GRASP Newsletter: Vol 4.2

GRASP

Volume 4 | Issue 2 October 2020

Issue 1 | May 2017

A communication with government on UP’s collaboration with government, government entities, foreign missions and international, inter-governmental organisations

UP contributes to the fight against The

COVID-19 pandemic has affected every corner of the world – be it through infections or associated regulations.

In the fight against both the disease and its societal consequences, the University of Pretoria (UP) has taken up the banner to support the country and the continent through this troubling time. Not only are research efforts being undertaken by faculties across the University, but practical efforts to support government on all levels are also visible.

UP has far-reaching expertise in a range of areas, and this pandemic has strengthened its collaborative efforts, not only through interdisciplinary research, but also across borders, universities and other organisations.

According to the Dean of the University’s Faculty of Health Sciences, Prof Tiaan de Jager, if these collaborative efforts are sustained post-COVID-19, research will be pushed to a new level.

Clinical trials and testing UP actively participates in global efforts to eradicate the threat of COVID-19. Its Faculty of Health Sciences forms part of a multi-centre clinical trial study for Africa by the World Health Organisation (WHO), in which various antiviral compounds are investigated. The objective is to provide reliable estimates of the effects of antiviral treatments and chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine on in-hospital mortality. The Faculty has also partnered with the South African Medical Research Council in a study on various rapid testing methods.

In addition to these large-scale projects, the Division of Infectious Diseases in the University’s Department of Internal Medicine is leading a study in collaboration with Leicester University (England) to investigate testing for COVID-19 by wearing a face mask for 30 minutes. A COVID-19 mask was developed for this, and other respiratory pathogens can also be identified.

Support for local government As an anchor institution, UP cannot merely contribute to the fight against COVID-19 on a theoretical level. The University is therefore working on projects to support local government, particularly health departments, at grassroots level. UP’s Department of Medical Virology has established a fully functional and accredited testing facility with the National Health Laboratory Services.

It provides polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing and services at the Tshwane District Hospital and Steve Biko Academic Hospital, as well as other healthcare centres in Tshwane, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

Systems protocols have also been put in place in collaboration with the Gauteng Department of Health to screen, manage and treat COVID-19 patients, particularly at the Tshwane District Hospital, Steve Biko Academic Hospital and Kalafong Hospital.

Protocols include incubation, clinical care and severity scores, as well as psychosocial support for healthcare workers and patients.

In the realm of community health, the University has established the UP Tshwane COVID-19 Care Helpline, which is serviced by doctors and registrars from UP and focuses on people living in the Tshwane district.

The Helpline provides guidance to referral testing centres, information on COVID-19 and guidance on self-care. The University has also deployed senior medical students to Tshwane District Hospital and Steve Biko Academic Hospital to support doctors with various COVID-19-related projects, such as the establishment of an online platform for COVID-19-related research publications.

In addition, the Faculty of Health Sciences is developing educational material on preventative measures.

UP is undertaking projects at grassroots level to support the fight against COVID-19.

In disruptive situations such as this, the exploitation of technology that is currently available is paramount to effective response efforts. In this regard, researchers from the University’s Department of Statistics are engaged in a collaborative project in which multiple evidence-based COVID-19 research projects are coordinated. These include a heat map retrieval of the spread of COVID-19 in South Africa since lockdown using spatial analysis, a probabilistic COVID-19 screening model, modelling the 14-day infection rate of COVID-19, using a synergetic web-based dashboard to track COVID-19 demographic information, and providing an exploratory view of the association between observed weather patterns and COVID-19 infection rates. UP has also developed an application for Steve Biko cluster healthcare workers to track COVID-19-related symptoms daily, and to refer patients for testing if required.

In the fight against the pandemic, one of the most pressing concerns is the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers. In this regard, the University’s Faculty of Health Sciences was involved in the 3D-printing of 10 000 face shields for the Gauteng Department of Health.

Continued on page 2

UP research for COVID-19 edition

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GRASP University of Pretoria

From the

Manager’s desk: The Office of Government Relations and Special Projects at the University of Pretoria

Welcome

to our second edition of Volume 4 for 2020. In this issue, we have a strong focus on COVID-19, the disease that has affected everybody. Universities have not been spared the trauma of the coronavirus. In many respects, they may have been hit even harder, and have had to adapt in many ways, not least of which has been the necessity to function remotely with such a large number of people who are amassed in higher education institutions, and the need for social distancing.

In terms of COVID-19, we focus on UP’s contribution to fighting the virus both locally, and further afield, internationally. We also pay tribute to Prof Anton Stoltz, who was at the forefront of UP’s response to the pandemic and who passed away during the period from causes unrelated to the virus.

We also focus on our international collaboration and our contributions to actualising the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in which the University has been recognised as one of the foremost tertiary education institutions in the world, ranking in the top 100 in three categories and in the 100 to 200 band in five categories.

This is a remarkable achievement of which the country can be proud.

We reflect on Prof Christof Heyns’ drafting of UN standards that contribute to actualising the ideals of SDG 16: “Peace, justice and strong institutions”, and on UP’s work on SDG 2: “Zero hunger – food security”. We also report on the work of Prof Emma Ruttkamp-Bloem, from our Department of Philosophy, who has joined the Unesco World Commission on Ethics in Scientific Knowledge and Technology because of her groundbreaking work on ethics in artificial intelligence. An article in this issue of GRASP by the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Tawana Kupe, provides more detail in this regard. In his message, he focuses on how UP is taking the lead in innovation in various spheres.

