UP Annual Review 2017

University of Pretoria

ANNUAL REVIEW

CREATING, INNOVATING …

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Contents EMBRACING CHANGE AS OUR CONSTANT Message from the Chancellor

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BUILDING ON PERFORMANCE Message from the Chairperson of Council

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RESILIENCE IN TIMES OF CHANGE Message from the Vice-Chancellor and Principal

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CREATING; INNOVATING …

SECTION 1

Quality education

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SECTION 2

Research impact

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SECTION 3

Engagement

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SECTION 4

Transformation

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SECTION 5

Sustainability

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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.

GOALS • To enhance access and successful student learning • To strengthen the University’s research and international profile • To foster and sustain a transformed, inclusive, and equitable University community • To optimise resources and enhance institutional sustainability • To strengthen the University’s social responsiveness and impact in society

ISBN: 978-1-77592-182-0

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

Universities nurture the hopes of the world: from solving challenges that transcend borders to stimulating minds capable of imagining a world different to the one in which we live.

In 2017, we turned our minds to CREATING, INNOVATING …

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Message from the … CHANCELLOR

Embracing change as our constant The University of Pretoria enjoys a reputation for being proactive, continuously evolving in anticipation of next-generation expectations.

We know that change is inevitable, not only in the higher education environment but in a world where the Fourth Industrial Revolution is disrupting conventional thinking and our everyday lives.

Professor Wiseman Nkuhlu Chancellor

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have become a vital underpinning to the academic research and operational functions of universities. Advances in ICTs have radically changed approaches to learning, instruction, research and access to knowledge, and have led to the emergence of, inter alia, online and hybrid courses using digital technologies, Open Education Resources (OER) and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). With reference to South Africa, it is evident that the National Development Plan goals for 2030 will not be met by traditional contact and distance education models alone. Online education offers an opportunity for UP to increase its contribution to the human capital needs of South Africa.

The University has been a leader in digital transformation by organising Flexible Futures conferences to promote the concept of hybrid learning and teaching innovation nationally. In 2017, UP organised the third such conference, with Professor Eric Mazur of Harvard University and Professor Dick Ng’ambi of the University of Cape Town as keynote speakers. Conference participants were able to book a tour of a selection of innovative learning spaces on the UP Hatfield campus (including the immersion tunnel in Mining Engineering, the study centre in Engineering, other social learning spaces at UP and the Makerspace in the Library) on the day prior to the conference.

I am further encouraged to see how

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transformation has become central to everything the University is achieving. A Curriculum Transformation Work Stream, which was initiated in 2016, concluded its work on the development of a curriculum transformation framework for the University during 2017. The draft document, titled “Reimagining Curricula for a Just University in a Vibrant Democracy”, was workshopped in every faculty and reviewed by national and international experts in the field. The Senate approved the framework in May 2017 and all faculties were tasked with providing a comprehensive curriculum transformation plan within this framework.

The overarching context in which universities now operate challenges their ability to maintain sustainability, competitiveness and stature. At UP, we are determined to ensure that these challenges do not distract us from our key mandate of teaching, research and impacting society.

This report gives an overview of the progress made in the key areas of teaching and learning, research, transformation, and contributing to society, and the University’s role nationally and internationally. In the face of relentless change, our efforts to continuously improve have remained constant.

Prof Wiseman Nkuhlu Chancellor

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

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Message from the … CHAIRPERSON OF THE COUNCIL

Building on performance The key objective for the University of Pretoria, in 2017 and beyond, was and will be to sustain quality teaching and research while managing increasingly complex and changing circumstances and significant financial pressures.

The period since the beginning of the #Feesmustfall movement in 2015 has been particularly challenging for universities in South Africa. Public funding for student fees, and of the higher education system in general, have remained key challenges.

Ms Futhi Mtoba Chairperson of Council

In response to the significant changes in the national environment, the strategic goals for the second five-year implementation plan (20172021) were revised to: • enhance access and successful student learning • strengthen the University’s research and international profile • foster and sustain a transformed, inclusive, and equitable University community • optimise resources and enhance institutional sustainability • strengthen the University’s social responsiveness and impact in society.

Institutional responsiveness and the associated rigour and depth that characterised the planning for 2017 placed UP in a strong position to engage with the complexities of a changing higher education environment in South Africa. Overall strong, committed and sound management further ensured a successful year.

Some of the initiatives that the University completed in 2017 include: finalising a curriculum transformation framework; developing a five-year transformation plan (2017‑2021); finalising the

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University’s new language policy; formalising the process for harmonising the conditions of insourced staff; and strengthening fundraising drives for bursaries for students from low and middle-income families.

Amendments to the UP Statute to implement the new language policy were approved by the Minister of Higher Education and Training and then promulgated in August 2017. Since 2018 student enrolments were already far advanced, Council approved the University’s proposal to change the implementation date of the new language policy from 2018 to 2019.

The challenge for the University in the next five years is to build on performance where this is already strong, and accelerate it in the various areas where improvement is required.

However, it is gratifying to note that the overall performance of the University was very strong as demonstrated by the upward trajectory of almost all the performance indicators.

The University Council is satisfied that UP was managed in accordance with the goals and strategies set out in the first year of the second five-year implementation cycle, the requirements for good governance as set out in King reports, the Higher Education Act and all laws, rules and codes applicable to the University.

In spite of challenging circumstances brought about by a number of developments in the

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

RECOGNITION FOR OUR LEADERSHIP • The Council congratulates Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Cheryl de la Rey, on being named as the 2017 winner in the education category of the 37th Businesswomen’s Association of SA (BWASA) Businesswoman of the Year Awards.

Prof De la Rey donated her prize money to the TuksScholarship Fund.

• Prof De la Rey was also nominated by Minister Blade Nzimande to represent South Africa on the BRICS Network University (BRICS NU) International Governing Board.

external environment, in 2017 the University demonstrated stability and resilience and we made good progress in pursuit of our strategic goals.

commitment to good governance and on behalf of the Council to the University Management for the many achievements that are a source of great pride to us all.

I wish to express my appreciation to all members of the University Council for their dedication and

Ms Futhi Mtoba Chairperson of Council 5

Message from the … VICE-CHANCELLOR AND PRINCIPAL

Resilience in times of change The primary goal for 2017 was to continue providing high-quality education to our students, consolidate the gains of the last five years in the research arena, and sustain our competitive advantage. We succeeded on all fronts.

Quality graduates

Professor Cheryl de la Rey Vice-Chancellor and Principal

We implemented various innovative steps to ensure academic success in 2017, among them an online orientation programme that complements the face-to-face academic orientation as well as greater student support throughout the academic year. FLY@UP, a multi-faceted campaign aimed at encouraging students to complete their studies in minimum time, was launched in 2016 but really took off in 2017 and yielded encouraging results. Close to 91% of our full-time students successfully passed their 2016 examinations.

A Curriculum Transformation Work Stream, which was initiated in 2016, concluded its work during 2017 and the draft document, titled “Reimagining Curricula for a Just University in a Vibrant Democracy”, was workshopped in every faculty and reviewed by national and international experts in the field. The Senate approved the framework in May 2017 and all faculties provided a comprehensive curriculum transformation plan within this framework.

The most recent statistics released by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) confirm that UP remains one of the largest producers of graduates in a wide range of fields that include identified scarce skills such as engineering, financial sciences and health sciences. This is the result of a deliberate decision to grow enrolments in these fields in line with the National Skills Development Strategy.

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Our Ready-for-Work and Entrepreneurship programmes enhanced UP’s standing among employers for producing work-ready graduates.

The 2017 QS Graduate Employability Survey placed UP at number 272 in the world for graduate readiness.

The consistently high numbers of master’s and doctoral graduates are a particularly strong achievement. This is recognised in the DHET analysis of sector-level performance in 2016, which showed that UP produced the highest number of research master’s level graduates of all universities, and the second-highest number of doctoral graduates.

The decline in the student-to-staff ratio is a welcome development. At 24.19 this is the lowest the University has registered since 2014 and is aligned with our goal of providing a quality education to our students.

Research strength We are recognised as one of the leading research-intensive universities in South Africa.

In the 2017 QS University World Rankings we moved up from the 551–600 range in 2016/17 to 501–550, positioning us among the top 1,9% of all higher education institutions worldwide.

Our researchers remain prolific producers of knowledge in their quest for solutions and in 2017, based on 2016 data, UP achieved the highest percentage of the total research output units per capita of all South African universities.

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

The Essential Science Indicators (ESI) database covers 22 knowledge fields, and UP has been ranked in the top 1% internationally in six fields.

In 2017, two new fields were added to UP’s performance: Immunology and Microbiology, with UP now rated among the top 1% globally in eight fields.

The Times Higher Education (THE) Law subject ranking published in October 2017, ranked UP 92nd in the world – the only South African institution featuring in the top 100. In 2017, UP’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) once again was ranked as Africa’s preeminent business school in the annual Executive MBA (EMBA) Ranking conducted by

QUALITY GRADUATES Out of 13* South African public universities, we produce:

18+82+E 26+74+E 18%

26%

OF ALL MASTER’S DEGREES

OF ALL ENGINEERING DEGREES

14+86+E 100+0+E 14%

100%

OF ALL DOCTORAL DEGREES

OF ALL VETERINARIANS

*This excludes universities of technology and comprehensive universities.

HIGH GLOBAL RANKINGS 1,9%

STRONG ACADEMIC CORPS 460

According to the QS University World Rankings UP is among the top 1,9% of all higher education institutions worldwide.

NUMBER OF NRF-RATED RESEARCHERS

IN THE TOP 1% IN THE WORLD

RATED SCIENTISTS 15 A-RATED SCIENTISTS 97 B-RATED SCIENTISTS 264 C-RATED SCIENTISTS 84 Y-RATED YOUNG SCIENTISTS

In eight subject fields: Agricultural sciences Clinical medicine Engineering Environmental/Ecology Immunology Microbiology Plant & Animal sciences Social sciences

64+36+E 64%

ALMOST TWO-THIRDS OF OUR ACADEMIC STAFF HAVE DOCTORAL DEGREES

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Message from the … VICE-CHANCELLOR AND PRINCIPAL

“We have increased our visibility and impact internationally in fields of direct relevance to Africa and the world.”

the UK Financial Times (FT). It was the fifth consecutive year that GIBS has taken Africa’s top spot, making it the only African business school ranked by the FT in its MBA rankings.

