understanding of the story of life so that we are better able to understand where we come from, who we are, and how we might evolve. The origins of humankind were discovered and described by some of our world-renowned scientists including Professor Raymond Dart and Professor Phillip V Tobias. Professor Ron Clarke discovered and described Little Foot, one of the world’s most complete skeletons.
“Africa gave the world humanity; Africa gave the world its first human culture and that is no small feat.” Emeritus Professor Phillip Tobias (1925-2012)
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More recently, Professor Lee Berger discovered Australopethicus sediba and Homo naledi. He was named in the 2016 TIME 100 list of the world’s most influential people.
“Science should have no boundaries, and our collective knowledge should be made available to the entire human community. These fossils are evidence of our common origins, and the research and knowledge thereof must transcend boundaries so that they mark a path to a collective future defined by human solidarity.” Professor Lee Berger, Director of the Centre for the Exploration of the Human Journey, is seeking to apply virtual reality applications to Wits’ fossil collection to make our treasures more accessible to global citizens.
OUR FIRSTS Did you know? Wits was the first South African university to have a nuclear accelerator, to test radar, to have a computer, to study building materials, to produce a systematic climatological atlas of southern Africa and to achieve a successful graft of plastic cornea. We are also the first African university to access a quantum computer. Read more at https://wits100.wits.ac.za/ The Wits Rural Campus in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, South Africa, celebrated 30 years of interdisciplinary and longitudinal research, international partnerships, student training, and community engagement in 2019. This culminated in the launch of the Wits Rural Knowledge Hub.
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OUR WITS100 STRATEGIC PRIORITY AREAS Wits is pursuing eight priority areas that will have a major impact on our society. For Good. These are:
DRIVING DIGITAL
CATALYSING
ENSURING BETTER
SOLVING GLOBAL
TRANSFORMATION
INNOVATION AND
HEALTH FOR ALL
CHALLENGES AND
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
CRISES
ADVANCING SOCIETY,
FUTURE PROOFING
DEVELOPING THE
ENERGISING BROAD-
GOVERNANCE AND
OUR NATIONAL
NEXT GENERATION
BASED ALUMNI
JUSTICE
TREASURES
OF LEADERS
SUPPORT
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ST R AT EG I C PR I O R I T I E S
1. DRIVING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
Wits University is at the forefront in driving the development of cutting edge digital technologies for the 21st Century – from Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, to Big Data, Blockchain and the Internet of Things (IoT). Wits is also helping organisations and businesses to Go Digital. We are pioneering the adoption of innovative Digital Technology in many sectors including Mining, Education, Finance, Art, Medicine and Journalism.
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Keep Wits at the cutting edge in a digitally transformed world
Notable Achievements
Flagship Initiatives
Reshaping Businesses and Organisations
Quantum Technology
The BCX Chair in Digital Business at the Wits Business School is the first of its kind in Africa. It develops the multidimensional skills and knowledge for businesses to thrive in the digital era.
Quantum technology is revolutionising modern day communications, computing and imaging, promising enhanced security, faster data processing and low light cameras, fuelled by the all-digital control of quantum light. Wits has established WitsQ, a Wits Quantum Initiative, that will explore the emerging potential for this technology across a range of fields, including drug development, process engineering, financial modelling, cybersecurity, medical imaging and fundamental science.
Incubating Media Start-ups The Journalism and Media Lab (Jamlab) – is Africa’s leading media innovation programme. Since 2017 it has spawned 16 successful media start-ups. All of these leverage digital technologies in innovative ways.
Mining in the 21st Century The Sibanye-Stillwater Digital Mining Laboratory (DigiMine) develops the modern skill required to operate technologyintensive 21st Century mines. The special context of mining in Africa requires unique and innovative solutions.
Harnessing the potential of big data with AI and ML Access to increasing amounts of data and the ability to store and process it using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning has opened up many exciting new fields of research and application. Wits has a cluster of laboratories and programmes with top researchers in AI, Robotics and Data Science.
Preparing Government for the Digital Age Growing Skills for the Digital Games Industry The global digital games industry is now larger than the movie industry. It offers enormous opportunities for African Games Developers. Wits offers Africa’s first degree programme in Game Design – a joint venture between the Humanities and Engineering Faculties.
The new Centre for Digital Governance will assist countries across Africa to meet the critical need to develop the appropriate policy and regulatory frameworks to govern their rapidly expanding digital economies. The Centre will also drive the adoption of E-Government in South Africa and Africa.
Reimagining Journalism and Media in Africa Hosting a Top International Digital Research Lab In 2016, IBM opened the IBM Africa Research Lab in the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct. It is one of only 12 IBM labs in the world. IBM researchers work with Wits researchers and students on projects that apply AI and Quantum Computing in the areas of health, education, cosmology and finance.
The Chair of Digital Journalism and Media Innovation will lead the growth and development of credible, independent and ethical journalism across Africa as audiences, media platforms and technology continuously evolve and change. Substantial growth in the number of Jamlab spin-offs is a key deliverable.
