UP in a Nutshell

2020

The UP Way This is what we stand for as an institution.

• It’s as much about where UP comes from as to where we are headed

IN A NUTSHELL

• It’s about UP’s excellence, innovation, diversity growth, kindness and making a difference every day • It’s about what we do to make today matter.

OUR VISION IS TO BE A leading researchintensive 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.

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

Unless indicated to the contrary, all statistics are provided by the University of Pretoria’s Department of Institutional Planning and are valid as at June 2020.

6 12 16 20

WE TEACH AND LEARN • Learning support • Quality teaching

WE INNOVATE • Science standing • International rankings

WE IMPACT

• Student Funding Support • Impact as an anchor institution • Social capital through community engagement

WE LIVE

• Student wellbeing • Sports and the Arts UP in a Nutshell 2020 – 1

OVERVIEW We see ourselves as a key contributor to our nation’s economic growth and social development, exerting influence through three major pathways: teaching, research, and engagement with and service to society.

HOW AN AFRICAN GIANT WAS BORN

1908 1930

UP comes into existence as the Pretoria branch of the Transvaal University College (TUC).

The College becomes a fully-fledged university in 1930 and the colloquial name Tuks, or Tukkies, was derived from the acronym TUC.

1949

UP becomes the first South African university to establish a business school, the Institute for Management and Administration (a precursor to GIBS).

1972

An independent Department of Business Science is established and a fulltime MBA programme approved. This was the first of its kind outside of the USA.

2000

UP establishes the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), which is globally recognised for the quality of its management education.

2019

UP establishes new research platforms: the Future Africa Institute, Javett-UP Art Centre and the Future Transportation Hub at the Engineering 4.0 facility.

2 – UP in a Nutshell 2020

UP in a Nutshell 2020 – 3

UP HAS 9 FACULTIES + A BUSINESS SCHOOL

1 2 3

Economic and Management Sciences Education

8 9

Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology

Theology and Religion Veterinary Science (the only faculty of its kind in South Africa)

+1

4 Health Sciences 5 Humanities 6 Law Natural and Agricultural 7 Sciences

#1 business school in Africa #1 business school in the world for gender balance Source: UK Financial Times

ACADEMIC OFFERING

72

145

4

50

Research Institutes and Centres

Undergraduate programmes

Centres of Excellence

Research Chairs

1 175

120

237

Study programmes

Academic departments

Degrees, certificates and diplomas

#1 UP rated top of all South African universities for research outputs Source: Department of Higher Education and Training

4 – UP in a Nutshell 2020

#5 Among SA’s top five universities Source: Academic Ranking of World Universities and QS Emerging Economies University rankings

INTERNATIONAL PROFILE TOP 1% UP ranks in the top 1% internationally in ten fields:

Agricultural Sciences

Biology & Biochemistry

Clinical Medicine

Economics & Business

Engineering

Environmental/ Ecology

Immunology

Microbiology

Plant and Animal Sciences

Social Sciences

Source: Web of Science Essential Science Indicators, 4 Nov 2020.

TOP 2% UP is ranked in the top 2% of universities worldwide.

Source: QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020/21

STUDENT PROFILE number of 51 839 Total students enrolled

of international 3 194 Number students enrolled

% of Black contact students in 2020

59+41+A 65+35+A 61+39+A 57+43+A

Under­graduate

Post­graduate

59.1%

65.4%

Total Black students registered 63.3%

Female students 57.4%

UP in a Nutshell 2020 – 5

WE TEACH AND LEARN In an age of overwhelming choices, the University of Pretoria continues to attract discerning students and staff in great numbers. Course quality, university reputation, and location are just some of the aspects that direct their choice.

6 – UP in a Nutshell 2020

That we produce graduates who are highly sought after is evidenced by our ranking among the top four SA universities in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) 2020/2021 Graduate Employability Survey.

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. We produce all of the country’s veterinarians, almost a third of all engineers (28.4%) and just under 15% of all doctors.

We are resolute in our intended outcome of producing quality

graduates that can contribute to South Africa’s knowledge economy.

reading before these prospective students enter university.

Since 2010, we have been developing an integrated approach to student success that supports them physically, mentally and emotionally from the second they step onto the campus. This has, we believe, contributed to our ongoing high examination pass rate. In 2019, 87.5% of full-time undergraduates passed their exams, compared to 82.4% in 2018.

FLY@UP (FLY stands for the Finish Line is Yours) provides students with support and actionable options to succeed in their studies and graduate in minimum time.