Pursuing a strategy that builds on areas of research strength and consolidates new areas of research capacity has paid off. We have increased our visibility and impact internationally in fields of direct relevance to Africa and the world.

We have become part of Africa’s focus on science and innovation for development, and for the well-being of people, society and the environment. We take particular pride in the achievements of our students and young scholars, the Next Einstein Forum being one avenue for the expression and recognition of UP’s talent in Africa and on the world stage.

The timely focus on interdisciplinary research has brought to the fore new possibilities in the development and training of young scientists, as well as in the cutting-edge work undertaken by some of our researchers. Linked to this are new spaces under construction, in particular the Future Africa site at the Hillcrest Campus that is to become a catalyst in transforming the way we collaborate and do science.

The University continues to make progress toward increasing the qualification levels of academic staff, with 60% now having doctoral degrees. A further measure of academic strength is the number of researchers who have achieved a National Research Foundation (NRF) rating. In 2017, the number increased to 460, up from 426 in 2016.

Funding An issue of serious concern is the decline in public funding for research. The National

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Research Foundation (NRF) announced a revised model of the Incentive Funding for Rated Researchers Programme, which will result in significant cuts to the research funds hitherto awarded to rated researchers, with top-rated researchers being most affected.

In this context, our cooperative agreements with the private and public sector are increasingly important. UP has obtained funding to the value of R9,95m from the EU to establish a Centre for Visual Impairment Studies at the Department of Educational Psychology. It serves to realise a teaching qualification for blind or visually impaired learners. A grant of R3m to the Department of Early Childhood Education is destined for developing programmes to equip practitioners and educators in early childhood education.

UP became a partner in a consortium of 18 universities and three industry partners that successfully secured a R25-million European Commission, Horizon 2020 bid to develop ‘Smart thermal management of high-power microprocessors’.

New Research Chairs – in poultry health, biostatistics, and data science – enable us to continue building knowledge and delivering research that is relevant to industry.

Furthermore, we successfully competed for the DST-NRF Research Chair in Conservation Physiology, co-hosted with the National Zoological Gardens, and UP also won the bid to form the South African Radio Astronomy Observatories (SARAO) as a new National Facility.

UP’s partnership with the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) to establish an integrated education and training, and research laboratory facility on UP’s Hillcrest Campus is well advanced. The facility will provide a platform for academic and vocational training

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

UP Council

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20 1 Danai Magugumela; 2 Dr Piet Botha, Deputy Chairperson; 3 Prof Cheryl de la 21 16 19 18 8 Rey, Vice-Chancellor and Principal; 4 Futhi Mtoba, Chairperson; 5 Kuseni Dlamini; 9 11 10 7 13 12 5 6 6 Prof Russell Loubser; 7 Prof Norman Duncan Vice-Principal; 8 Prof Stephanie 1 2 3 4 Burton, Vice-Principal; 9 Neo Lesela; 10 Vuyelwa Qinga; 11 Dr Barbara-Ann Ribeiro; 12 Kedibone Diale; 13 Soraia Machado, Student Representative; 14 Allan Taylor; 15 Cilliers Brink; 16 Danie Behr; 17 Appie Pienaar; 18 Prof Innocent Pikirayi; 19 Israel Skosana; 20 Kwena Moloto, Student Representative; 21 Prof Themba Mosia, Vice-Principal; 22 Dr Steve Booysen; 23 Laurie Dippenaar; 24 Dr Johan van Zyl; 25 Prof Caroline Nicholson, Registrar; 26 Prof Carolina Koornhof, Executive Director; 27 Anton Botha; 28 Prof Sunil Maharaj; 29 Prof Anton Ströh, Vice-Principal; 30 Prof André Boraine.

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support in transportation infrastructure as well as high-quality research facilities.

Funding for undergraduate and postgraduate students to pursue their university studies is a priority that has unlocked internal and external sources of revenue to help students in need.

In 2017, substantially more financial aid was allocated to students in the form of bursaries: R844,29m as compared to R779,98m in 2016.

Total support, including loans, amounted to just under R1,17 billion.

We remain grateful for the support from the private sector and several charitable foundations that help grow the number of bursary and student funding programmes.

Transformation We strive to be a fully inclusive University community where students and staff from all

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social and economic backgrounds feel welcome and valued. This commitment was underscored in a new five-year transformation plan (2017–2021), the finalisation of a curriculum transformation framework, and the conclusion of a new language policy.

The University’s diversity profile was strengthened by an increase in the proportion of black contact students to total contact students. The number of black students now stands at 55,2% (2016: 53,7%).

Looking ahead Overall, we realised important milestones, which strengthened our reputation as an engaged university that proactively finds ways to meet next-generation needs.

Professor Cheryl de la Rey Vice-Chancellor and Principal 9

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CREATING, INNOVATING …

QUALITY EDUCATION

“It’s the best there is.”

Hjalmar Rall (14) UP first-year student 2017

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UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

We measure excellence in teaching and learning by, among others, how successful our students are and how enriched they are by the total educational experience at UP. Equally important is the need to ensure that our graduates have developed the capacity to either obtain or create work. In 2017, we implemented a variety of strategies to ensure impactful graduate outcomes.

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Creating, Innovating … QUALITY EDUCATION

DEVELOPING STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS Two of the five goals of the 2017–2021 five-year plan are dedicated to students: to enhance access and successful student learning; and to foster and sustain a transformed, inclusive, and equitable university community. Our intention is to produce graduates with attributes that go beyond mastery of their fields of study.

According to results published in 2017, approximately 91% of our full-time students successfully passed in 2016. This is in large part due to the interventions put in place to ensure that our students experience a favourable outcome and our success rates continuously improve. These include innovations in the University’s hybrid teaching model and the increased use of modern technologies in teaching and learning.

Hybrid teaching model Data from clickUP, the University’s learning management system (LMS), in 2017 showed that students in the top quartile of users of the LMS outperform those in the bottom quartile by an average of 12%, thus illustrating the link between online learning and student success. A major marketing campaign to raise awareness about the value of hybrid teaching, entailing a mix of contact and online instruction was launched on Welcome Day to reach parents, students and staff. It stressed the advantages of the hybrid model for student academic success and that students would be expected to work online for some learning and assessment.

Lecturers were engaged by means of short videos on good hybrid practice. The campaign 12

emphasised that hybrid learning prepares students for the future and for the work environment.

The University tracks the use of the LMS and in 2017, both students and lecturers spent more time online. 94% of undergraduate modules are now available online on clickUP. FLY@UP FLY@UP is an initiative that brings together the activities that promote student well-being and success. FLY stands for the “Finish Line is Yours” and encourages students to complete their studies in minimum time. Faculty Student Advisors (FSAs) help students with time management, test-taking skills and study skills.

They also interact with first-year students from the Orientation Week onwards and monitor their progress on the online UP Orientation (UPO) module. The UPO complements the face-to-face academic orientation for first-year students and provides opportunities for skills development and access to information about resources throughout the academic year.

An exciting initiative in 2017 was the development of a UPO MOOC (massive open online course), made available to provisionally accepted students. Launched in early December 2017, it gave students time during December and January to work through some of the UPO module content ahead of the 2018 academic year. 1 636 students enrolled in the module and 14,43% completed it, which was higher than the norm for a MOOC. All faculties piloted student learning communities and each faculty used its own model. Reports indicate positive outcomes for students who participated in these communities, with Humanities reporting a 10% increase in success rate. Natural and

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

LARGE AND DIVERSE STUDENT BODY

Teaching Excellence The University awarded Teaching Excellence Laureates to: • Dr Thirusellvan Vandeyar, a senior lecturer in the Department of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, for his teaching practice attempts to develop preservice teachers as agents of change in the use of ICT.

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STUDENTS

60%

BLACK STUDENTS MAKE UP MORE THAN HALF OUR STUDENT BODY

• Professor Martina Crole, a veterinarian and associate professor in the Department of Anatomy and Physiology, for her teaching innovations on how to make Histology engaging and at the same time allowing the subject to be presented in a fully hybrid manner.

57%

WE HAVE MORE FEMALE STUDENTS THAN MALE

35%

8,4%

PERCENTAGE OF INTER­NATIONAL CONTACT STUDENTS WHO ENROLLED

47 448

CONTACT STUDENTS

MORE THAN A THIRD OF OUR STUDENTS ARE ENROLLED IN POST­GRADUATE PROGRAMMES

5 576

DISTANCE LEARNING

TOP PERFORMERS CHOOSE UP 54%

OF THE 26 LEARNERS WHO OBTAINED THE NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE WITH NINE OR MORE DISTINCTIONS, 14 APPLIED TO STUDY AT UP.

59%

OF THE 68 LEARNERS WHO ACHIEVED EIGHT OR MORE DISTINCTIONS IN THE EXAMINATIONS OF THE INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION BOARD, 40 APPLIED FOR ENROLMENT AT UP.

“IT’S THE BEST THERE IS.”

WHY HJALMAR RALL, THE YOUNGEST EVER FIRST-YEAR STUDENT AT UP (AT ONLY 14 YEARS OF AGE) CHOSE TO STUDY BSc PHYSICS AT UP.

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Creating, Innovating … QUALITY EDUCATION

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS Our students’ achievements illustrate the public good and impact of their work: • Moses Kebalepile, a PhD student in the School of Health Systems and Public Health, won the top award at the International Pitchfest of the SwissSA Venture Leaders Programme for the medical diagnostic instrument – the Asthma Grid – he invented as an early warning system for asthma attacks.

It also won the 2016 Gauteng Accelerator Programme (GAP) Innovation Competition.