We also focus on collaborative initiatives internationally with universities in Ecuador, The Netherlands, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States, some linked to pursuits of actualising the SDGs and transformation, and others linked to combating COVID-19. In terms of collaboration with government, we feature, among other areas, work on tree health, transportation and veterinary science.

In terms of transformation at UP, we have a full article on current initiatives at UP. We also welcome a new director responsible for transformation, Nontsikelelo Lofeni, who is committed to taking UP to new heights in terms of this important aspect of university life.

We are extremely honoured to feature the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, as our celebrated alumna in government in this issue. She obtained a PhD in Education from the University in 2019.

We trust that you will find the contents of this issue of GRASP interesting and look forward to receiving comments and feedback on the articles and format of the newsletter. Suggestions on how we can improve are most welcome.

Prof Denver Hendricks Manager: Government Relations and Special Projects (GRaSP)

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Continued from page 1

The University’s two 3D-printing units, one in the Department of Library Services’ MakerSpace and one at TuksNovation, in collaboration with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), also undertook projects to produce 3D-printed visor frames for both public and private hospitals.

COVID-19 research In order to contribute to the body of knowledge available on COVID-19related matters, UP’s Centre for Viral Zoonosis is conducting research on bats as a potential carrier of the virus, and is working with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases on COVID-19-related initiatives. The University is also collaborating with the Gavan Institute in Australia using genome profiles to assess South Africans’ risk.

In the medium term, UP has entered into a collaborative project with the University of Johannesburg and the University of the Witwatersrand to host the Gauteng node of the South African Population Research Infrastructure Network (SAPRIN) for population research to model and improve responses to COVID-19 and control future shocks to urban systems.

The Gauteng Research Triangle Initiative for the study of Population, Infrastructure, and Regional Economic Development (GRT-INSPIRED) will establish a health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS) in urban areas in Hillbrow, Attridgeville and Melusi. SAPRIN creates a research platform where key indicators are monitored for a period of 20 years.

All data sourced by SAPRIN is validated and provides sound evidence to inform the strategies of entities, including the departments of Health, Social Development, Home Affairs and Basic Education.

Policy development UP researchers are dedicating themselves to contribute to solutions to societal challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic in their respective areas of expertise. As an example of this, the University’s Prof Matthys Dippenaar from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences has appealed to municipalities to monitor groundwater and surface water sources that are close to sites where cemeteries are located in light of COVID-19-related deaths. Prof Dippenaar was the project leader on a Water Research Commission (WRC) project to compile guidelines for the environmental risk assessment of cemeteries, including their geotechnical and hydrogeological aspects.

IN MEMORIAM The University, as well as the national and provincial medical community, mourns the passing of Prof Anton Stoltz, who had dedicated himself unconditionally to relieving the burden of infectious diseases. Prof Stoltz worked tirelessly as a leader in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, despite facing personal setbacks in his own health.

He was actively involved in sharing his expertise of infectious diseases and resources to fight COVID-19 across Gauteng, especially in the Ekurhuleni and Tshwane district health services.

Among his other responsibilities, Prof Stoltz was mandated by the CEO of Steve Biko Academic Hospital to lead and direct the management of its COVID-19 efforts.

Among other prestigious positions, Prof Stoltz served as UP’s Head of the Division of Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine and was principal medical researcher for the Medical Research Council. During his final months, Prof Stoltz was involved in a major breakthrough in revolutionising the way TB is detected, through the invention and application of a 3D-printed insert added to simple face masks. This new approach has the potential to detect millions of currently missed infections across the world.

GRASP University of Pretoria

Message from the Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof Tawana Kupe

Looking ahead: UP AT THE FOREFRONT OF INNOVATION

The

future of research and innovation, particularly in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), necessitates the production of knowledge through transdisciplinary approaches. In answer to this call, UP has launched platforms for collaboration and partnerships between academia, business, government and civil society to co-create knowledge with the potential to translate it into solutions. In these collaborative spaces, stakeholders have the opportunity to accelerate sustainable and inclusive development in Africa.

The new UP platforms focus on transforming lives, and transforming communities locally, continentally and globally. They fuse the goals of knowledge generation, economic advancement and social justice across disciplines. In this way, the University hopes to leave its mark on the world by developing the skills, research and resources needed to address global challenges using African solutions.

FUTURE AFRICA INSTITUTE AND CAMPUS The Future Africa Institute and Campus is a purpose-built, transdisciplinary research institute and green campus dedicated to promoting a sustainable future for Africa.

This is especially important in a world marked by rapid political, economic, cultural, social and technological changes that are transforming society in radical ways. Among the most significant of these changes is the 4IR, which is transforming the way in which institutions, the economy, the world of work and society function.

Through this initiative, African scientists and scholars can work collaboratively and in partnerships with key stakeholders to create knowledge that addresses the multiplicity of grand continental and global challenges. These include climate change, the loss of biodiversity, food security, human migration, inequality, poverty, unemployment, sustainable smart cities, population growth and the youth bulge, as well as human, plant and animal health.