Innovating Educational Technologies The role of the envisaged Centre for Educational Technologies has been significantly accentuated as the COVID-19 pandemic forced major education and training organisations to rapidly move their programmes online. Ongoing research into appropriate, cost effective educational technologies to deliver high quality blended learning programmes across Africa is now critically important.
Target
R150m PAGE 19
ST R AT EG I C PR I O R I T I E S
2. CATALYSING INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Universities are essential cogs in the engine that drive job creation and economic growth. As one of Africa’s top research universities, Wits drives innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa. Wits is establishing an ecosystem to drive research-led innovation that will solve some of Africa’s greatest challenges in sectors such as health, urbanisation, education, environmental protection and food security.
Transform research into innovative products, services and new businesses that will drive economic growth and create a more sustainable University.
Professor Andrew Forbes won the 2020 Gold Medal from the South African Institute of Physics for his world-leading research in photonics and his significant contributions in science education and development of internationally recognised laser-based technologies.
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Notable Achievements
Flagship Initiatives
Supporting Digital Innovation
The Wits Innovation Centre
Wits University’s Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct in Braamfontein, Johannesburg is South Africa’s largest digital innovation hub. It hosts start-ups, a business accelerator and digital skills training facilities.
As the focal point of its innovation strategy, Wits is creating a new organisational structure, called the Wits Innovation Centre (WIC). The holder of the Chair in Innovation will direct this Centre. The Centre will be embedded in the Wits Innovation Hub and will coordinate and conduct teaching in Innovation and a broad range of events, activities and facilities.
Spinning-off start-ups Wits Commercial Enterprise has spun off a number of successful start-up companies such as SmartSpot Quality, which utilises molecular diagnostics to ensure the efficacy of equipment to test for TB and COVID-19. Another is PeCo Power - an affordable off-grid power supply solution.
Establishing a Hub for Innovators The Wits Innovation Hub is being established in the old Flower Hall on West Campus. It will serve as a meeting place and coworking facility for Wits Innovators drawn from all faculties and disciplines. Staff and students will have a place to gather and co-create. It will be a venue for hackathons, meetups and other events. The Hub will also house maker-spaces and incubators.
Leading in Research-led Innovation The recent creation of the Chair in Innovation will enable Wits to appoint a leading expert in university-based innovation and entrepreneurship. The holder of this Chair will drive key elements of the University’s Innovation Strategy.
Collaborating with MIT The Global Start-up Lab (GSL) is an annual programme that brings senior students from MIT to Wits for a 5-week bootcamp. Thirty Wits students work in teams during the winter break to develop an innovative product and a business model to commercialise it. The MIT students provide training and mentorship.
Wits Entrepreneurship Clinic The Wits School of Business Science (SBS) is setting up the “Wits Entrepreneurship Clinic” similar in concept to the longestablished Wits Law Clinic. Senior Commerce students will provide advice on entrepreneurship-related issues to Wits staff, students and the general public. These clinicians will be supported by academic staff from SBS and volunteers with practical experience in entrepreneurship. A grant has been secured from the British Council in partnership with the University of Edinburgh and the Tshimologong Precinct. This grant will be used to initiate the operation of the Entrepreneurship Clinic.
Providing Opportunities to Invest in Wits Innovation The Wits Innovation Investment Fund provides an opportunity for Wits Alumni and others to invest in Wits innovations and start-ups. The Fund will provide seed funding and investments with the aim of growing successful spin-off companies from Wits research.
Launching the Digital Dome The Digital Dome will transform the erstwhile Yale Road Planetarium into an interdisciplinary state-of-the-art data science exploration and discovery facility. It will straddle diverse fields from radio astronomy and fluid dynamics to anatomy and lightning studies. This will provide a unique resource for both Wits students and the broader public.
Establishing new Physical and Virtual Incubators New specialist incubators and business accelerators will be established to support start-ups spun from Wits research and innovation. These will include a Health-Tech Incubator in Parktown, a Fin-Tech Incubator in Braamfontein and a RuralTech Incubator at the Wits Rural Campus in Mpumalanga. Other physical and virtual incubators are also envisaged.
Building robust entrepreneurial ecosystems The Centre for Entrepreneurship will specialise in entrepreneurial development, aligning business ecosystems, developing strategic partnerships, building entrepreneurial cultures, and providing business support to contribute towards building a robust entrepreneurial economy.
Target
R300m PAGE 21
ST R AT EG I C PR I O R I T I E S
3. ENSURING BETTER HEALTH FOR ALL Wits is home to one of the best health sciences faculties on the continent. We develop more specialists than any other university in Africa. Our students train in some of the largest hospitals in the southern hemisphere and work on the frontline with talented, caring healthcare professionals to save lives. Our reach extends to care and treatment in clinics throughout the country, including at the Wits Rural Campus in Mpumalanga which serves as a hub for interdisciplinary and longitudinal research. The Wits Faculty of Health Sciences has over 1 000 research collaborations with global universities and research institutions on all continents. Our strength lies in our excellent education and training, and our many globally recognised research entities – with the achievements of just a few highlighted below. We understand the interconnections between infectious and communicable diseases, bioinformatics and molecular biosciences, the future of precision medicine and genetics, public healthcare systems and management, and the ethical and governance issues implicit in these areas. This places us in good stead to lead health innovation in the country. African genetic diversity in art form. Beadwork by Nothando Bhebhe/Marigold beadwork cooperative in collaboration with Joni Brenner. Photo: Liz Whitter
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Building on Wits’ proud tradition of excellence in health-related research and the education of health professionals – and making an immense impact on South African healthcare Notable Achievements
Flagship Initiatives
Africa‘s only Private Specialist Teaching Hospital
Leading the Fight against the Coronavirus and Infectious diseases
The Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre - the first and only private teaching hospital in South Africa - provides highly specialised training across a range of critically required speciality and sub-speciality disciplines.