• Osmond Mlonyeni, a Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) doctoral student in genetics, won a travel grant worth R100 000 when he was selected as one of the three presenters at the student and postdoctoral session at the Commonwealth Science Conference in Singapore.

• A sustainable alternative to shrink wrap, developed by engineering doctoral student John Oyewole, earned the UP team of six students and a lecturer a gold medal at the international UNLEASH global innovation lab in Denmark, which supports the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

• The Chartered Accountancy students of UP yet again excelled in the 2017 Initial Test of Competence of SAICA when the group achieved a firsttime entrant pass rate of 89,3%. Megan de Vries was first out of 2 633 candidates, with Michael Mills also finishing in the top ten at position number eight.

• Quintine Mkhondo, who enrolled as a UP student at age 15, graduated with a degree in Actuarial Science at just 19 years of age. He is the first member of his family to receive a degree.

• Regardt Verster, a rising cricket star, was involved in a serious car accident in his second year, sustaining severe injuries which doctors feared would prevent him from continuing his studies or ever playing cricket again.

Despite the odds, he persevered, representing UP on the cricket field and graduating with a BCom degree in Business Management.

• Kenneth Mabela and Mashooda Sedibeng, both blind, graduated with degrees in music, and history and heritage studies, respectively. Kenneth represented South Africa at the Blind Cricket World Cup, while Mashooda was the chairperson of the UP society BOLD (Beyond Our Limiting Disabilities) and was instrumental in establishing blind goalball and cricket at UP. • In order to raise awareness and to promote recycling, final-year education student Irini Moutzouris entered the Miss Earth SA competition as part of her community engagement project – and won, succeeding 2016 Miss Earth finalist, UP master’s student Nicolette Human. Irini will represent South Africa in the competition which focuses on women empowerment and their role in environmental issues.

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Agricultural Sciences students spoke of greater confidence in their understanding, increased communication skills, greater well-being and the building of relationships with other students.

We believe this collective support is one of the reasons why the average undergraduate examination pass rates for contact students increased to 90,6% (2016: 89,7%), the highest rate in years, while the absenteeism percentage dropped to 1,4% (2016: 1,99%), our lowest rate yet.

Work readiness and entrepreneurship While we strive for student success in all our academic programmes, we drive with equal fervour, opportunities to help the students succeed in their future careers.

Enterprises UP launched a Ready-for-Work fully online programme after collaborating with the Department of Enrolment and Student Administration and other UP roleplayers. The professional online development (POD) modules are offered free of charge to UP students who can do them at their own time and pace. During the latter half of 2017, an online entrepreneurship POD was launched. Significant numbers of students subscribed to both the Ready-for-Work and entrepreneurship programmes.

SUCCESS ATTRACTS SUCCESS Developing students to become part of a skilled workforce and critical citizens is a primary means of assessing the University’s impact on economic growth and the well-being of society. At the 2017 graduation ceremonies, 13 495 degrees and diplomas were awarded.

UP remains a destination of choice for top-

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS

91+9+E 91%

UNDERGRADUATE EXAMINATION PASS RATE

13 502

DEGREES AND DIPLOMAS AWARDED

4 196

HONOURS GRADUATES

1 866

MASTER’S GRADUATES

355

DOCTORAL GRADUATES

Engineering students participate in a robot car race.

Identical twin brothers Imtiaz (left) and Riaz Ebrahim who graduated as doctors.

Practical experience in the Food Science laboratory, led by Chantel Dartnall (in black), who won Best Lady Chef in the World.

A physiotherapist treats an exercise-related injury at the Sport, Exercise Medicine and Lifestyle Institute (SEMLI).

The School for the Built Environment is the largest of its kind in the country.

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Creating, Innovating … QUALITY EDUCATION

performing students from all over South Africa. The class of 2017 was particularly strong academically. Of the 4 174 learners who obtained the National Senior Certificate with six or more distinctions, 40% applied to UP and 33% were admitted. There were 26 learners nationally with nine or more distinctions and 14 of these, or 54%, applied to study at UP. A similar pattern applied to students who wrote examinations of the Independent Examination Board. Of the 925 learners with six or more distinctions, 51% applied to UP and 40% were admitted. There were 68 learners in total with eight or more distinctions and 40, or 59%, applied for enrolment at UP. One of the top achievers who captured media attention is Hjalmar Rall, the youngest ever first-year student at UP. At only 14 years of age, Hjalmar, from Riebeek Kasteel in the Western Cape, registered to study BSc Physics.

Asked why he chose UP, his response was: “It’s the best there is”.

In 2017, the University had a total of 53 786 students, 47 448 of whom were contact students and 5 050 studied via distance learning in the Faculty of Education. Enrolment patterns show that approximately half of the enrolled contact students registered for scarce skills-related study programmes and that more than a third (35%) of the students were enrolled in postgraduate programmes. We attracted a significant number of international contact students who constituted 8,2% of total enrolments.

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FUNDING SUPPORT The Tuks Scholarship Fund launched the #100inamillion campaign to sign up at least 100 donors each donating R100 per month.

The Fund receives once-off contributions on a regular basis from Alumni functions. In 2017 the fund grew by R1,9 million after bursary disbursements, which translates to a 12,5% growth in the fund.

One of the pioneering initiatives, which funds wrap-around support for financially challenged students from Africa, is the MasterCard Foundation Scholars Programme, which started at UP in 2014 with 19 students.

Participation has increased steadily and in 2017, 59 students were added, bringing the total number of UP students on the programme to 137. To date, 33 students on the programme have graduated from UP with an honours or master’s degree. For 2017, the contribution from the Foundation for this programme was R27,5m.

The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation awarded three grants: the Dell Young Leaders Wrap-Around Support grant to the value of R3,3m; the Dell Young Leaders Class of 2017 grant (R9m); and the Sikelela Scholars Class of 2017 (R5m). The Young Leaders programme supports 60 students, while Sikelela provides wrap-around support for 100 students with each intake.

An innovative funding partnership between UP and the Discovery Foundation was launched in 2017. The Medical Student Loan Guarantee Fund, established through a capital donation of R20m from the Foundation, which is worth twice as much via loan funding, will put 800 students through medical school over the next 14 years.

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Programme grew by 59 students in 2017.

MSc student, Storme de Scally, was named Best Performing Student at the 2017 Gauteng Biotech Fundi Awards.

Melissa van der Merwe (left) was part of the team representing SA universities who won the IFAMA International Student Case Competition at the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association Conference in Miami.

Manchala Sithole, a third-year student in mechanical engineering, represented UP at the 2017 Talloires Network Leaders Conference in Mexico in June, and was invited to attend the Multinational College Student Workshop in the USA in July.

WE MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD UP CAMERATA WON THE YOUNG CHOIR CATEGORY AT THE PRESTIGIOUS INTERNATIONAL GRAND PRIX OF NATIONS AND THE 3RD EUROPEAN CHOIR GAMES EVENT IN RIGA, LATVIA. THE UP CAMERATA WAS ONE OF 24 CHOIRS WORLDWIDE, SELECTED TO PERFORM AT THE WORLD SYMPOSIUM ON CHORAL MUSIC IN BARCELONA.

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Creating, Innovating … QUALITY EDUCATION

STUDENT AWARDS The leadership qualities and academic excellence of our students are demonstrated in the awards received, some of which are listed here: • Philip Maxton, who graduated with a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) from UP’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), received the international Emerald/EFMD (European Foundation for Management Development) Outstanding Doctoral Research Award for his thesis.

• Shruti Lall, who completed her master’s degree in electronic engineering at UP, won the 2017 S2A3 Bronze Medal of the SA Association for the Advancement of Science as the most outstanding research student in a scientific subject. In so doing, she emulated her mother, UP academic Prof Namrita Lall, who won the same prize as a student.

• Manchala Sithole, a third-year student in mechanical engineering, was elected to represent UP at the 2017 Talloires Network Leaders Conference held in Mexico in June 2017, and was invited by the Kettering Foundation, linked to the Talloires Network, to attend the Multinational College Student Workshop in the USA in July.

• A group of five third-year Geoinformatics students competing as team Apex PentaVertex, won the Responsive Cities Challenge, an open data challenge organised by the Open Government Partnership SA (OGP SA), the Open Data Institute and other local partners, for their prototype Vivalmpilo, a web-based business intelligence warning system.

• Yvonne Bruinette was the regional winner of the Corobrik Architectural Student of the Year Awards for her thesis ‘The Heritage Portal: An Experiential Narrative’.

• Rabia Mathakutha, master’s student in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences won the award for the best poster at the 3rd DST/NRF National Global Change Conference.

• An MSc student at UP’s Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Storme de Scally, was named Best Performing Student at the 2017 Gauteng Biotech Fundi Awards.

• Melissa van der Merwe, a PhD student in the Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development was part of the team representing SA universities who won the IFAMA International Student Case Competition at the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association Conference in Miami.

• Five UP students were among the 20 students selected from six SA partner institutions to participate in the seven month-long 2017 SA-Washington International Programme (SAWIP) leadership development programme.

• For the first time ever in SA, three students from the Department of Computer Science achieved a hat trick in all the major programming competitions in one year, finishing first in the national Standard Bank IT Impact Challenge, and also winning the very competitive international Catalyst Coding Contest (CCC) and International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC).

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Other student funding for 2017 from various donors include: FASSET funding to the value of R9,1m for 60 BCom Accounting and 10 BCom Economics students; and BANKSETA bursaries to the value of R3,5m for 40 BCom Marketing Management students.

As part of the pilot of the Ikusasa Student Financial Aid Programme (ISFAP), UP received funding for 320 “missing middle” students: 100 students each in accounting, medicine and engineering and 20 students in actuarial science.

Absa allocated bursaries to the value of R14m from the Barclays Africa Group 2017 CEO Scholarship. The company donated a further R0,8m in 2017 for bursaries in data science as well as R3m over the next three years in scholarships for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The Hillensberg Trust confirmed a donation of R10m at R1m a year to provide 10 complete bursaries with wrap-around support to deserving students in the faculties of Humanities and Health Sciences.