ENGINEERING 4.0 COMPLEX The Engineering 4.0 Complex is a co-funded innovative platform focused on research, teaching, training and testing for transportation and mobility in all its forms using the digital technologies and intelligent systems at the centre of the 4IR. Working collaboratively and in partnership with government agencies and players in the private sector, the Engineering 4.0 Complex will leverage the opportunities that come with artificial intelligence, Big Data and data science, as well as cloud computing, to advance the African continent and its people. It will provide the critical skills needed to build the transportation infrastructure and mobility systems that underpin economic growth, trade and human mobility in sustainable smart cities in rapidly changing environments. Among its many innovative features, the Complex will host the first national reference library for the transportation sector that is necessary to ensure quality, durability and sustainability.

THE JAVETT-UP ART CENTRE The Javett-UP Art Centre is focused on bringing the art of Africa to the world and the art of the world to Africa. It is a space to enable an exploration of what makes us human, and what inspires us to think, feel, act, dream, innovate and advance. Through its promotion of African art, the centre displays the story of who we are, where we come from, and the importance of Africa in the world. The ability to preserve, position and elevate the art of Africa is key to leading a global understanding of the myriad of cultures and people of the continent. The Javett-UP Art Centre is integral to presenting sought-after 4IR subjects, which the University refers to as STREAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics).

This supports UP’s academic programmes and encourages the development of creative, flexible and adaptable minds with the emotional and technical intelligence needed to thrive.

In this regard, students from across the continent will be able to enrol in a unique, first-in-Africa transdisciplinary master’s degree in tangible heritage conservation, taught by academics from the humanities and sciences.

This programme is focused on restoring artworks and preserving heritage.

INNOVATION AFRICA @ UP The Innovation Africa @ UP initiative focuses on sustainable precision agriculture through a transdisciplinary approach.

Participants in this research programme pursue collaborations and partnerships with local and global scholars in the broad fields of agriculture and food security. As a collective, the initiative will seek partnerships with government agencies, including the Agricultural Research Council, the agricultural sector and related industries.

The aim is to co-create knowledge, innovative technologies, practices and solutions that are climate resilient, environmentally friendly and easy to implement, and to promote sustainability and precision agriculture for the future of Africa.

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.

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AFRICAN COLLABORATION DURING THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC

UP suggests that researchers must play a leading role in reshaping African societies

Participants

from around the world joined a UP-hosted webinar to address the future of Africa post-COVID-19. It considered what the future holds for the continent in the wake of the global pandemic. The webinar was held in commemoration of Africa Month, which is celebrated throughout May, and was moderated by Dr Joel Modiri from the University’s Department of Jurisprudence. Dr Modiri said that the pandemic has brought our daily activities to a halt, and that it both highlights inequalities and surfaces interdependencies among communities as they come together to find a way out.

Prof Cheikh Mbow, Director of UP’s Future Africa Institute and Campus, expressed the view that Africa was much more prepared for the crisis than other countries, having contended with the Zika Virus, Ebola, Rift Valley Fever, dengue, malaria and HIV. However, he explained that there is work to be done post-COVID-19. All UP’s faculties are in discussion for a new science that sets the ground for the conditions under which Africa will embrace the future with all its possibilities. Prof Mbow said that Africa needs to change its business model to accommodate the current and future shifts, and that a looming challenge is the long-term economic aspects. This requires special consideration on the objectives of sustainable development.

Prof Wanda Markotter, Director of UP’s Centre for Viral Zoonoses, lauded Africans for their response to the pandemic, stating that good leadership has emerged from the continent. However, she explains that Africa should not be caught off guard again. “We need to look at sustainability in everything we do in research.

While researchers work with global and international partners, they need to understand problems in society and build relations with them.

We need to play a leadership role on how we want to shape research and answer society’s problems,” she said.

Applauding the AU’s coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Dr

Sithembile Mbete, international relations expert and Associate Fellow of UP’s Centre for Governance Innovation, has applauded the continent-wide strategic plan for a centralised coordination, procurement and distribution of COVID-19 supplies. Dr Mbete believes that the African Medical Supplies Platform (AMSP) has the potential to become a centralised marketplace, aimed at increasing the bargaining power of the continent as a whole. The AMSP aims to unlock access to an African and global base of vetted manufacturers and procurement partners to purchase certified medial equipment. At the centre of coordination is the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The AMSP deals with matters such as volumes, quotas, payment facilitation and the transportation of equipment to ensure equitable and efficient access to supplies by African states.

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GRASP University of Pretoria

COLLABORATION WITH NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

Tree health research at UP

Researchers

at UP have an ongoing collaboration with the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). Given this relationship, the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology, housed at the University, was called on to examine the devastating state of the Cape beech (Rapanea melanophloeos) trees in Betty’s Bay, Western Cape.

On New Year’s Eve, 2018, an arsonist started a fire that consumed more than 12 000 ha of vegetation, most of it mountain fynbos. Fynbos is a type of species-rich vegetation characterised by the presence of restios, ericas (heaths) and proteas.

In the wake of wildfires, fynbos regrows and proliferates, but, unfortunately, the Cape beech trees that were consumed by the fire are now steadily being wiped out by a canker disease caused by a fungus called Immersiporthe knoxdaviesiana.

Apart from their medicinal value, the Cape beech trees are one of only a few tree species found in the riparian forests of the Kogelberg Nature Reserve. Without them, the integrity of the canopy and the riparian ecosystem would be compromised. In their place, we may see an increase in invasive, thirsty Australian acacias that will make it harder for other plant species to survive.