Wits researchers are helping to understand, predict, and contain the coronavirus, model and manage the public health and socio- economic impact, and develop protection, treatment and care regimens. The new Wits Infectious Diseases Research Institute and Associated Labs and Programmes will develop capacity to undertake and lead this work. This prestigious Institute will entrench the Wits Health Science Faculty as the leader in health research, development, the clinical development of vaccines, training and technological innovation in infectious diseases, immunology, and molecular medicine, and related disciplines.
One of the world’s largest and most impactful University-based health companies The Wits Health Consortium – with an annual turnover greater than R2,5 billion generated through its extensive contract clinical research and related activities – places Wits as one of the world’s leading universities in terms of the proportion of total income generated through commercialisation activities.
Significant donor support for key community training, clinical and research facilities The Wits McAlpine Burns Unit at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, the Zola Clinic in Soweto, the Wits Advanced Surgical Skills Laboratory and the Agincourt Research facility in Mpumalanga are all flagship Centenary projects funded through generous donor support.
Globally recognised innovative and cutting edge research The Faculty’s 24 research entities publish more than 1500 papers per year in leading high-impact international journals, It has over 1 000 research collaborations with global universities and research institutions on all continents.
Upgrading Teaching and Research Facilities at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital The Wits Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Health Complex (to be built at the largest hospital in the southern hemisphere) will enhance the teaching, learning and work experience of the 2 500 joint staff, registrars and students who are based there.
Promoting exercise and sport as the most effective driver of good health Exercise has been shown to have a greater effect on physical, mental and emotional health than any other factor. Wits Sport and Health (WiSH) will promote sport and exercise medicine at the highest professional levels, across all Wits sporting codes, through to many communities utilising a highly skilled network of clinicians, researchers practitioners spread across Johannesburg, South Africa and the globe.
Largest producer of medical specialists and sub-specialists in South Africa 80% of Wits medical students pass the Fellowship of the College of Physicians clinical examinations, compared to the national average pass rate of 50%.
Target
R300m PAGE 23
ST R AT EG I C PR I O R I T I E S
4. SOLVING GLOBAL CHALLENGES AND CRISES
The Earth faces a climate emergency caused by human-driven climate-forcing. Wits academics have led national and international teams urging for action to mitigate adverse global changes. Our staff are among the thousands of scientists worldwide who agree on the urgency of the climate crisis that threatens humanity as well as all other planetary life-supporting systems. Southern Africa is warming at a higher rate than the global average increase owing to climate change, yet Africa will experience the majority of the world’s population growth over the next Century. Questions around the sustainability of our
planet, urbanisation, and access to water, food and other resources will need to be answered locally and globally. As one of Africa’s top global universities, Wits is ideally poised to identify, interrogate and address these challenges and to urgently find relevant solutions. Wits has a number of research entities that are exploring new ideas across a range of disciplines that aim to address some of these critical global challenges. Some of the solutions lie at the intersection of sustainable development and digital innovation. Our ambition is to find solutions that will ensure that Africa rises to the challenges of the 21st Century.
Addressing the climate crisis and future challenges at the intersection of sustainable development and digital innovation – in Africa, for the world
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Notable Achievements
Flagship Initiatives
Significant funding for the study of major environmental challenges within our unique context
Developing future mines and minerals to power the low carbon economy
The Claude Leon Foundation Chairs in Earth Justice & Water Stewardship use science and law to address the human right to safe water for all life. An urgent and comprehensive approach is needed at this crucial time of climate change when anthropogenic pressures threaten the availability of water.
Equipping future leaders to manage the challenges of Africa’s burgeoning energy sector The African Energy Leadership Centre equips future leaders to manage the multiple challenges of this burgeoning sector which is increasingly becoming interconnected and interdependent. The energy sector is facing a tsunami of technological change at the same time as having to manage the transition to cleaner technologies.
Understanding, co-creating and informing global change solutions where it matters The Wits Global Change Institute addresses problems related to global change, the climate emergency / crisis and sustainability in a multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary manner. It plays a prominent role in helping to co-create, understand and inform global change solutions at various levels of decision-making in business, industry and government. It also functions as an enabling platform utilising research to support progressive change through collaborative efforts with stakeholders.
Contributing to a deep understanding of the Gauteng City-Region While only covering 2% of South Africa’s land area, the Gauteng City-Region covers the major metropolitan areas of Gauteng and generates a third of the country’s GDP. The Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) is a unique partnership between Wits, the University of Johannesburg and the Gauteng Provincial Government. The GCRO conducts inter-disciplinary research aimed at analysing and communicating information drawn from a variety of data sources, to influence policymaking in the province.