#ChooseUP is a free, online, university preparation course for provisionally-accepted first-year students that aims to develop a range of skills such as time management, note taking, study skills, goalsetting and academic

e-Technologies in teaching and learning are used alongside traditional lecturing. We have been working for several years on implementing a system-wide hybrid approach to teaching and learning and this made the transition to

Fly Higher@UP was introduced to improve the throughput and success of postgraduate students and help them complete their studies in the minimum time.

UP in a Nutshell 2020 – 7

online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic near-seamless. Just over 95% of all undergraduate modules have an active online presence.

Social learning spaces mimic real-world work and social environments, which encourage interaction and cross-disciplinary problem solving. This enhances accessibility and promotes successful student learning, which is one of our critical goals. One such space completed in 2019 was the Future Africa campus – a dynamic living, learning and research environment where Africa’s leading scientists and scholars can benefit from transdisciplinary research to generate solutions for successful

societies across Africa and the world.

Connected campuses – Wi-Fi coverage extends to around 400 lecture venues across all campuses, and equipment has been upgraded in lecture venues and student computer laboratories. When not on campus, students can access academic content without incurring any data cost through UP Connect, a unique portal developed by UP. Our reputation for producing quality graduates gains traction through our over 294 000 alumni, many of whom are luminaries in the business, social, political, sporting and cultural arenas, making a positive difference world-wide. We keep contact with them via UP’s Alumni App, which has been ranked as the fastest growing alumni platform in the world.

Quality teaching

Technology is helping students enhance participation in class through the Clicker App and improve their employability through online courses.

8 – UP in a Nutshell 2020

None of our achievements would be possible without a strong academic corps and our researchers remain prolific producers of knowledge in their quest for solutions. A DHET report, released in April 2020*, ranked UP tops for the highest number of accredited research outputs. Fifty-six UP researchers are also in the top 1% according to the Web of Science Index of 2019.

Alumni doing us proud Daniel Ndima, who graduated from UP with an MSc degree in Biochemistry (Structural Biology) in 2016, has developed a groundbreaking COVID-19 test kit that will provide results in just over an hour. Source: CapeBio Technologies

Daniel Ndima

Thobo Khathola

UP’s Faculty of Economic and Pieter Scribante Hanré Erasmus Management Sciences not only celebrated its centenary in 2020, but saw some of its alumni making headlines: • Thobo Khathola (2015) made it on to the Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 list, as well as the cover of the April 2020 issue of Forbes Africa magazine.

Katie Kironde • Pieter Scribante (2018) received the prestigious Chevening Scholarship to pursue an MSc degree in Political Science and Political Economy at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

• Hanré Erasmus (2014) achieved third place in the February 2020 sitting of the global Chartered Institute of Management Accountants’ Strategic Case Study exam.

• Katie Kironde, who passed her BCom Econometrics and honours degrees at UP with distinction in 2014 and 2015, completed her MSc in Economics at the London School of Economics this year, graduating with merit.

In addition, our academic staff continue to improve their qualifications and just over 68%

have doctoral degrees. A further measure of our quality teaching corps is the number of researchers

*Report on the evaluation of the 2018 Universities’ Research Output

UP in a Nutshell 2020 – 9

who have achieved a National Research Foundation (NRF) rating.

This number now stands at 564, with 16 A-rated researchers who are recognised as leading international scholars in their field.

The visibility of our lead researchers is demonstrated in the Essential Science Indicators (ESI) database.

The ESI database covers 22 knowledge fields, and we are rated among the top 1% globally in ten fields: agricultural sciences, biology and biochemistry, clinical medicine, economics and business,

engineering, environmental/ecology, immunology, microbiology, plant and animal sciences, and social sciences (general).

The QS World University Rankings 2020/2021, placed UP in the 561-570 range and the University improved its global position significantly in three of four broad subject areas: Social Sciences and Management, Engineering and Technology, and Life Sciences and Medicine. With around 26 000 universities globally, this puts UP in the top 2% of universities worldwide.

Vet you didn’t know this UP’s Faculty of Veterinary Science • is the only one of its kind in the country • has trained over 90% of the veterinarians in the country • celebrated its centenary in 2020 • is ranked in the Top 50 in the QS World University Rankings and Shanghai Rankings • opened a dedicated wildlife clinic at its Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital in 2020 • has performed dental surgery on an elephant in Poland, delivered cheetah cubs by caesarean section, and performed nasal surgery on a gorilla.