Knowledge of tree diseases, such as that gained from research in UP’s Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) will help to devise control strategies for diseases and prevent similar problems from arising in future. Plants like the Cape beech tree, although not directly associated with food security, play a crucial role in the delicate ecosystem. If they, or any other native tree species, are wiped out, the whole ecosystem shifts.

Collaboration for smart transport, cities and environments

UP

has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the CSIR, an entity in the Department of Science and Innovation, to collaborate in the area of smart transport, cities and environments. According to Prof Wynand Steyn, Head of the Department of Civil Engineering in UP’s Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, the cooperation means that UP can focus on creating a pipeline of potential researchers in these areas.

He explained that smart transport, cities and environments are part of an integrated system that encompasses digitised transportation systems, parking management, reduced traffic congestion, and addressing environmental problems. The aim is to reduce energy consumption levels in transportation, maximise productivity in industry, and provide a higher quality of life for citizens.

UP research supports National Development Plan 2030

Early

Childhood Development (ECD) is prioritised in the National Development Plan 2030. In this regard, government’s strategy not only seeks to secure adequate nutrition and good health for young children, but also focuses on helping children thrive.

As a result of COVID-19 lockdown regulations, the role of many caregivers has expanded to include a responsibility for their children’s ECD. Numerous studies have found that, in order for children to thrive, they need a secure and loving bond with their caregivers.

In the novel situation in which many households now find themselves, ECD, although challenging, must be prioritised.

The Clinic for High-risk Babies (CHRIB) in UP’s Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology follows a parent-led approach to early intervention and focuses on coaching caregivers to provide responsive language stimulation for young children from birth to three years with communication difficulties.

Kenny Kistan, CSIR Executive Cluster Manager: Smart Mobility, said that the CSIR’s Smart Mobility Cluster sees this collaboration with UP as an integral component of its strategic initiative to address transport and infrastructure challenges in the country and the continent. This will contribute to improving and advancing economic activity. This initiative is a positive start to co-create scientific knowledge and multifaceted technological innovation and solutions, which is in line with the CSIR’s implementation plan and is linked to its mandate to support and strengthen industrial activity in the country. The collaboration will also entail jointly working towards the establishment of a CSIR Research Chair in Smart Mobility at UP. This Chair will fund senior researchers and postgraduate students who will conduct research in these target areas.

Supporting the country’s wildlife veterinary needs

UP’s

Faculty of Veterinary Science has established a dedicated wildlife clinic at its Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital (OVAH). The clinic meets all the legal requirements of the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries and the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and

Rural Development. According to Dr Paul van Dam, newly appointed Director of OVAH, there has been a need for a dedicated facility for wildlife that is managed with the highest care available to its patients. The facilities of the Onderstepoort Campus allow for access to world-renowned clinical specialists and

diagnostic laboratories. Because animals are accommodated in these facilities, a more comprehensive and dedicated service can be provided. In the past, wildlife had to be released to the owner’s farm after initial treatment, making follow-up treatment a challenge.

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GRASP University of Pretoria

ALUMNI FOCUS Our alumni are our most enduring asset

DR NALEDI PANDOR, MP UP is proud to be called the Alma Mater of an exceptional Member of the Cabinet of South Africa. Dr Naledi Pandor is an avid scholar and an advocate of continuing education.

Dr Naledi Pandor, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation

Dr Pandor became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1994, and has amassed impressive experience in positions of public office. These include Deputy Chief Whip of the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly from 1995 to 1998, Deputy Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces in 1998, and its Chairperson from 1999 to 2004. Her experience in education policy planning made her a welcome appointment as South Africa’s Minister of Education in 2004, and she has been a Member of Cabinet ever since – serving as Minister of Education (2004–2009), Minister of Science and Technology (2009–2012 and 2014–2018), Minister of Home Affairs (2012–2014), and Minister of Higher Education and Training (2018–2019).

She currently occupies the position of Minister of International Relations and Cooperation.

Dr Pandor obtained a PhD from UP (2019), and honorary doctorates from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, the University of Stellenbosch, the University of Lisbon (Portugal) and the University College Dublin (Ireland). She was also awarded Germany’s highest federal award, the Grand Cross of Merit. Upon receipt of this award, the German Ambassador to South Africa, Walter Lindner, said that Dr Pandor is a symbol of the new South Africa: modern, innovative and dedicated to scientific progress, and an outstanding female leader. In this regard, she actively advocates for more female voices to be heard in government structures. “We need to empower women to play their full role in society,” she says.

After completing her schooling at Gaberone Secondary School, Dr Pandor obtained a Certificate for Continuing Education from the University of Swaziland and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Botswana.

She then pursued a Diploma in Education and a master’s degree from the University of London. Thereafter, Dr Pandor obtained a Diploma in Higher Education, Administration and Leadership from the Bryn Mawr Summer Programme, and enrolled in the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she completed a Diploma in Leadership Development. Dr Pandor also attained a master’s degree in Linguistics from the University of Stellenbosch. She rounded off her academic achievement with a thesis titled “The contested meaning of transformation in higher education in post-apartheid South Africa”, which earned her a PhD in Education from UP. Dr Pandor has a particular interest in education, science and technology.

She believes that Africa should do much more to invest in science, research and innovation. She explains that there is a significant pool of talented young people, and education and science can help to advance a nation.