DYNAMIC INFRASTRUCTURE The evolving landscapes of UP are indicative of the mindscapes shaping the University. Some infrastructure highlights in 2017 include: • The construction of the Javett Art Centre on the University’s South Campus in Hatfield is at an advanced stage.

• The Future Africa campus is under construction and will provide a dynamic living, learning and research environment for Africa’s leading scientists and scholars to come together to leverage the benefits of transdisciplinary research.

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

The Javett-UP Art Centre (foreground) is being constructed on the University’s South Campus in Hatfield.

UP is one of the largest producers of graduates in scarce skills, such as engineering.

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Creating, Innovating … QUALITY EDUCATION

In the 2017 QS University World Rankings, UP was among the top • Infrastructure upgrades at the Hillcrest Campus included improvement of the access road, with bicycle and accessible pedestrian paths, and the rehabilitation of the Hartbeesspruit. The rehabilitation project received a Local Biodiversity Council Silver Ecocert.

• The Kresge Foundation approved a grant to the value of R4,2m for the further development of the Mamelodi and Hatfield Campus Village precincts. In addition, Rutgers University (Newark, US) has consolidated a cooperative agreement with UP that will focus on the Mamelodi Campus as an extension of UP’s anchor strategy currently being pursued in the Hatfield Campus Village.

University Ranking survey placed UP 92nd in the world for Law, in the 251–300 bracket worldwide for Arts and Humanities subjects, and in the 601–800 bracket overall, maintaining our position of 5th in South Africa and 6th in Africa.

WORLD RANKINGS

We take a holistic view of our students’ total educational experience and we support the physical and emotional well-being of our students through a variety of programmes, including the Student Counselling Unit and the Student Health Services Unit.

1,9% worldwide.

International rankings of universities remains an important feature as they influence both our visibility and overall competitiveness.

In the 2017 QS University World Rankings, UP improved its ranking from the 551–600 range in 2016/17 to 501–550, positioning it among the top 1,9% of all higher education institutions worldwide.

The QS Graduate Employability Survey placed UP at number 97 globally for successful alumni.

UP was ranked in the 251–300 bracket overall.

UP’s institutional repository ranked first in Africa and number 85 in the world in the Webometrics rankings, and the institution was placed fourth in Africa, at position 499 globally in the Ranking Web, which measures universities according to web presence.

The 2017 Times Higher Education (THE) World 20

In the 2017 Financial Mail “Ranking the MBAs”, GIBS retained its standing at number 1 among South African business schools. It improved its position in the annual UK Financial Times 2017 Executive Education Rankings, moving up two places to number 41. The school featured in the rankings for the 14th consecutive year and remains the only African business school in the top 50 worldwide.

PROMOTING STUDENT WELL-BEING

Student Nutrition and Progress Programme: Underprivileged students on the programme receive food parcels and funding support during the academic terms to sustain their basic needs. Participation in the programme has doubled from 2015 (235 students) with 474 students receiving support in 2017.

Department of Residence Affairs and Accommodation: The Triple L + 1 programme promotes an environment that fosters academic success, diversity and community building in the University’s residences.

The Department supports each resident student with an advance of R14 400 to enable them to afford daily meals until the National

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

HIGH GLOBAL RANKINGS

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT The International Leadership Association (ILA) bestowed the ILA Lifetime Achievement Award on Emeritus Prof Stella Nkomo for her lifetime contributions to the creation and development of the discipline of leadership.

# 92 in the world for Law

THE TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION (THE) LAW SUBJECT RANKING RECOGNISES UP AS THE ONLY SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTION FEATURING IN THE TOP 100

EMPLOYERS RANK UP HIGHLY FOR PRODUCING WORK-READY GRADUATES #2

#272

IN SOUTH AFRICA

IN THE WORLD

Source: QS Graduate Employability Survey

#97

THE QS GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY SURVEY PLACED UP IN POSITION NUMBER 97 GLOBALLY FOR HOW SUCCESSFUL ITS ALUMNI ARE.

#1

CHANCELLOR’S AWARD: RESEARCH Prof Nigel Bennett received the Chancellor’s Award: Research in recognition of exceptional achievement in the field of research aimed at the advancement of Science. He is an NRF A-rated scientist, a professor of zoology at UP and also occupies the DST-NRF Research Chair in the field of Mammalian Behavioural Ecology and Physiology and the UP Austin Roberts Chair of African Mammalogy. His research record ranks him among the best researchers studying social regulation of reproduction in any group of mammals in the world.

TOP TWO

GIBS IS STILL SOUTH AFRICA’S PREMIER BUSINESS SCHOOL

TuksSport boasts the two fastest 100m sprinters in South Africa.

(2017 Financial Mail ‘Ranking the MBAs’)

#41

GIBS IS STILL THE ONLY AFRICAN PREMIER BUSINESS SCHOOL IN THE TOP 50 WORLDWIDE (UK Financial Times 2017 Executive Education Rankings)

Webometrics rankings rate our institutional repository highly

#1

IN AFRICA

#85

IN THE WORLD

#1

AKANI SIMBINE

#2

THANDO ROTO

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Creating, Innovating … QUALITY EDUCATION

Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) or bursary funds pay out

being named Sports Team of the Year and TuksCricket Sports Club of the Year.

SPORTING PROWESS

The University’s and Rowing SA’s Awesome Foursome, the rowing team consisting of Tukkies James Thompson, Matthew Brittain, John Smith and Lawrence Ndlovu – who won a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics – were awarded the National Order of Ikhamanga in Silver by former President Jacob Zuma.

Even off-campus, UP continued to strengthen its reputation for excellence and 2017 was a golden year for UP Sport.

Kirsten McCann is the first South African woman to win at the World Rowing Championships in Florida and also at a World Cup race in Lucerne.

Reg Caldecott

There were several exceptional achievements during the year, with sprinter Akani Simbine crowned Sportsman of the Year and Kirsten McCann Sportswoman of the Year. The Principal’s Award to a student for exceptional performance in sport and academics went to hockey’s Izelle Verster, with TuksRowing

The University’s and Rowing SA’s Awesome Foursome, James Thompson, Matthew Brittain, John Smith and Lawrence Ndlovu,were awarded the National Order of Ikhamanga in Silver by former President Jacob Zuma.

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UP won six Varsity Competition trophies: two rugby titles in the Varsity Cup and the Young Guns (under-20 categories), athletics, women’s hockey, football and netball. We also secured two silver medals in cricket and women’s mountain biking and a bronze in men’s mountain biking.

TuksSport achievements extended to the national and international stage with four of the five fastest 100m sprinters in South Africa in our team: Akani Simbine (#1), Thando Roto (#2), Emile Erasmus (#4) and Gift Leotlela (#5). Akani, SA sprinting champion and 2016 Olympics 100m finalist, received a bachelor’s degree in Information Science at the spring graduation of 2017.

TuksSwimming won the 2017 SA National Short Course Championships. The Tukswomen Rugby Sevens side made history when they beat Sweden’s Jesters to win the Stanislas Sevens Tournament in Nancy, France. Kirsten McCann made South African rowing history by winning the lightweight women’s single sculls at the World Rowing Championships in Florida. She is the first South African female rower to win a gold medal at a senior world championship.

This followed her victory earlier in the year when she won the lightweight single sculls race at a World Cup race in Lucerne, which was also a first for a SA woman.

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

The University prides itself on producing well-rounded, creative graduates, responsible, productive citizens and future leaders. Great emphasis is placed on student life and support as well as the advancement of sport, art, culture and music.

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CREATING, INNOVATING …

RESEARCH IMPACT

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UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

UP has become widely recognised for research excellence. We aspire to advance the frontiers of knowledge and to impact the world positively by focusing on areas of significant societal need, where creative and innovative responses to major challenges can provide new solutions in a rapidly changing environment.

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Creating, Innovating … RESEARCH IMPACT

In 2017, the increase in research productivity, the growing proportion of staff with doctorates and those who have achieved an NRF-rating, as well as the increase in doctoral enrolments and graduates, have all contributed to UP’s research-intensive identity.

RESEARCH DEPTH UP has increased the percentage of academic staff with a doctorate as their highest qualification to 64,5% in 2017 (2016: 63,4%). In addition, the University has strengthened the pipeline of postgraduate students to become future academics and researchers. Although doctoral enrolments decreased marginally to 2 318 (2016: 2 357), master’s enrolments increased to 6 117 (2016: 6 094). Doctoral graduates increased to 355 (2016: 302), with master’s graduates growing to 1 866 (2016: 1 812).

According to a Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) analysis of performance in 2016, UP produced the most research master’s level graduates of all universities, and the second highest number of doctoral graduates.

Postdoctoral fellows UP annually grants postdoctoral fellowships with a view to growing and sustaining an environment that supports a vibrant research and scholarship culture. We aim to attract postdoctoral fellows who have demonstrated outstanding talent in their area of research, and who would contribute to research productivity and impact.

The expectation is that fellows will be active and productive researchers, and develop academically under the mentorship of experienced researchers. It is thus imperative 26

to align postdoctoral placements with UP’s areas of research strength and emerging areas of research capacity.

In 2017, there were 235 international postdoctoral fellows at the University, supported by UP as well as other agencies.

This is a 96,3% increase over a five-year period, from the 109 fellows in 2012.

NRF-rated researchers The achievement of NRF ratings is a measure of the quality and level of recognition of UP researchers in their respective fields. The total number of our researchers who have achieved an NRF rating continues to grow and now stands at 460, up from 426 in 2016. Significant were the 15 A-rated and 97 B-rated scientists, which show the depth of our research expertise, as well as the 84 Y-rated young scientists, which indicates a healthy pipeline of next-generation researchers.

Impact and visibility In 2016, our researchers achieved an important milestone for the University, generating over 2 000 research output units.