The Wits Future Mines and Minerals Centre will drive the development of new mining technologies and appropriate public policy that facilitates the extraction of the minerals that will drive future low carbon economies.
Building sustainable Cities in Africa Using Braamfontein as a living laboratory, the Wits Future Cities Institute is ideally positioned to conduct critical transdisciplinary research on future urbanism within a rapidly changing environment. It will explore the appropriate contextual applications of concepts such as ‘urban rewilding’, ‘critical architecture’ and ‘smart city technologies.’
Finding Innovative solutions for our wasteful society The Wits Future Waste Engineering Centre conducts transdisciplinary studies on waste management practices. Focus areas include innovative recycling processes, alternative materials to polymers, future of mining waste, river pollution, waste to energy, and the business of waste management.
Placing Wits at the forefront of the zeroemission Hydrogen economy Utilising our broad multidisciplinary expertise spread across engineering, science, economics, business and law, the Chair in Green Hydrogen will grapple with the deployment of green hydrogen as a new zero emission energy carrier.
Managing the transition to a low carbon future A low carbon future will not be created in a single event or by a single technology solution, but through a process that requires the involvement of multiple stakeholders to ensure that the transition to this future is just and equitable. People-centred technology solutions will deliver this future and the Chair in Energy Transition aims to shape this journey through dialogues and world-class research.
Target
R150m PAGE 25
ST R AT EG I C PR I O R I T I E S
5. ADVANCING SOCIETY, GOVERNANCE AND JUSTICE
Wits is renowned for its commitment to human rights through its many projects that advance the public good. Born amidst protests on the Reef in 1922, Wits is known for standing up against the prejudices of apartheid, for fostering a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and two of South Africa’s post-democracy chief justices. Wits academics and alumni have a proud record of defending democracy and justice, and addressing socioeconomic challenges that affect society.
Furthering Wits’ proud record of being the leading voice of social justice in our complex society.
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Notable Achievements
Flagship Initiatives
Creating a more equal Society
Accelerating our ground-breaking contributions to the study of inequality
Researchers at the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies, the Wits Centre for Diversity Studies, and the Af rican Centre for Migration and Society seek to find ways to create a more equal society.
“We study how power perpetuates inequality. It is not only how inequality is reproduced, but how it can be overcome, reduced or challenged. We identify the forces, instruments, and policies that would develop a coalition that would begin to challenge inequality. Wits was at the centre of many of the struggles of the anti-apartheid movement; our work positions Wits as a critical enabler of a more egalitarian society in the future.” - Professor Edward Webster, Director, Southern Centre for Inequality Studies – the largest such Centre in the Global South
Pioneering the Study of African Philanthropy and Social Investment The highly successful Centre for African Philanthropy and Social Investment plays a critical role in informing the exponential growth in global interest in the field of philanthropy and social investment in Africa and continents outside of Euro- America. The Centre serves as a source of knowledge, a cultivator of partnerships, and a catalyst for innovation, community engagement and a heightened sense of citizenship and social responsibility throughout the African continent and beyond, through seeking to understand philanthropic behaviour in different contexts and histories.
Crafting a better world for all We examine the outlook for ‘human-ness’ in a changing digital world, and consider Af rica’s place in our shared future, through the Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research (WiSER). Globally recognised for its work, WiSER shapes global debates in the public humanities and how we engage with our society. From exploring Af rica’s history, to its future in the digital humanities, WiSER is an intellectual powerhouse on Af rica, in Africa.
The Southern Centre for Inequality Studies has firmly established itself as a global leader in the field. The Chair in Inequality Studies will build on this enviable base to accelerate Wits’ contribution to leading edge research into pressing issues such as wealth inequality, the gender pay gap, the public economy, the impact of black economic empowerment and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Honouring our great jurists through the ongoing development of key social justice pillars The Chaskalson Chair in Law, Public Policy and Economic Justice and the Moseneke Chair in Constitutional Democracy & Human Rights are two key Centenary Chairs being established to build on Wits’ proud record in defending, promoting and developing these key pillars of social justice within a rapidly changing digital world.
Chair in African Philanthropy The Chair in African Philanthropy will build on the pioneering work that has been conducted in the Centre for African Philanthropy and Social Investment at the Wits Business School. Research and skills development are the foundation for effective and expanding resource mobilisation for the African continent.
Prioritising the informal sector as a driver of employment and economic development While the informal sector is the ‘forgotten’ sector in many ways, it provides livelihoods, employment and income for about 2.5 million workers and business owners. The Chair in the Informal Economy will drive the recognition and growth of this integral part of the economy through the design of well-crafted ‘smart’ policies to enable, support, and formalise the sector.
We encourage Africa’s best minds, present and future, to return to the continent so that we can claim our future and shape the global agenda from an African perspective.
Establishing leading civil society organisations Wits has played a key role in establishing leading civil society organisations such as the Treatment Action Campaign that came out of the Aids Law Project of the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS). The Centre uses a combination of research, advocacy and litigation to advance social justice in business and human rights; home, land and rural democracy; and civil, political, environmental and gender justice.