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EXPAND YOUR QUALIFICATIONS: FULLY ONLINE POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN PUBLIC MANAGEMENT In an age where many services, from banking to shopping and entertainment, have moved online, higher education should be no exception. UP has oficially launched its first fully online acredited programmes through the UPOnline initiative. This initiative is independent of the emenrgency steps taken by the University regarding contact programme teaching in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and aims to broaden access to selected accredited programmes. www.online.up.ac.za

CONTINUING EDUCATION AT UP Public Administration and Management courses To enhance service delivery and build a capable state, the public sector requires customised training solutions that are unique to the goals and principles of Batho Pele.

Public sector-specific courses • Executive Development Programme for the Public Sector (16 days) • Knowledge and Information Management for Public Sector Managers (3 days) • Masterclass in Creating a Winning Culture in Government (12 days) • People Management for Public Sector Managers (3 days) • Policy Management, Implementation and Analysis in the Public Sector (4 days) • Programme and Project Management for Public Sector Managers (3 days) • Public Financial Management for Non-financial Managers (5 days) • Public Financial Management for Public Sector Managers (3 days) • Public Policy, Problem Solving and Analysis for Public Sector Managers (3 days) • Strategic Capability and Leadership for Public Sector Managers (3 days)

Local government-specific courses • Business Presentation and Public Speaking in the Public Sector (3 days) • Executive Leadership Management Development Programme (ELMDP) (12 days) • LGSETA Certificate: Municipal Finance Management Programme (MDMo) (SAQA ID: 48965) (35 days, 8 block sessions) • MFMP: Local Government Ethics, Budgeting and Risk Management (US: 116343/116345/116339) (5 days) • Municipal Governance Excellence (3 days) • Municipal Management Development Programme (MMDP) (16 days) • Municipal Public Accounts Committee Training Course (MPAC) (5 days) • Public Sector Risk Management (3 days)

www.enterprises.up.ac.za

GRASP University of Pretoria

CONTRIBUTION TO THE UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

UP among top global contributors to five categories of SDGs in the 2019 Times Higher Education Impact Ranking

UP

is ranked among the top universities in the world for its contribution the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN). The Times Higher Education Impact Ranking assesses the performance of universities across the globe against the UN’s SDGs in terms of their social and economic impact. UP achieved an overall placement in the 101–200 band of institutions, and was placed second in South Africa. The rankinig includes 766 universities from 85 countries, and compares the broad areas of research, outreach and stewardship.

The University featured among the top 100 universities in three SDG categories: Quality Education (SDG 4), Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9) and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16). It was also placed in the 101–200 band of institutions for Good Health and Wellbeing (SDG 3) and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17).

Quality Education (SDG 4) Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all UP score: 68.7 out of 100 | Ranked 96th globally The University’s initiatives in lifelong learning and educational research both scored above 80%. This contributes to the institution’s overall achievement. UP uses a hybrid learning approach, which invloves learning in class, online and in community settings. Working in communities does not only complement the learning process, but also serves as a powerful way of demonstrating compassion in real and useful ways.

Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9) Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation UP score: 75.2 out of 100 | Ranked 94th globally Innovation, infrastructure and sustainable cities and communities are critical for developing any economy. UP’s Engineering 4.0 Complex will be a hub for smart cities and transportation research.

It will foster interdisciplinary research in the wake of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, in partnership with the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) and the CSIR. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16) Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels UP score: 76 out of 100 | Ranked 68th globally UP was especially recognised for its internal governance measures (93.9%) and its cooperation with government (100%). In this category, the appointment of Prof Christof Heyns to the UN’s Human Rights Committee (see page 8) and UP’s participation in an inter-university innovation challenge for the City of Tshwane, in collaboration with the Hatfield City Improvement District, contributed to elevating its position.

“As we strive to become a transdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research institution, we value partnerships and collaborations with governments, universities and other organisations nationally and globally. We produce world-class, cuttingedge research that is relevant and makes a difference to lives nationally, on the African continent, and globally.”

Prof Tawana Kupe, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, UP

Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17) Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development UP score: 72.4 out of 100 | Ranked 101–200 globally UP has direct involvement in government’s SDG policy development through the South African SDG Hub, headed by Prof Willem Fourie. This entity connects South African policy makers with the research and innovations they need to implement the SDGs. Prof Fourie was seconded to the Presidency to support government with its social and economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Good Health and Wellbeing (SDG 3) Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages UP score: 69.1 out of 100 | Ranked 101–200 globally UP is extremely active in leading initiatives to promote good health and wellbeing. An example is the involvement of the Faculty of Health Sciences in some 30 projects in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and the work of the UP Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP ISMC) to bring change to the lives people on the African continent through evidence-based research findings.

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GRASP University of Pretoria

UP professor makes meaningful contribution to SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions General Comment on the Right of Peaceful Assembly

“The importance of these standards lies in the norms that they set out. The next step is for these standards to find their way into the domestic laws of all the countries in the world.”

Prof Christof Heyns, Faculty of Law, UP

Credit: Maina Kiai

Prof

Christof Heyns of UP’s Faculty of Law has been instrumental in the compilation of two important United Nations (UN) standards that will significantly contribute to the ideals of SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. Prof Heyns serves as a member of the UN’s Human Rights Committee. He has collaborated extensively with his colleagues on the Committee, as well as with international stakeholders towards both the global standards on the use of force by the police, and dealing with peaceful assemblies.