While the figures for 2017 (2 165.90) are yet to be audited, UP achieved the highest percentage of the total research output units per capita of all South African universities (11,21%)1. This is testament to the success of a number of initiatives implemented to support research and postgraduate education.

The Essential Science Indicators (ESI) database provides performance statistics based on articles published in journals indexed by Web of Science (Thomson Reuters, now Clarivate Analytics), and the citations of those articles, 1 DHET report on national research productivity released in March 2018

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

AREAS OF RESEARCH STRENGTH 35 AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES

CLINICAL MEDICINE

ENGINEERING

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

MOLECULAR SCIENCES

PLANT AND ANIMAL SCIENCES

SOCIAL SCIENCES

VETERINARY SCIENCES

of our scientists, based on citations, are in the top 1% internationally.

Unveiling of the AEL Mining Services Chair in Innovative Rock Breaking Technology are (from left) Professor Ronny WebberYoungman, Head of Department: Mining Engineering; Mr Edwin Ludick, Managing Director: AEL Mining Services Ltd; Professor Cheryl de la Rey, Vice-Chancellor and Principal; and Professor Sunil Maharaj, Faculty Dean: EBIT.

WE ARE CONNECTED TO THE WORLD 33 1 145

315

INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS 68 COUNTRIES AND SIX CONTINENTS.

PUBLISHED ARTICLES CO-AUTHORED WITH INTERNATIONAL PEERS Web of Science (WoS)

NUMBER OF INDUSTRY-FUNDED RESEARCH CHAIRS

235

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS

24

NUMBER OF PATENTS HELD, OF WHICH 13 WERE INTERNATIONAL

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Creating, Innovating … RESEARCH IMPACT

The Future Africa Campus is nearing completion and occupation is expected in January 2019.

making it possible to assess the performance of UP scientists in comparison with international peers. The ESI database covers 22 knowledge fields, and for a number of years UP was ranked in the top 1% internationally in six fields. In 2017, two new fields were added to UP’s performance: Immunology and Microbiology, with UP now rated among the top 1% globally in eight fields: Agricultural sciences, Clinical medicine, Engineering, Environmental/ Ecology, Immunology, Microbiology, Plant & Animal sciences, and Social sciences.

A further ESI measure identifies the top 1% of scientists internationally, based on citations. In December 2017, 35 UP scientists were in this category (2016: 33), with the research fields illustrating the breadth and depth of research excellence at UP.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS The University has wide-ranging expertise and hosts a number of centres of excellence and research platforms, focusing on some of the major global questions. In line with the University’s strategy to build on areas of research strength and consolidate research excellence and capacity, two new research institutes were approved in 2017.

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Future Africa The Future Africa Institute has been established to address the need for transdisciplinarity and socially responsible research, and develop a new generation of scientists with international perspectives, yet with a scholarly vision and voice that is rooted in Africa.

Big Data and Data Science In an equally significant development in transdisciplinarity as a new frontier in research, the Institute for Big Data and Data Science was established to address the complexities entailed in the tremendous increase in the amount of data being generated globally, and the demand for new efficient data analysis techniques that have spawned the Big Data revolution.

Focus on Africa We are strategically placed to be an active participant in collaborative research networks that advance the science leadership needed to address the complex problems that confront Africa, its people and the environment.

The University is a partner in a number of research consortia in Africa and contributes actively to the region’s knowledge base. Some examples are:

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

• The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) was inaugurated in 2015, bringing together 16 of the region’s leading universities. At a conference hosted by the University of Ghana in 2017, the first call for expressions of interest to host Africa Centres of Excellence (CoE) was announced, and 10 CoEs were awarded.

UP was successful in hosting the ARUA CoE in Food Security, in collaboration with the Universities of Nairobi and Ghana.

• UP’s Centre of Excellence in Food Security, co-hosted with the University of the Western Cape, partnered with Elsevier publishers in hosting the 3rd International Conference on Global Food Security. Delegates from across Africa attended.

• UP is a member of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), a consortium of 85 African universities operating within 35 countries.

In 2017 UP signed an agreement to host graduate teaching assistants (GTA) from member universities, enrolled for PhD programmes at UP. While we focus on Africa to support our research strategy of addressing problems faced by Africa as a developing region, we continued to develop partnerships with prominent institutions and networks across the world during 2017. The primary focus was to consolidate productive partnerships and strengthen our participation in Africa-based and focused research networks.

COLLABORATION AND ADVANCEMENT Government and industry are important stakeholders, and the University is increasingly benefitting from funding and cooperative agreements. Some examples include:

UP to host NUMeRI The SA Medical Research Council approved funding of R10,5m for a research project on radio-immunotherapy of HIV patients led by Prof Mike Sathekge, Head of UP’s Department of Nuclear Medicine. UP and the Steve Biko Academic Hospital (SBAH) jointly won the bid to host the National Nuclear Medicine Facility (NUMeRI), to be led by Prof Sathekge.

• An MoU was a signed with the Automotive Industry Development Centre to support the growth of the industry’s global competitiveness and develop a Centre of Excellence in Automotive Technology at UP. • The Law Faculty entered into an MoU with the Pan-African Parliament to advance the agenda of good governance in Africa.

New Research Chairs Our strong partnerships with industry and government are also reflected in the number of Research Chairs funded by industry. In 2017, UP had 33 industry-funded Chairs, underscoring the impact and relevance of our research programmes.

We were awarded two new South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) research chairs via a competitive process: the DST-NRF SARChI Chair in Poultry Health and Production; and the DST-NRF SARChI Chair in Biostatistics.

We successfully competed for DST-NRF Research Chairs in National Facilities: • UP co-hosts the Research Chair awarded to the National Zoological Gardens in Conservation Physiology; and • In partnership with the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO), UP was successful in the bid to form 29

Creating, Innovating … RESEARCH IMPACT

the South African Radio Astronomy Observatories (SARAO) as a new National Facility.

Linked to the new Institute for Big Data and Data Science, is the newly established Absa-funded Chair in Data Science located in the Departments of Computer Science and Statistics that focuses on data analytics.

The Chair will expand and broaden existing projects, networks and postgraduate study opportunities over the African continent.

The Faculties of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and Health Sciences at UP have entered into a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with AMPATH Laboratories to establish two Research Chairs in the fields of Cancer Genomics and Chemical Pathology respectively.

The Chairs will be funded for a five-year period (2018–2022). UP’s clinical and research strengths in the fields of cancer genomics and chemical pathology makes it a strong partner in research and clinical training in diagnostic analyses.

Two industry-sponsored chairs were launched in the Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Information Technology (EBIT): the AEL Mining Services Chair in Innovative Rock-Breaking Technology in the Department of Mining Engineering, which forms part of a broader initiative between AECI and the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering; and the Harmony Chair in Rock Engineering and Numerical Modelling at UP’s Department of Mining Engineering.

International collaboration and partnerships The most visible contribution to the University’s international engagement remains our numerous academic cooperation agreements, collaborative initiatives, and research networks and partnerships with institutions on the continent and globally.

In 2017, a number of existing agreements were renewed and new agreements concluded, taking the total to 315 international partnerships across 68 countries and six continents. These partnerships include facultyspecific and institution-wide agreements, with 39 new and renewed agreements signed in 2017.

Although the nature of agreements may vary greatly, they address some or all of the following collaboration requirements: research projects, co-supervision of postgraduate students, exchange programmes for staff and students, and the co-development of material.

From left: Prof Anton Stroh, Vice-Principal Institutional Planning, Dr Theunie Lategan, Non-Executive Deputy Chairman, Barclays Africa, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Cheryl de la Rey and Mr Stephan Seaka, Absa Head Public Sector Africa.

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The following include examples of collaborations and recent grants received from US charitable foundations and EU agencies: • The Andrew W Mellon Foundation approved three grants: $876,000 to support South

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

Africa’s first master’s degree programme in art and heritage conservation; $778 000 to support an interdisciplinary research and graduate training programme on the place and meaning of the public intellectual; and $333 000 to support a project promoting collaborative creative production in the literary, visual and performing arts, all located in the Faculty of Humanities.

• The Centre for Human Rights received grants to the value of R5,287m from the Embassy of the Netherlands towards realising LGBTI rights in Africa; and to the value of $600 000 from the Wellspring Philanthropic Fund for general operating support for the Centre.

• UP has become one of four SA partners in the €4m transdisciplinary EU TROPICSAFE project financed by HORIZON 2020 which develops tools and solutions to fight bacteria affecting tropical and subtropical crops.

• UP’s Centre for Japanese Studies, in collaboration with USAf and the SA Technology Network (SATN) was the principal coordinator of the relaunch of the SA-Japan University (SAJU) Forum, which took place in Tokyo. The Forum provides a structured framework for collaboration between higher education institutions in the two countries.

• The University’s Centre for Human Rights pulled off a first in collaboration with UNESCO, when it developed and launched a fee-free massive open online course, or MOOC, on freedom of expression, access to information and the safety of journalists.

• UP became a partner in a consortium of 18 universities and three industry partners that successfully secured a R25-million European Commission, Horizon 2020 bid for the development of “Smart thermal management of high-power microprocessors” and the training of early career researchers.

Researchers in UP’s Clean Energy Research Unit in the Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering will be directly involved in this project.

INNOVATION AT WORK The University’s most important assets are not just its state-of-the-art laboratories, high-tech computer systems or international credibility and influence. Our strength lies in our creative capital, an arsenal of thinkers and innovators whose ideas can be used to advance new areas of research, make a social impact or be turned into valuable products or services.

Vice Chancellor’s Scholarly Book Award Dr Reghard Brits’ book, Real Security Law, attracted the attention of the Constitutional Court in an important judgment in a case dealing with the interpretation of section 118(3) of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000. This provides a mechanism to enforce the payment of historical debts owed by property owners to municipalities. In settling this challenging legal issue, the Constitutional Court endorsed Dr Brits’ arguments in its judgment.

The book covers a critical area of the law, namely the law relating to real security, a central aspect of the law for financing and banking. As the only current scholarly work on the topic, this book fills a void in this important branch of the law.