Target
R100m PAGE 27
ST R AT EG I C PR I O R I T I E S
6. FUTURE PROOFING OUR NATIONAL TREASURES
Wits is home to thousands of world renowned and priceless collections. Digitisation is key to being able to share these treasures with local and international researchers and other users, but also to secure their long-term security.
Objects are evidence of our human existence and tell a myriad of stories about our past, present and future. We need to protect and share our extraordinary resources. PAGE 28
Notable Achievements
Flagship Initiatives
A World Leader in the Study of the Origins of Species
Understanding our Deep Human Journey by Endowing the future
Internationally renowned Wits scientists like Phillip Tobias and Lee Berger discovered the origins of humankind. Our Evolutionary Studies Institute is a centre of excellence in palaeosciences and a global hub for the study of the origins of species.
The newly established Centre for the Deep Human Journey builds on Wits’ long-standing pre-eminence in the field of palaeoanthropology. The endowment will build a permanent home for this science, and ensure that a long lasting legacy of exploration, discovery and science continues into the future. It is the ultimate African science, as all of humanity is ultimately from Africa. By establishing this legacy fund, Wits will remain central to shedding light on our shared human journey.
“We live in the greatest age of exploration in the search for human origins and Wits is central to this moment – acting as a world leader in discoveries and science”. - Professor Lee Berger, Chair in Palaeoanthropology
An incredible array of scientific, arts and cultural treasures The Origins Centre, the Bleloch Geological Museum, the Life Sciences Museum and Biodiversity Centre, the James Kitching Gallery in the Palaeosciences Centre, the Adler Museum of Medicine, the Brebner Museum, the Hunterian Museum of Anatomy and the Museum of Obstetrics and Gynaecology are some of the repositories of unrivalled collections that the university preserves, researches and shares with the academic community and general public. The Fossil Vault and underground chamber hold some of the world’s priceless faunal, floral and hominid palaeo treasures that enlighten our understanding of human origins and the trajectory of life on our planet. The Jack Ginsberg Centre for Book Arts at the Wits Art Museum is the largest collection of artists’ books in the southern hemisphere. Donated by art collector and philanthropist, Jack Ginsberg. this world-renowned collection includes more than 3 000 artworks plus thousands of additional items related to the field of book arts.
A new ‘state-of-the-art’ Music Hall for Johannesburg
Creating the archives of the future by learning from our unmatched record of the past We are seeking support for the Wits Central Archive, which includes the Historical Papers Research Archive, one of the largest and most comprehensive independent archives in southern Africa. It houses over 3 400 collections of historical, political and cultural importance, from the mid-17th Century to the present. The Archive includes Nelson Mandela’s original papers from the Rivonia Trial, which led to his imprisonment. The Archive is an invaluable resource for scholars seeking lessons from our political and social history. The project includes a central facility for the digitisation of artefacts and papers and an inter-institutional network to strengthen the digitisation of thousands of important works – including the Wits Film and Video Departments Archive which contains unique and irreplaceable film and audio material dating back many decades.
Utilising new technologies to revolutionise the understanding of key collections The application of technologies such as Virtual and Augmented Reality will revolutionise the way we research, interpret and display many of our key collections for the University community and the general public.
The brand new, purpose built Chris Seabrooke Music Hall is a magnificent, intimate setting with acoustics and facilities to present professional quality music performances across multiple genres. Located adjacent to the Wits Art Museum and the new Digital Arts building it is a propitious addition to the burgeoning Wits Cultural Precinct. In addition to providing a handsome venue for student performances it contributes a deeply valued cultural resource to the City.
A rich and comprehensive record of our complex mining history The Barlow Rand and Johannesburg Consolidated Investment archives have recently been lodged at Wits. They provide an invaluable record of our complex mining history and lay the foundation for ground-breaking research and the telling of important stories that illuminate the present.
Target
R100m PAGE 29
ST R AT EG I C PR I O R I T I E S
7. DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS
Throughout our history, Wits has produced
Talented postgraduate students and
local and global leaders across civil society,
postdoctoral fellows are vital to the creation of
business, health and politics. We have
the new generation of scientific professionals
transformed lives by developing people from
that will allow us to remain competitive.
marginalised communities and equipping
Wits has been enrolling more postgraduate
them to lead society.
students in order to develop the high-level skills needed to move South Africa forward.
The future of our country and our continent depends on our ability to continue to nurture
To facilitate this, we need to provide
the next generation of leaders. We will enable
scholarships, data and devices, ensure food,
the best and the brightest to access our
health and housing security, expand facilities,
institution so that they can continue Wits’
and increase the availability of sophisticated
tradition of making an impact on our world.
technologies to encourage and facilitate more scientific research.
PAGE 30
At the heart of the University are our students. We invest in them to ensure their success which contributes to a bright future for our country and continent.
Notable Achievements
Flagship Initiatives
A student body prepared to make a significant impact on our continent
Scholarships and Endowments
Postgraduate students now make up almost 40% of our student body. More than 57% of our students are female, and almost 50% of students are the first in their family to attend university.