United Nations Human Rights Guidance on Less-lethal Weapons in Law Enforcement The world has recently witnessed shocking examples of the excessive use of force by law enforcement officials in many countries. The deaths of George Floyd in the USA and Collins Khoza in South Africa are just the latest examples of a long line of such tragic events, for example during demonstrations, arrests and the enforcement of COVID-19 regulations.

Research has indicated that one in 25 violent deaths worldwide takes place at the hands of the police and, in many cases, this is exacerbated by racial bias.

Speaking during an urgent debate at the Human Rights Council on racism and

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excessive use of force in policing, Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed her exasperation about the killings, saying that too little has changed over too many years. She praised this new standard as a significant addition to the efforts of the UN to provide lawenforcement officials with guidance on the use of force.

The guidance sets out the different kinds of weapons that are available to the police today, and identifies the conditions under which they may and may not be used. It has already been implemented widely by police forces and others globally, including in countries such as Chile, Jamaica, Iraq, Russia and South Africa, in addition to the UN and the Red Cross.

Prof Heyns led the process of drafting the guidance in collaboration with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. He proposed the drafting of such a standard when he served as UN Special Rapporteur on arbitrary executions six years ago, and the process started in 2017. The panel included members of the police, ballistics experts and lawyers.

Prof Heyns, together with his UP colleagues Prof Stuart Maslen and Dr Thomas Probert, also led the drafting of the 2016 UN standards on the investigation of unlawful death.

Demonstrations have become one of the key tools of social change worldwide, and evidence suggests that this is a trend that will continue. Demonstrations are, in many cases, an important tool to renegotiate the social contract. Mass demonstrations have brought about some of the most important changes in our world in the past 50 years.

However, according to Prof Heyns, where things go wrong, it leaves deep scars.

Questions that the General Comment seeks to address include “To what extent are assemblies held in private spaces protected?”, “When is an assembly no longer peaceful?”, and “What can the authorities do under those circumstances?” Another particularly pertinent problem that the Human Rights Committee had to address was whether online gatherings are also protected by the right of peaceful assembly.

According to Prof Heyns, the basic approach is that the violent actions of some members of the crowd cannot be attributed to the non-violent ones. In private spaces, such as shopping malls, gatherings are protected in principle, although restrictions may be put in place to protect the rights of the property owner or other users.

The online space, however, is more complex. “We are used to people gathering in the streets, and in a way putting their bodies on the line when they demonstrate.

But what about the #metoo movement, for example: Are they protected? Can the internet be shut down to stop them?” he asks. “Many of us – including myself – were initially sceptical about accepting that meetings where no-one was physically present could qualify as protected assemblies. However, as we did more research and consulted more widely, we saw that online meetings are an integral part of how assemblies work today. So we need to recognise that they are protected,” he explains.

The adoption of the new General Comment was not only novel as far as setting out comprehensive guidelines on the issue of public assemblies is concerned, but also in the way in which it was adopted. It is the first instrument of international law that was adopted through an online process.

To ensure its much-needed impact on the ground, it has to be implemented by all UN member states.

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Towards a global standard on ethics in artificial intelligence

Prof

Emma Ruttkamp-Bloem of UP’s Department of Philosophy has been selected to join the Unesco World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST), an independent advisory body that contributes to transdisciplinary and multicultural debates on ethical issues.

Prof Ruttkamp-Bloem is currently leading research into the ethics of artificial intelligence (AI) in UP’s Department of Philosophy. She also heads the Ethics of AI Research group at UP’s Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (CAIR), a distributed research network that aims to build world-class AI research capacity at six South African universities: UP, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University, the University of the Western Cape and North West University.

Through her position on COMEST, Prof Ruttkamp-Bloem was elected to chair the Ad Hoc Expert Group (AHEG) on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to craft the first global standard on ethics in AI. The group is made up of four members each from six regions: Western Europe and North America, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific, the Arab States and Africa. The four representatives in the Africa group are from South Africa, Ghana, Rwanda and Cameroon.

Prof Ruttkamp-Bloem explains that the reason why there is not yet a global instrument for the ethics of AI is not so much because it is unchartered territory, but rather due to the nature of AI as a disruptive technology, the complexity of its impact on core sectors and the difference in the AI readiness of countries across the globe. AI impacts on all sectors of civilisation, including civil society, the future of work, security and surveillance, the financial sector and education. In this regard, the general issues facing the development of AI are complex and include real threats that vary from the transgression of the right to privacy to security threats posed by the possible deployment of lethal autonomous weapon systems. Other threats relate to concerns around bias, transparency and accountability in the context of automated decisionmaking systems.

Prof Ruttkamp-Bloem said her vision for the trailblazing group is that it will contribute to a global instrument that will ensure that humans remain at the centre of interactions with AI technologies. “Above all, AI technologies should enhance human flourishing, and peace and harmony, and protect human rights,” she says.

“My focus is always to ensure that a voice from Africa is heard in all discussions concerning ethical values and principles guiding scientific and technological advances.”