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Creating, Innovating … RESEARCH IMPACT

In 2017, there were 17 new invention disclosures, and 26 patents filed, of which 13 were international patents. To date, 11 patents have been granted – five national and six international. In addition, two license agreements were finalised.

The patents granted included a TB diagnostic tool, plant extract treatment for candida, a renewable energy project (fast pyrolysis of biomass), a method for screening plants for drought tolerance, and a method and kit for identifying gene mutations.

UP was also successful in seven of the applications submitted to the South African Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) for new seed-funded projects.

An innovation of which we are extremely proud is that by postgraduate students Nishart Singh and Poitr Osuch in the Carl and Emily Fuchs Institute for Microelectronics at UP. They have developed a novel 5G technology and complete transmission systems on a silicon chip. This invention makes possible, increased efficiency and throughput in transmission systems, and in the transfer of large bodies of data.

In 2017, Singh and Osuch won two competitions for their innovation: The 2017 Start-up Tel Aviv-South Africa award; and the Gauteng Accelerator Programme (GAP) awards, where they were the winners in one of four categories. Their invention addresses problems that have plagued the telecommunication industry for decades.

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RESEARCH FUNDING Success in securing external research grants and contracts demonstrates our research relevance and competitive standing at national and international levels. State subsidy income is based on research outputs, and UP has limited internal funds used to support some research activities. Our researchers therefore need to seek external funds to support their wide range of research activities.

External funding In 2017 external income declined to R626,45m (2016: R640m) as a result of Government budget cuts, no new NRF National Equipment Programme (NEP) funding, and cuts to postgraduate funding. The reasons for the decline in funding secured for research through other external sources are less obvious, and may in part relate to political uncertainties and the general downturn of the SA economy and investment in 2017.

Internal funding The University contributed a significant portion of its own resources to support research, innovation and the training of postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows. As with external research funding, there was a decline in the internal funding allocated for research support – from R106,8m in 2016 to R103,2m in 2017 – which is an indication of the measures that UP has had to implement to ensure financial sustainability.

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

Awards Exceptional Academic Achievers Awards are made in recognition of senior academics who are highly regarded by their peers and have consistently excelled in the areas of under- and postgraduate teaching and learning, research, community service and administration. For the year 2017/18, there were four awards: • Prof Juan Bornman, Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Faculty of Humanities.

• Prof Ann Skelton, Centre for Child Law, Faculty of Law. Her fields of research span a wide range of child law matters, as well as a focus on restorative justice.

• Prof Christof Heyns, Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, is an internationally recognised expert in the field of human rights, with a special focus on the right to life.

• Prof Christo J Botha, Department Paraclinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Science. As a veterinary toxicologist, he investigates plant poisoning and mycotoxicoses affecting livestock in southern Africa.

Exceptional Young Researchers Awards recognise young achievers who have achieved academic excellence, international competitiveness, and local relevance. Four awards were made for the year 2017/18: • Dr Marde Helbig, Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Information Technology.

• Dr Sim H Mayaphi, Department of Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences.

• Dr Eshchar Mizrachi, Department of Genetics, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.

• Dr Tjaart Kruger, Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.

Prof Juan Bornman’s research looks at disability – specifically severe communication disability – as a multi-dimensional phenomenon that arises from the interaction between a person’s health status and their physical, social and attitudinal environment.

Prof Ann Skelton

Prof Christof Heyns Prof Christo J Botha

Dr Marde Helbig (above left); Dr Eshchar Mizrachi (left); Dr Sim H Mayaphi (above); Dr Tjaart Kruger (right).

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CREATING, INNOVATING …

ENGAGEMENT

34

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

We have a reputation for being an engaged university that is alive to its critical role of contributing to the socioeconomic advancement of South Africa, Africa and the world. We tirelessly work to ensure that we remain relevant by working for society, with society.

35

Creating, Innovating … ENGAGEMENT

There is growing recognition that universities, as public institutions, should contribute to the growth, development and well-being of societies and that new ways of doing science to address complex problems are needed. Our work goes beyond laboratories and research as we search for ways to make a sometimes immediate, but always practical, difference.

MULTI-LEVEL PARTNERSHIPS We work with the City of Tshwane to build community wealth and well-being. The development of the Hatfield Campus Village with UP as an anchor institution, was officially launched in 2017 following the development of a spatial and management framework for the Hatfield City Improvement District (HCID) in 2016. UP has focused on playing a leading role in the upliftment and wealth-building of the community in which it is situated, which aligns with our commitment to social justice as a public university.

In June 2017, the City announced that it had allocated R40m to fight substance abuse, some of which will fund community-based rehabilitation in partnership with UP. UP was one of the seven higher education institutions in Gauteng Province that signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gauteng Provincial Government. The MoU aims to bring government and higher education institutions together to work in partnership to strengthen common interests and advance a knowledge-based economy in areas such as energy and water 36

security, economic growth and environmental sustainability.

Through Enterprises UP, the University is involved in professional development and is seen as a training provider of choice: • The Wholesale and Retail Sector SETA (W&RSETA) re-appointed Enterprises UP for the 2017 intake of the Retail Management Development Programme (RMDP) to the value of R20,9m. The Programme equips supervisors and middle managers with the skills for effective management.

• Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality awarded a tender to the value of R24,6m to train 600 heads of departments, divisional heads and managers on the Municipal Finance Management Programme (MFMP).

In 2017, UP became a partner in a consortium of 18 universities and three industry partners across six continents that successfully secured a R25-million European Commission, Horizon 2020 bid for the development of “Smart thermal management of high-power microprocessors” and the training of early career researchers. Researchers in UP’s Clean Energy Research Unit in the Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering will be directly involved in this project funded for an initial five-year period.

NOTABLE EVENTS Each year the University hosts a number of events, and 2017 was no exception, with renowned national and international speakers attracting wide audiences. These few examples show our broad reach: Expert and Public Lectures The Vice-Chancellor’s Expert Lecture Series provides a public platform for our researchers

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

Justice Albie Sachs, retired judge of the Constitutional Court,delivered the lecture at the first Oliver Tambo Centenary Lecture Series, hosted by The Centre for Human Rights.

At the centenary of Agricultural Sciences, which coincides with that of Theology, Prof De la Rey presented the Faculty Agriculturalist of the Century Award to guest speaker, and current member of the Council of UP, Dr Johan van Zyl. Pictured from left are: Prof Anton Ströh, Prof Edward Webb, Dr Johan van Zyl, Prof Cheryl de la Rey, and Prof Jean Lubuma.

A devotional service was held on 6 March to celebrate the centenary of the Faculty of Theology.

15 000

STUDENTS INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR CREDIT

The Railway Occurrence Investigation Programme was officially launched by the Vice-Chancellor and Principal and the Transnet Freight Rail Chief Executive Mr Ravi Nair in May.

5 000

VOLUNTEER STUDENTS IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROJECTS

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Creating, Innovating … ENGAGEMENT

speaker’s podium with a number of luminaries from the business and corporate world.

Also at GIBS, then-Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed a high profile audience of business leaders on 20 June 2017; the Centre for Dynamic Markets hosted former president of Nigeria Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr Greg Mills at the launch of their book ‘Making Africa Work’; the Business Ethics and Governance Think Tank hosted former Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas; and former President Thabo Mbeki made a presentation as part of Youth Day commemorations in June.

Learners engage with students during Open Day.

to speak on significant developments in their fields of expertise that are likely to have an impact in the future. In 2017 Prof De Wet Swanepoel of the Department of SpeechLanguage Pathology and Audiology delivered the 20th lecture in the series on the topic of “Rise of an invisible epidemic – Fighting hearing loss with advances in technology and connectivity”. The 21st lecture in the series was

by Prof Martin Schwellnus, Professor of Sport and Exercise Medicine, entitled “The drug everyone should take! Why, how and what?”.

The Centre for Human Rights hosted the first in the Oliver Tambo Centenary Lecture Series in conjunction with the Oliver & Adelaide Tambo Foundation. UP Chancellor, Prof Wiseman Nkuhlu officiated and the lecture was delivered by Justice Albie Sachs, retired judge of the Constitutional Court, who reflected on the crucial role played by Oliver Tambo in establishing the new constitutional order.

GIBS and the Albert Luthuli Centre for Responsible Leadership hosted a two-day international conference on Responsible Leadership at which Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe and former Governor of the Reserve Bank Tito Mboweni shared the

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Prof Bongani Majola, Chair of the SA Human Rights Commission, addressed a symposium on land reform in South Africa hosted by UP’s Centre for Human Rights.

We hosted representatives of a number of large international foundations at the Hatfield Campus, including the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Kresge Foundation. In 2017, the Kresge Inyathelo Advancement Initiative presented an award to the University, recognising its pioneering contribution to the Initiative.

High-profile events The following are some of the high-profile events that took place in 2017: • UP hosted the first Kumba Technology Day in the flagship Kumba Virtual Reality Centre for Mine Design. The event was attended by the CEO, board members and senior leadership of Kumba Iron Ore and Anglo American plc, both from South Africa and abroad, as well as a number of CEO’s and senior executives from Kumba’s technology partners.

• The Railway Occurrence Investigation Programme, jointly developed by Transnet

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

Award

Freight Rail and UP’s Department of Civil Engineering and aimed at eliminating railway incidents such as derailments and collisions, was officially launched by the Vice-Chancellor and Principal and the Transnet Freight Rail Chief Executive Mr Ravi Nair in May. Prof De la Rey also officiated at the launch of the multidisciplinary Mining Resilience Research Centre (MRRC) which will focus on collaborative multidisciplinary research activities to address challenges facing the mining industry.

• The Faculty of Theology celebrated its centenary in 2017. A devotional service on 6 March was followed by the ceremonial reinstatement of the old wooden gates of the University in front of the Theology Building in a fixed open position. On Youth Day, the faculty hosted the World Council of Churches’ Commission on Faith and Order for the first time in South Africa since 1961.

The Faculty also hosted the John Heyns Memorial Lecture.