Generous alumni and friends investing in our students’ futures Wits alumnus Natie Kirsh donated R150 million in 2020 towards an endowment to benefit Wits ‘missing middle’ students. The Steve Kearney Legacy Endowment Fund supports talented students in mining engineering and the geosciences, and the Martin & Lucy Reinheimer Endowment Fund supports students in Architecture. The Lamberti Foundation Education Trust Scholarship donated R16 million in 2019 to assist academically deserving young women. The full scholarship is for the duration of the recipients’ first degree.
On top of our game Students learn just as much outside of the classroom, as within. Wits Sport has a reputable history in advocating for non-racial sport during apartheid. Many exceptional sportspeople are associated with Wits, including Bruce Fordyce, Mark Plaatjes, Hendrick Ramaala and Alan Menter, amongst others. Today, Wits offers many sporting opportunities with almost 30 sporting codes to choose from, across all levels. Wits is also home to the Wits Football Club, South Africa’s largest club, that develops talent from the Under 6 level, and includes a specialised training academy for young, talented stars.
Donors can support scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students or longer term endowments that contribute significantly to Wits’ sustainability. Endowments that recognise and perpetuate the name of the donor can be set up for donations of R1,5 million or more.
Crafting female academic leaders Established by the Chancellor of Wits, Dr Judy Dlamini, the Female Academic Leadership Fellowship Programme is driving the representation of female African and women of colour in academic leadership and management positions within the academic sector.
An enabling environment The University experience offers much more than the formal learning that takes place in lecture halls. Comfortable, modern, well-resourced student learning spaces for independent study and collaboration create the environment that facilitates opportunities for the development of skills required for success in the 21st Century. We also seek to increase the availability of sophisticated technologies to encourage and facilitate innovative, problemsolving research. These spaces and facilities can be named in honour of donors..
Basic support for students As first generation university students, many of our students require additional support for basic necessities such as food, housing, computers and data to ensure their success. Covid-19 has exacerbated these needs and the University has set up a dedicated Hardship Fund to provide for emergencies.
Target
R100m PAGE 31
ST R AT EG I C PR I O R I T I E S
8. ENERGISE BROAD BASED ALUMNI SUPPORT
Wits University has an enviable cohort of over 200 000 highly successful graduates in all fields of endeavour based in South Africa and around the world. Harnessing the support of these alumni will play a critical role in ensuring the financial sustainability of the University by contributing to a broadening of the University’s donor base. In particular this includes the Wits Annual Fund, a discretionary endowment fund, that continues to grow over time, with the proceeds earned used by Wits where it is most needed. This Fund is the primary means by which alumni, staff and friends can give tax-deductible donations to the University. Every donation counts. To illustrate this: if 10 000 alumni each donated R100 per month, this
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would equate to R12 million per year for the Fund! Several alumni and donors have established Family Trusts, Endowment Funds and Bequests, large and small, that have helped to shape the University. Students can also give to Wits, for example through student humanitarian funds that provide financial support for students in need, including student fees, accommodation, text books, and meals. Parents of students and staff members contribute to the University by supporting bursaries and scholarships, research initiatives, or projects that improve our campus.
Unlocking the giving potential of over 200 000 Wits graduates
Notable Achievements
Flagship Initiatives
Over R300 million raised from Wits alumni since 2010
Alumni initiatives
All gifts to Wits are deeply appreciated. Alumni have generously supported a range of projects with gifts of all sizes. The combined total of regular giving funds amounts to around R10 million of this amount - with the Wits Annual Fund being the largest recipient.
Over R100 million raised from alumni and other bequests Bequests of any size can make a significant impact on University communities. Over the years, legacy gifts have been crucial in contributing to the growth of the University. The Wartenweiler Library and the Richard Ward Building are two such examples. These buildings came about as result of people leaving a bequest to Wits. A legacy gift enables the University to maintain and enhance its position as a leading university in South Af rica, in Af rica, and in the world by sustaining globally competitive standards of excellence in learning, teaching and research.
Over R1 million raised in Class Gifts There have been some notable efforts by graduating classes to band together to raise funds to ‘pay it forward’ to the new generation of students. The Medical School Class of 1960 project was initiated in March 2020 by a group of medical alumni who, having graduated in 1960, wanted to commemorate their diamond anniversary. They have an organising committee, and a goal for a class gift of R400 000 to a PV Tobias Bursary for deserving medical students. With members of their class in South Af rica, the UK and Australia, as well as the US, this has been a global effort – with a website, newsletters, biographies, webinars and research updates produced for themselves and other alumni. Similarly, the 1966 Medical School Class collected more than R600 000 from local and global alumni as a class gift for the PV Tobias Bursary Fund.
Former Wits SRC and Black Student Society Presidents have established fundraising initiatives to support students such as the South African Student Solidarity Fund for Education and a Challenge grant towards projects that support students in need. Multiple opportunities exist for academic, sporting, cultural and other former student groupings to make group contributions – with the potential of naming rights.