Prof Emma Ruttkamp-Bloem, Department of Philosophy, UP

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GRASP University of Pretoria

UP works to be on the cutting edge of research for SDG 2: Zero Hunger

Ensuring

food security in a sustainable and responsible manner remains one of the major challenges of the next century. In this regard, UP’s Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences is well positioned to take up the challenges faced by agriculture. UP, in collaboration with the University of Nairobi, the University of Ghana, the University of the Western Cape and the University of Fort Hare, recently launched the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) Centre of Excellence for Food Security. The Centre seeks to create an engaging network of talented researchers to move institutions forward in finding solutions to food security challenges in Africa.

Agriculture is much more complex today, as it relates to broader ecosystems, rather than merely farming activities. Agriculture goes beyond a single discipline to represent transdisciplinary research that requires a multidisciplinary approach to the wider challenges in ecosystems and socio-political landscapes. UP is ideally structured to deal with these complexities as it combines agricultural and natural sciences in a single faculty. To support SDG 2 in the quest to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture, UP’s research strives to achieve meaningful links with fields such as food science, biochemistry, genetics, microbiology, economics, mathematics, biostatistics and Big Data.

The University actively focuses on opportunities and potential by fostering relationships with the agriculture industry. This includes involvement with Agriconnect, a career event for young graduates and students studying agricultural economics, animal science, horticulture, plant production, plant pathology, plant biotechnology, soil science, and consumer and food sciences. Students are also exposed to practical agriculture at UP’s Experimental Farm. This practical exposure, combined with quality education, develops wellrounded agriculturists, as required by government and industry.

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION

UP forges research and academic exchange partnership with Ecuador’s Ikiam University

UP

has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam (University of Ikiam) in the Republic of Ecuador to collaborate on research, and student and staff exchange projects. The partnership will allow UP researchers and students, mainly from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, opportunities to collaborate on projects that address global challenges such as sustainable energy, safe water, biodiversity and conservation, climate change and natural disasters.

The University of Ikiam was established in 2013 and is in the Napo province in the heart of the Amazon. It is the only educational institution that is located within a “living laboratory”, the Colonso Chalupa Biological Reserve. The reserve consists of more than 93 000 hectares of forest and moors, with six ecosystems.

Programmes offered by Ikiam University relate to geosciences, ecosystems, water sciences, agro-ecology, biotechnology, sustainable architecture and experimental sciences. This is the first collaboration that Ikiam University has with an African institution.

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“It is in times like these that universities are called upon to lead the fight against global challenges and give hope to our people.

Noting the global nature and similarity of the challenges we face, it is my firm belief that it can be only through collaborations and partnerships that we will be able to develop lasting solutions. Through collaboration, we will be able to fully exploit our collective strengths, share learnings and maximise on our limited resources.”

Prof Tawana Kupe, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, UP

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Addressing health challenges arising from human-animal interaction

UP’s

Faculty of Veterinary Science is one of the leading partners in the Erasmus+ ELEPHANT project, which will boost the capacity of the participating partner institutions in solving complex issues related to the health of humans and animals. The ELEPHANT project empowers universities’ learning and research capacities in the One Health approach for the management of animals at the wildlife, livestock and human interface in South Africa.

It will run for three years (2020–2022), and will benefit research staff and postgraduate students. Through this project, UP, along with other participating institutions, will receive a series of workshop and training opportunities that address core skills related to the One Health approach.

The One Health approach recognises that the health and wellbeing of people cannot be adequately secured and harnessed if all health interventions are focused on people only. It considers the many ways in which people, animals and the environment interact with each other, and how such interactions can affect any one of the parties. The aim of the approach is to find the best possible solutions to address complex health problems by uniting the expertise from specialists in the human health sector, in animal health and in the environmental sciences.

Zoonotic diseases such as COVID-19 can be transmitted from animals to humans, in some cases by direct contact or otherwise via food and water. Because animals serve many different purposes in the lives of people, it is important to keep them healthy and free from disease in order to prevent the spread of any zoonotic diseases. Wild animals, for example, can harbour infections that are life-threatening to people, but not to themselves. As these types of animals typically live far away from people, there is little risk of infection under normal circumstances. However, if people encroach into wildlife habitats for various purposes (such as agriculture, logging or the capture of wild animals for human consumption), outbreaks of deadly zoonotic diseases can occur.

“Collaboration and common goals between those who are responsible for maintaining the health of people on the one side, and for animal health and environmental affairs on the other side, are the crux of making One Health work.”

Prof Anita Michel, Faculty of Veterinary Science (member of the ELEPHANT project steering committee)

UP primarily recruits students for the ELEPHANT project from previously disadvantaged communities. The One Health-related research activities that are promoted by the ELEPHANT project seek to improve the management of animals at the wildlife-livestockhuman interface by involving local communities and by making them project beneficiaries. The former Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, as well as the Department of Science and Innovation, among others, officially support the ELEPHANT project based on its benefit for their mandates. International partner universities include Utrecht University (The Netherlands) and the University of Bologna (Italy).

Promoting learning development for children in rural South Africa

UP

is leading a project to help children in poverty thrive in school and beyond by bringing together experts in education, health, psychology, sociology and health economics to investigate how schools can be organised as enabling spaces to improve children’s learning and health. The University’s international partners for this project include the Institute of Education of the University College London (UCL), the UCL Institute for Global Health and the London South Bank University. The project is funded by UK Research and Innovation’s Economic and Social Research Council.