• The centenary of Agricultural Sciences, which coincides with that of Theology, being the first two faculties established at UP in 1917, was celebrated at a gala banquet early in November. At this occasion, Prof De la Rey presented the Faculty Agriculturalist of the Century Award to guest speaker, Dr Johan van Zyl. He is a former Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences (later the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences), former Vice-Chancellor and Principal and current member of the Council of UP.

BUILDING SOCIAL CAPITAL As an anchor institution, UP works with the local municipality and other businesses to transform Hatfield Village into an inclusive mixed-use area where everyone thrives. In support of the University’s anchor strategy

At the University’s Academic Achievers Award, Dr Victoria Rautenbach of the Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology, received a Community Engagement Award for the work her final-year students have done in creating an address infrastructure for an informal settlement called Alaska in the east of Mamelodi, City of Tshwane.

in Hatfield, 3 000 community engagement students were deployed to local institutions such as schools and the Hatfield Community Court. The deployment of students in community engagement in Hatfield forms part of the University’s community engagement programme that has been running for more than a decade. In 2017 around 15 000 students undertook community engagement for credit while a further 5 000 participated in the programme as volunteers.

In collaboration with the staff at the Brooklyn Police Station, the Community Engagement Unit trained various people living on the streets to rehabilitate them and about 75% of them returned home. Alternative means of employment such as gathering and selling rubbish from the Hatfield area gave many people income-earning opportunities and also resulted in the removal of tons of rubbish from the area, hence making the area cleaner. Two health hubs were opened in the area in which Health Sciences students work to support the anti-drug campaign of the City of Tshwane.

The Hluvukani Animal Clinic operates in the Mnisi community adjoining the Kruger National Park. The resident veterinarian is supported by UP veterinary students who, in their final year, do two-week clinical rotations. Students attend to weekly dip tanks to promote animal health and visit schools for information sessions.

39

CREATING, INNOVATING …

TRANSFORMATION

40

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

Transformation at UP is a multifaceted – and overarching – driver for ensuring success in teaching, learning and research. It is a means to attract historically disadvantaged communities, and a catalyst for creating the conditions in which all members of the University can thrive. Our success depends on how well we value, engage and include students, staff and stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.

41

Creating, Innovating … TRANSFORMATION

The University made a number of strides in 2017 on the transformation front. These include the development of a five-year (2017– 2021) transformation plan, the finalisation of a curriculum transformation framework, and the conclusion of the University’s new language policy. Establishing an Institutional Transformation Committee, and faculty and support service transformation committees, absorbed transformation into all of the University’s operational units.

EMBRACING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVITY Having a diverse and exceptional cohort of academic staff is a critical priority and our target is to increase the proportion of black academic staff to 30,4% by 2020. UP has established a Human Capital Development Fund to enable the appointment and placement of qualifying candidates to enhance our academic equity profile.

DHET’s The Next Generation of Academics Programme (nGAP) aligns strongly with the University’s goal of diversifying our academic staff. In the past three phases of nGAP, the University demonstrated its commitment to transformation by appointing black candidates in all of the 13 nGAP positions it has been allocated.

We have made noticeable progress towards diversifying our staff and student numbers. The percentage of black staff increased to 60% (2016: 54,1%) and the percentage of black contact students to total contact students 42

increased to 55,3% (2016: 53,7%). Likewise, enrolments of black postgraduate students increased to 60,4% (2016: 59,1%), and 52,3% were women (2016: 48,9%).

In line with the goal of transforming student residence life, a series of workshops on inclusivity, diversity and transformation were held in 2017. These workshops, facilitated

by Inclusivity South Africa (InSA), focused on cultural inclusiveness in the residences. A revised Residence Placement Policy, which deliberately supports integration and diversity in residences, was developed.

In 2017, the University included an introduction to the UP Doing Diversity Differently module as part of UP Orientation (UPO). The intention is to sensitise all students to social difference and diversity early in their university journey. Each faculty has its own customised version of UPO.

MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME FOR BLACK WOMEN ACADEMICS UP has several programmes to facilitate the professional development of early career researchers and academics. In 2017, UP initiated a Mentorship for Black Women Academics Programme, funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF) for an initial threeyear period.

The NRF rating has arguably become an accepted academic performance benchmark in the higher education landscape of South Africa. In general, female academics constitute a relatively small proportion of the rated researchers; the majority are white and male researchers. In an effort to address the discrepancy, in 2017 UP implemented a structured NRF-funded intervention aimed at

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

Accolades for women There were several accolades for women at UP in 2017: • Prof Irma Eloff, former Dean of the Faculty of Education, was appointed as the Chairperson of the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns.

• Prof Esté van Marle-Köster, Head of the Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, was elected as the very first woman President of the SA Society for Animal Science.

• FABI’s Prof Brenda Wingfield was named one of 11 inspirational SA women authors with highly cited papers by Clarivate Analytics (previously Thomson Reuters) based on InCites and ESI data.

• Dr Lynne Pilcher was awarded the Chemistry Education Medal by the South African Chemical Institute (SACI), the highest discipline-specific recognition for a contribution to chemistry education.

• Two researchers from the Department of Genetics, Dr Vinet Coetzee and Dr Sanushka Naidoo, were selected as Next Einstein Forum Fellows from 2017–2019.

• In the DST’s 2017 Women in Science Awards (WISA), Prof Henriëtta de Kock (Food Science) received the Distinguished Woman Researcher: Research and Innovation Award; Prof Roula Inglesi-Lotz (Economics) won the Distinguished Young Woman Researcher: Humanities and Social Sciences Award; and Prof Saloshna Vandeyar was the first runner-up in the Distinguished Woman Researchers: Humanities and Social Sciences category.

Prof Irma Eloff

Prof Esté van Marle-Köster

Prof Brenda Wingfield

Dr Lynne Pilcher

Dr Vinet Coetzee

Dr Sanushka Naidoo

Prof Henriëtta de Kock

Prof Roula Inglesi-Lotz

Prof Saloshna Vandeyar

43

Creating, Innovating … TRANSFORMATION

Our Transformation Charter The University recognises the crucial role of the higher education sector to develop South African society and has identified six transformation-specific goals to: • ensure access to a diverse student body, reflecting the demographic mix and social complexity of South Africa; • significantly reduce and ultimately eliminate differential student success and graduation rates based on race, gender, class and other critical variables; • ensure the realisation of employment equity as set in our Employment Equity Plan.

• enhance research capacity and productivity of black and women academics; • engender institutional cultures and practices that are welcoming to students and staff from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds; and • ensure that the University has impact on the social and economic wellbeing of South African society. mentoring female academics, to enable them to prepare and apply for NRF rating.

Twenty-two black female academics joined the mentorship programme, and 11 mentors were identified in the first phase of implementation. Mentees are paired with experienced academics who work in similar disciplinary fields to ensure that the best possible mentorship and guidance can be given. Feedback over a relatively short period has been excellent.

ENABLING THE DIFFERENTLY ABLED In the quest to improve the accessibility and inclusiveness of spaces and facilities for students and staff with disabilities, the University has an ongoing project to improve universal access to all of its buildings. Tactile paving on all campuses helps staff and students who are visually impaired to safely and easily move around the University. The tactile warning tiles are detectable by long cane or underfoot, and are used to alert persons with visual disabilities of approaching streets and hazardous surfaces, or grade changes.

The Student Disability Unit caters for 44

the teaching and learning and support requirements of undergraduate and postgraduate students with visual, hearing, physical, learning, psychological and chronic medical disabilities. In 2017 around 800 students made use of these support services.

The Department of Computer Science and the Disability Unit are collaborating on a project to develop a mobile communication application that will help students with visual disabilities to safely and successfully navigate their way on campus.

TRANSFORMATION CHARTER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA We regard transformation as a journey through which the University improves its ability to respond meaningfully to the needs of our society. Since the advent of democracy in South Africa, we have taken bolder and more intentional steps in this journey.

Whereas black contact students constituted only 11% of the total contact student body in 1994, they made up over 55% of our contact students in 2017. The representation of permanently employed black people among our staff rose from 33% in 2006 to 60% by 2017. Since 1997, the majority of our students have been female (53% in 2006 and 54% in 2016).

Our approach to transformation goes beyond diversity, inclusivity, equity, and integrity.

It includes the production of a skilled workforce that will make a meaningful contribution to the national, continental and global economy.

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE

60+40+E

23+77+E 23%

60%

OUR TRANSFORMATION JOURNEY

11+89+E 55+45+E 11%

55%

BLACK CONTACT STUDENTS IN 1994

BLACK CONTACT STUDENTS IN 2017

33+67+E 60+40+E 33%

60%

PERMANENT BLACK STAFF IN 2006

PERMANENT BLACK STAFF IN 2017

BLACK STAFF AT UP

BLACK ACADEMIC STAFF AT UP

UNDERGRADUATE POSTGRADUATE CONTACT STUDENTS CONTACT STUDENTS

53+47+E 56+44+E 61+39+E 52+48+E 53%

BLACK

56%

61%

FEMALE

BLACK

Source: HEMIS

52%

FEMALE

Source: HEMIS

22

BLACK FEMALE ACADEMICS ON THE MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME

45

CREATING, INNOVATING …

SUSTAINABILITY

46

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

Sustainability represents UP’s resilience over time to survive disruption and change and we are resolutely building a culture that connects to healthy economic, social and environmental systems.

47

Creating, Innovating … SUSTAINABILITY

UP is recognised as a very well-managed university. However, the resource-constrained and volatile economic environment in which the University operates requires increased agility and flexibility to ensure it remains sustainable and realises its strategic goals. The University needs to protect and improve its financial position in order to have the resources necessary to ensure that our students continue to receive an exceptional education, our research is world-class and our engagement with society remains impactful.

The University’s plan for 2017–2021 identifies sustainability as one of its strategic goals and targets a number of key sustainability outcomes: • Financial sustainability in terms of solvency, liquidity and cash flow • Ecologically and economically sustainable infrastructure • A diverse and exceptional cohort of students, academic and support staff • World-class infrastructure and a UP precinct that creates an enabling environment for staff and students to excel • Integration of sustainability principles in all University operations.