Leaving a legacy Bequests, also known as Planned Giving, from an Estate can make a substantial contribution to the future of the University. Gifts can be designated for any project or purpose to support Wits. You may also wish to create a legacy in the name of a loved one, such as the scholarship for female architecture students created in the name of one of that department’s first female graduates - the Felicia Johnston Memorial Scholarship, set up by her family after her passing.
Regular giving Monthly, annual or occasional giving to a discretionary endowment fund to support teaching and research, scholarships, campus improvements, and the student experience.
Class gifts The solidarity and comradeship of a Class celebrating milestones since graduation can provide the impetus for a Class Gift, usually designated to support the relevant Faculty or School of classmates.
Target R300m PAGE 33
ANSWERING OUR CALL Through gifts and sponsorships, we invite you to join our many donors and sponsors across the world who have already supported our campaign. Any form of support that you give, makes a huge difference in helping Wits realise our ambitious Wits100 goals. To learn more about the Wits 100 campaign and current developments, please visit wits100.wits.ac.za. The website also covers additional investment opportunities. Should you wish to discuss or enquire about a bespoke gift, please call or send an email to any of the following numbers or email addresses: The Development and Fundraising Office
+27 11717 9701
peter.bezuidenhoudt@wits.ac.za
The Alumni Relations Office
+27 11717 1092
peter.maher@wits.ac.za
Wits United Kingdom Representative
+44 7570 930 704
lynda.murray@wits.ac.za
Wits Fund Inc (USA)
+1 425 344 7069
nooshin.erfani-ghadimi@wits.ac.za
Wits Australia Representative
+61 8003 3761
lawrence.jackson@wits.ac.za
Many of our graduate and professional schools are running bespoke programmes that form part of the Wits100 Campaign. To learn more about the campaigns being run by the Wits Business School, the Wits School of Law and others, please visit wits.ac.za/faculties-and-schools/
Tax deductions Subject to relevant local tax legislation, all bona fide gifts to the Wits fundraising structures listed below qualify for tax relief. Find additional detail on the specific webpages below, or consult the country representative listed above. South Africa: Wits Foundation wits.ac.za/givingtowits United Kingdom: Wits Foundation UK wits-uk.org United States: Wits US Fund witsfund.org Australia: Australian Friends of Wits University Ltd wits-au.org Wits Australian Public Health and Medical Research Foundation Limited
PAGE 34
How to give
Recognition of your support
The Wits100 webpage wits100.wits.ac.za provides simple links to Wits’ portals across all geographies that facilitate easy payments via credit card and electronic funds transfer.
When you make a gift to Wits, and subject to your approval, we will honour you on our Centenary honours boards that will be erected at the end of the Campaign on the Campus. These boards are already reflected on our Wits100 webpage.
In the case of a bespoke major gift, payments will in all likelihood be made via electronic funds transfer once the donor has concluded discussions around the project with the University. Banking details for all Wits fundraising structures appear on the website.
Major gifts to the University to support academic, student or infrastructural endeavours can also be honoured by naming assets and programmes in consideration of the gift in line with the University’s Naming Policy. The Naming Policy can be accessed on the Wits100 site.
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WITS FOUNDATION The University of the Witwatersrand Foundation was established by a Deed of Trust in 1978 as a registered Public Benefit Organisation (PBO) to collect and manage donations for the benefit of the University. A Board of Governors and Trustees appointed by the University Council manage the Wits Foundation, which is recognised as a PBO in terms of Section 30 of the Income Tax Act No 58 of 1962, as amended, and operates exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. All donations to the Wits Foundation are tax deductible in accordance with Act 58 of 1962. Tax certificates are issued in accordance with the legislation for all donations received.
GOVERNORS AND TRUSTEES Chairman: Arnold Basserabie
Professor Thokozani Majozi
(Strategic Business Consultant)
(Wits Dean, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment)
Mark Lamberti
Bonang Mohale
(Former CEO, Massmart, Transaction Capital, Imperial)
(Chairman, Bidvest Group)
Cas Coovadia
Lebogang Montjane
(CEO, Business Unity South Africa)
(CEO, Independent Schools of South Africa)
Prakash Desai
Lesiba Mothata
(Strategic Consultant)
(Chief Economist Investment Solutions)
Neal Froneman
Dr Stavros Nicolau
(CEO, Sibanye Stillwater)
(Group Senior Executive, Aspen Pharmacare)
Adrian Gore
Tokyo Sexwale
(CEO, Discovery Holdings)
(Non-Executive Chair, Mvelaphanda Holdings)
Dr Azar Jammine
Professor Bruce Sparks
(Director and Chief Economist of Econometrix)
(Former Head: Department of Family Medicine)
Professor Jonathan Klaaren
Advocate Anthony Stein
(WISER)
(Johannesburg Bar)
Suliman Mahomed
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi
(Chairman and CEO, The Solly’s Group)
(Vice-Chancellor and Principal)
WITS FOUNDATION UK The Wits Foundation UK is a charitable organisation for the advancement of education, in particular at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. The Foundation is able to reclaim tax on the donations of UK-resident taxpayers provided Gift Aid requirements are met, and higher-rate UK taxpayers may reclaim tax of their own via their annual UK tax returns.