The project seeks to contribute to SDG 4: Quality Education by promoting whole-child quality education, and to SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing by transforming the health-related quality of life for children and adults in rural communities. The aim of this research is to make a timely contribution to understanding how different sectors may work more effectively with schools to unlock the transformative power of education to achieve the other SDGs systemically and sustainably.

The project will focus on children between the ages of six and nine, and is set to run from February 2020 until January 2023 in communities in Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo. It will start with systematic interviews with officials from local and national government and non-governmental public bodies to assess evidence and policy reports over the past three decades. This assessment will identify new evidence in key education, health and policy areas where intervention programmes have shown the potential of being most effective in achieving the project’s quality-of-life goals. The results will guide the team in developing a systems-oriented intervention that aims to strengthen the organisational and professional capacities of schools to enhance education and development in rural communities.

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GRASP University of Pretoria

Transformation at UP Combating discrimination to advance transformation INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION FOR TRANSFORMATION

Prof

Tawana Kupe, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of UP, and Dr Lisa Coleman, Senior Vice-President for Global Inclusion, Diversity and Strategic Innovation at New York University (NYU), have signed an institutional agreement to cooperate in the areas of transformational leadership, faculty exchange, the renewal and transformation of curricula, and student leadership capacity development. Through this agreement, the institutions will offer each other opportunities for activities and programmes such as teaching, research, staff development and the exchange of information, materials and resources.

The desire to develop a multidisciplinary, globally focused leadership programme is driven by the dearth of global leaders and responsive institutions that are equipped to address complex transformation and diversity challenges associated with race, gender, social class, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity and religion. As part of the UP-NYU institutional partnership, an executive education programme will be developed, which will focus on inclusive innovation for individuals and institutions across sectors – including higher education, government, the private sector and civil society.

The NYU is an ideal institutional partner for UP as it is the largest private research university in the USA with a diverse student demographic enrolled at campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi and Shanghai. The NYU also has 11 global academic centres and research programmes in more than 25 countries. Both UP and NYU are equally committed to strengthening a university-wide culture of diversity, inclusion and equity in order to promote a transformative and globally inclusive community.

The Global Inclusion, Diversity and Strategic Innovation Department at NYU will lead the efforts to foster diversity, equity and inclusion across its global network.

Similarly, through its key institutional platforms, such as the Future Africa Campus and Javett Art Centre, UP will share multidisciplinary approaches to inclusive innovation and diversity. “Our institutional collaboration on inclusion, diversity and strategic innovation comes at an opportune moment when we need to strengthen efforts to support the transformation of universities and society at large,” Prof Kupe says. “The global COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes to how we work and relate to each other, both within our institutions and as individuals. Both our institutions have valuable experience and resources that enable us to strategically innovate and respond to challenges related to equity, diversity and inclusion,” he explains.

FREEDOM FROM DISCRIMINATION DRIVES EXCELLENCE UP has a zero-tolerance approach towards discrimination of any kind, and has allocated resources to deal with such cases. Staff and students are continuously encouraged to familiarise themselves with the University’s anti-discrimination policy.

According to the acting manager of UP’s Transformation Office, Sarah Matseke, the institution can achieve the following goals with discrimination eliminated: International skills and knowledge-sharing: For the UP community to be recognised internationally, the institution needs to be an employer of choice.

This includes attracting talent from all over the world, thereby bringing diverse knowledge into the UP community. This integration of knowledge will contribute towards the sharing of new ideas, an increase in creativity, and ultimately increased productivity.

Have a global community culture: Respect for diversity is one of UP’s navigational markers. It can only be achieved if we are an organisational community that is welcoming to all nations, races, genders and sexualities. This makes social justice one of UP’s key transformation objectives.

Respect and acceptance for South African languages and diverse cultures: South Africa is a unique country with a myriad of languages and cultures. Respect for diversity in the workplace becomes imperative to ensure that there can be understanding and tolerance.

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DIRECTOR OF TRANSFORMATION Nontsikelelo Loteni has been appointed to serve in the newly formed role of Director of Transformation at UP. Loteni will manage the University’s Transformation Office and its activities, drive the institution’s transformation agenda and ensure that UP complies with legislation pertaining to the transformation of universities in South Africa. She will report directly to the Registrar, Prof Caroline Nicholson, and liaise with the Department of Higher Education, Science and Innovation. From this position, Loteni will have the important task of directing diversity and inclusion, and addressing any incidents of harassment and sexual- and gender-based violence at the University.

Loteni joins the University after having served in the public sector for more than 15 years. She holds a master’s degree in Public Sector Monitoring and Evaluation from the University of the Witwatersrand. Throughout her career, she has served in transformation, employment equity and employee relations portfolios in government departments such as the Department of Trade and Industry and National Treasury.

Loteni explains her goals for this new position as follows: “I want to make sure that there is representation within the institution. I want to ensure that everyone is able to participate in any opportunity that the institution is offering without anyone feeling that they are being discriminated against in any way. I also want to build a culture that will embrace diversity and inclusiveness. Building on the culture of the institution is going to be imperative. Lastly, I would like to get to a place where all stakeholders take responsibility for the transformation agenda at the University. We want to educate individuals and ensure that we develop them into change agents within the institution, because if we are all talking the same language, then everyone is accountable.”

“We must aspire to zero harm.

Respect each other and learn from our unique individualities and the rich diversity among us.

This is THE UP WAY.” Prof Tawana Kupe, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, UP