It is evident that our commitment to sustainability permeates all aspects of UP’s institutional life, from the way we use our resources to waste management and financial management.

EMBEDDING SUSTAINABILITY IN OUR PHYSICAL SPACES UP has implemented various strategies to save energy, and to reduce water consumption and its carbon footprint. These strategies range from introducing energy-saving light fittings and light bulbs to installing solar water heaters and photovoltaic solar collectors which are grid-tied.

These sustainability initiatives helped us use 51 000kl less water and 2 775 000kWh less electricity in 2017 than in 2016. The savings amounted to R1,5m for water and R3,7m for electricity.

The UP Executive has approved a Water Management Policy and an awareness campaign is underway. The water-wise planting programme to convert high-water use landscapes to low-water use or to a no-water use environment is a long-term project that is gaining momentum on all UP campuses.

The compost and mulch production facility at the Hillcrest Campus has been upgraded to receive green waste from other campuses.

During 2017, this facility produced an estimated 2 000m3 of compost, 200m3 of mulch and 1 100m3 of chippings with an estimated value of nearly R1,32m. The University is completely selfsufficient in this regard and plans are underway to commercialise the operation.

Paper recycling has increased steadily following a revitalised waste awareness campaign launched in 2014. During 2017, a total of 77,5 tonnes of general waste was recycled at the UP campuses. This resulted in the saving of 793 trees, 45 177 litres of oil, 3,5m litres of water, 31m3 of landfill space and 1,3m kg of CO2 pollutants.

48

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

WE REDUCED WATER AND ELECTRICITY COSTS

OUR GREEN WASTE IS WANTED

The compost and mulch production facility at the Hillcrest Campus produced 2 000m3 OF COMPOST 200m3 OF MULCH 1 100m3 OF CHIPPINGS

R1,5M

SAVINGS FOR WATER

R3,7M

SAVINGS FOR ELECTRICITY

VALUE:

R1,32 MILLION

77,5 TONNES

OF GENERAL WASTE IS RECYCLED

793 TREES

SAVED BY OUR PAPER RECYCLING

49

CREATING, INNOVATING …

FINANCE

50

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

ENSURING CONTINUED FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY The Presidential declaration in 2015 of a zero percent increase in tuition fees for 2016, in response to nationwide #Feesmustfall student protests, raised concerns about the stability and sustainability of the higher education sector in general. The sector was furthermore limited to an 8% increase in tuition fees for 2017 and 2018.

The Minister of Higher Education and Training announced in December 2017 that there would be no increase in student fees for poor students and also for the “missing middle” (where family income is less than R600 000 a year).

Government undertook to fund the fee increases for these students via a grant, and the remainder of students were expected to pay fee increases.

The increase in NSFAS (National Financial Aid Scheme) applications and the general perception of students that higher education would be free, resulted in a significant amount of outstanding student debt.

In order to maintain financial health, we had to enhance income generation from alternative sources (so-called “third-stream income”) as well as implement measures to reduce both operational and staff costs. We generate third-stream income from individuals, companies, foundations and trusts, government, local and international non-profit organisations, local and international aid agencies, as well as sponsorships and from entrepreneurial activities. Third-stream income is used for innovations in teaching, institutional research, bursaries for financially challenged students, and the development of infrastructure.

In 2017, external funds were raised for student financial aid in the form of bursaries and loans. The demand for financial aid is growing as a result of the rising costs of higher education and the challenges faced by students from disadvantaged backgrounds. It has also become clear that traditional sources of financial support for students, such as NSFAS, cannot keep pace with growing demands. We have created our own funded UP-NSFAS programme to support financially challenged students. The Tuks Scholarship Fund was established by the Vice-Chancellor and Principal in 2014. This fund is used to assist deserving poor and working-class students to pursue their studies at UP with full bursaries.

Financial sustainability is further strengthened through an ongoing programme of cost containment, cost cutting and cost shifting, that is finding alternative ways of funding operational expenses and reprioritising projects.

51

Creating, Innovating … FINANCE Total income of the University of Pretoria 2017 Rm 2 300 1 678 473 210 297 49 1 364 210 1 6 582

Income Government grants Tuition fees Accommodation and meal fees Investment income – profits on disposal Interest/dividend income Net interest income on defined-benefit plans Income from contracts and services Donations and gifts Other income Total

Investments Our investment funds serve three purposes, namely: 1. Meet part of the short-term requirements of the University – these liabilities have a maximum term of 24 months. The risk profile emphasises the need to protect capital over such short periods and a high degree of liquidity needs to be provided.

2. Meet the long-term liabilities (five years and more) of the University – the main requirement here is a good return relative to inflation over the long term.

3. Meet the requirements of a special class of the long-term liabilities in respect of postretirement medical aid benefits.

Our investment philosophy is aligned to the term of the liabilities and the risk profile. To this end, three investment portfolios have been established, namely: 1. Money Market Portfolio 2. Long-term Capital Portfolio 3. Continuation Medical Aid Portfolio.

2016 Rm 2 098 1 588 422 194 301 81 1 458 267 2 6 411

Change Rm 202 90 51 16 (4) (32) (94) (57) (1) 171

The graph below gives an indication of our diversified investment portfolio over the past three years.

CONCLUSION We reported satisfactory results for the financial year ended 31 December 2017 even amid increasing expenses such as the insourcing of previously outsourced services, salary increases higher than CPI, and the weakening of the Rand. The required VAT charge on media also increased the cost of academic books, electronic media, software licences and research equipment.

Despite this challenging economic environment, we managed to break even by limiting the growth in operational costs, instituting a number of cost-saving initiatives and by utilising investment returns and other third-stream income to fund the shortfall in core activities.

THE UNIVERSITY’S INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO 2015

n Global Equities n SA Equities n SA Absolute n Other

2016

n SA Listed Property 2017

n SA Money Market 0%

52

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA and its subsidiaries

SUMMARISED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION at 31 December 2017

2017 Rm

2016 Rm

Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment Intangible assets Available-for-sale investments Investment in associate companies Defined benefit pension plan asset Defined benefit medical plan asset Defined contribution provident plan asset Loans and receivables

15,055 4,813 93 9,547 2 267 302 – 31

13,329 4,367 125 8,263 2 251 284 3 34

Current assets Inventories Receivables and prepayments Cash and cash equivalents

2,094 23 491 1,580

2,069 20 375 1,674

–

3

17,149

15,401

14,085

12,801

2,561

1,842

4,688 6,834 2

4,314 6,636 9

(5)

(3)

Non-current liabilities Deferred income

1,084 1,084

889 889

Current liabilities Trade payables, accruals and other liabilities Deferred income Student credits and deposits Agency funds Total funds and liabilities

1,985 755 896 257 77 17,149

1,714 655 765 242 52 15,401

ASSETS

Non-current assets held for sale Total assets EQUITY AND LIABILITIES Total funds Non-distributable reserves Available-for-sale investment revaluation Reserve funds Restricted funds Council designated funds Unrestricted operating funds – education and general Non-controlling interest

53

Creating, Innovating … FINANCE

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA and its subsidiaries

SUMMARISED CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT for the year ended 31 December 2017 2017 Rm

2016 Rm

Operating revenue

6,025

5,833

Less operating expenses Personnel costs Other operating expenses Depreciation and amortisation

6,028 3,209 2,466 353

5,747 2,956 2,506 285

(3)

86

Interest and dividends Net interest income on defined benefit/contribution plans Other non-recurrent income Other non-recurrent expenses Surplus before tax Less tax

507 49 1 (3) 551 –

495 81 2 (96) 568 –

Surplus for the year

551

568

Surplus for the year attributed to: University of Pretoria Non-controlling interest

551 553 (2)

568 571 (3)

Net (loss)/surplus from operations

54

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Annual Review 2017

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA and its subsidiaries

SUMMARISED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME for the year ended 31 December 2017

2017 Rm

2016 Rm

Surplus for the year

551

568

Other comprehensive income / (loss) for the year

730

(472)

8 2 (1) 2

(40) (248) (2) (4)

719

(178)

Total comprehensive income for the year

1,281

96

Total comprehensive income attributed to: University of Pretoria Non-controlling interest

1,281 1,283 (2)

96 99 (3)

Remeasurements on defined benefit medical plan Remeasurements on defined benefit pension plan Remeasurements on defined contribution provident plan Remeasurements on group life assurance plan Items that may be subsequently reclassified to profit and loss Fair value adjustment on available-for-sale investments

55

Creating, Innovating … FINANCE

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA and its subsidiaries

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN FUNDS for the year ended 31 December 2017

Un­ restricted operating fund

Council designated and restricted funds – other

Council designated and restricted property, plant and equipment funds

Restricted student accom­ modation fund

Total

Rm 4 5 26 – (21)

Rm 8,189 (386) 409 (472) (323)

Rm 4,719 269 1 – 268

Rm (210) 211 135 – 76

Rm 12,702 99 571 (472) –

Balance at 31–12–2016: credit Non–distributable reserves Council designated funds Restricted – other funds

9 – 9 –

7,803 1,842 5,228 733

4,988 – 1,408 3,580

1 – – 1

12,801 1,842 6,645 4,314

Balance at 31–12–2016: credit

9

7,803

4,988

1

12,801

(7) (135) – 128

1,191 754 730 (293)

99 (204) – 303

1 139 – (138)

1,284 554 730 –

2 – 2 –

8,994 2,561 5,542 891

5,087 – 1,292 3,795

2 – – 2

14,085 2,561 6,836 4,688

Balance at 31–12–2015: credit Net (decrease) / increase in funds Surplus for the year Other comprehensive income Net transfers (to) / from other funds

Net (decrease) / increase in funds Surplus for the year Other comprehensive income Net transfers (to) / from other funds Balance at 31–12–2017: credit Non–distributable reserves Council designated funds Restricted – other funds

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