PATRON AND TRUSTEES Patron: Sir Sydney Kentridge QC
Professor Adam Habib
Chairman: William Frankel OBE
(Former Wits Vice-Chancellor and Principal; Director of the School of Oriental and African Studies,)
Trustees: Professor Colin Bundy
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi
(Former Wits Vice-Chancellor and Principal)
(Wits Vice-Chancellor and Principal)
Professor Sir David King (Special Representative for Climate Change for the UK Government)
Registration Details: Charity Registration Number 1087539 Company Incorporation Number 04217424 PAGE 36
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND FUND, INC. (USA) The University of the Witwatersrand Fund, Inc., is an independent, non-profit corporation chartered under the laws of New York State, and recognised by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) taxexempt corporation. In compliance with the IRS regulations, the Board of Directors of Wits Fund maintains complete discretion over allocation of donations to Wits University. Donations to Wits Fund qualify for income tax deductions in the United States to the limits covered by the law.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Stanley Bergman, Chairman
Jonathan Joffe
(Chairman of the Board and CEO, Henry Schein Inc)
(CEO, QTec Analytics)
Jane Levy, President (Co-CEO, Plan Forward)
Balungile Belz (Member Experience Manager at Chief)
Natalie Brown (Head of Marketing at Sur La Table)
George Konidaris (Associate Professor, Brown University)
Clifford McMillan, Vice-President (Retired Principal, ARUP)
Teboho Moja, Vice-President (Professor, New York University)
Indran Naick
Martin Colman
(Senior Technical Leader, IBM)
(Emeritus Chair of Oncology at Univeristy of Texas Medical Branch)
David Schneider, Vice-Chairman Emeritus
Tal Gilbert (CEO, Vitality USA)
Rex Heinke (Counsel, California Appellate Law Group)
Bruce Hubbard (Principal, Bruce A. Hubbard, P. C.)
David Jammy
(Retired senior executive of The Coca-Cola Company)
Hazel Sive (Dean, Northwestern University)
Tebogo Lindiwe Tardif (Founder, Author)
John Teeger, Vice-Chairman (President, Founders Equity)
(Partner, Done+Dusted)
PAGE 37
WITS AUSTRALIAN BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Committee’s mandate is to develop and augment Wits philanthropy activities in Australia. They also act as directors of the two fundraising companies - Australian Friends of Wits University Ltd (AFWITSU) and Wits Australian Public Health and Medical Research Foundation Limited (WITSAUS).
AUSTRALIAN FRIENDS OF WITS UNIVERSITY LTD (AFWITSU) AFWITSU is a company incorporated in Australia for the purpose of fundraising for Wits. The aim is to assist Wits to relieve poverty by providing funds to support the scholarships provided by Wits.
WITS AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC HEALTH AND MEDICAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION LIMITED (WITSAUS) WITSAUS is a company incorporated in Australia for the purpose of fundraising for Wits for the University’s work in medical research. WITSAUS’ aim is to support Wits’ work in medical research; promote the objectives and goals of Wits in so far as they are consistent with its objectives as a health promotion charity. Both organisations will raise funds by means of contributions, donations and fundraising activities. All donations over AUD$2 by Australian taxpayers will be tax deductible.
DIRECTOR Chair: Philip Mayers AM (Director at Mayers Recruitment Pty Ltd)
BOARD MEMBERS Lenore Manderson AM,
Distinguished Professor of Public Health and Medical Anthropology, School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Adv Dr Andy Schmulow
Senior Lecturer, School of Law, Faculty of Business and Law, The University of Wollongong, Australia
Michael Segerman Peter Bezuidenhoudt
Professional Trustee and Philanthropy Consultant, Guardian Trust Company Limited Director: Development and Fundraising, University of the Witwatersrand
WITS COUNCIL MEMBERS Chairman: Isaac Shongwe Carol Crosley Nasmina Badsha Professor Glenda Gray Basani Maluleke Sipho Maseko Dr Maurice Goodman Stacey-Lee Bolon Dr Jonathan Broomberg Professor Michael Katz Ms Lusanda Kgakololo Mr Gideon Serfontein Ms Nothando Ndebele Dr Len Sizani
PAGE 38
Mr Musa Mabuza Mr Gavin Hartford Professor Zeblon Vilakazi Professor Ruksana Osman Professor Sharon Fonn Professor Thokozani Majozi Professor Cathi Albertyn Professor Joao Rodrigues Professor Imraan Valodia Dr Victor de Andrade Tumishi Madihlaba Meluleki Kubheka Cebolenkosi Khumalo Sipho Nkosi
Solutions to African challenges can only be achieved through investing in our people. Your support of our University is an investment in a sustainable future for the continent and the world. We need your help to dismantle the powers of inequality, which threaten global security. Dr Judy Dlamini Chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand
For more information visit wits100.wits.ac.za or contact: Development and Fundraising Office 6th Floor Solomon Mahlangu House 1 Jan Smuts Avenue Braamfontein Tel: +27 11 717 9702 Email: giving@wits.ac.za Website: www.wits.ac.za/givingtowits
Version 2 – November 2021
Wits. For Good.