10 – UP in a Nutshell 2020

STUDENT SUCCESS Full-time undergraduates who passed their exams

TOP 4

2018: 82.4%

UP ranked among the top four SA universities in the QS 2020/2021 Graduate Employability Survey, which shows our graduates are highly sought after

2019: 87.5%

ACADEMIC STRENGTH Growth in the number of NRF-rated researchers 2018 460

2019 528

2020 564

#1 IN SA Department of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering ranked #1 by Minerals Education Trust Fund Faculty of Law rated top by DHET for the highest number of accredited research outputs

16

68%

A-rated researchers

Staff with PhDs

56 Number of UP researchers in the top 1% of the world Source: Web of Science Index 2019

#1 IN AFRICA School of Engineering ranked #1 in Africa and SA Source: 2020 US News and World Report Rankings on the Best Global Universities for Engineering

UP in a Nutshell 2020 – 11

WE INNOVATE UP has consistently achieved research outcomes that place it among the top‑performing research institutions in Africa. We intentionally focus on ‘research that matters’, and thematic areas that demonstrate the impact on society.

12 – UP in a Nutshell 2020

While UP’s areas of research strength are wide-ranging, we have a particular impact in Animal Sciences and Zoology, Plant Sciences, Genetics, Economics and Econometrics, Veterinary Science linked to Parasitology and Virology, Forestry and Ecology, Evolution and Systematics.

Our current research focus is on 21st Century-relevant areas,

in particular Big Data and digital technologies, Smart Transport and Smart Cities, and Food Security.

Several developments in 2019 saw UP make an even greater contribution to Africa and the world.

The establishment of new research platforms, such as the Future Africa Institute, Javett-UP Art Centre and the Future Transportation Hub at the Engineering 4.0 facility, aim to

Hello future UP is prepared for the future, with the following developments to meet the 4th Industrial Revolution: • UP leads the way with its Institute of Big Data and Data Science • Four research chairs specialise in artificial intelligence, data science, machine learning and cybersecurity • The Future Transportation Hub is helping to make South Africa and Africa a smart country and continent (below) • UP has the first university library in Africa to ‘employ’ a client service robot.

UP in a Nutshell 2020 – 13

An indicator of the level of recognition we enjoy for our high-impact research, are the 48 Research Chairs the University hosts. They address pressing challenges such as green energy, food security, and artificial intelligence and enable us to continue building knowledge and deliver research that is relevant.

A laboratory for new ideas UP researchers are working with international partners in groundbreaking studies to: • perform in vitro fertilisation to support dwindling rhinoceros populations (above) • revolutionise the way tuberculosis is detected through a 3D-printed insert added to simple face masks • solve the mystery of X-shaped radio galaxies with MeerKAT telescope (below) • reveal southern Africa as the birthplace of modern Homo sapiens.

14 – UP in a Nutshell 2020

Credit: rhinoreview.org

advance innovation and capacity to generate sustainable solutions for South Africa and Africa’s complex problems.

FIRST FOR PARTNERSHIPS

COVID-19 innovations The COVID-19 pandemic unlocked the creativity of the UP community to rapidly find solutions to alleviate the multiple challenges it raised.

• A team from UP’s Department of Statistics, in collaboration with a partner in the Middle East, developed what is believed to be the first interactive app in the country. The app provides real-time data on COVID-19.

• A cellphone app was developed for doctors to manage COVID-19 cases in hospital settings.

• UP is leading a South African Medical Research Council study on various rapid-test methods.

• UP’s MakerSpace Centre is producing 3-D printed visor frames that will be used as facial shields by healthcare workers.

First SA institution to partner with the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research First SA university admitted to Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) led by Michigan State University

First university in Africa to collaborate with Science, Innovation, Territories, and Economy and the Montpellier University of Excellence (i-SITE MUSE)

17 Number of patents granted: n 11 international n 6 South African UP in a Nutshell 2020 – 15

WE IMPACT A university is shaped as much by what happens on campus as what happens off campus and we work tirelessly to ensure that we remain relevant by working for society, with society.

Our intention is for our students to also emerge as citizens with a deep sense of civic responsibility.

16 – UP in a Nutshell 2020

Our intention at UP is not just for our students to graduate successfully.

Our students gain key employability skills through UP’s Work-readiness and Entrepreneurship programme (WREn). This co-curricular programme facilitates student learning outside the formal learning programme for their degrees, thereby equipping them with attributes required for success in the world of work.

UP is also home to the first Library MakerSpace in South Africa, a creative laboratory where people with ideas can get together with people who have the technical ability to make these ideas become a reality. A MakerSpace is often associated with fields such as

Preparing our students for the future world of work Anywhere, anytime Our Ready for Work programme has introduced a module on the “gig” economy, which is becoming increasingly important in a digital world that allows people to work from anywhere in the world and at any time. It is an emerging self-employment trend where temporary positions are common and freelance

creation and ignite economic growth.

The Centre will coordinate the various existing entrepreneurial activities at the University: • Mamelodi Business Clinic, where SMMEs are trained • EBIT’s TuksNovation and EMS’s Business Incubator, where students are exposed to practical aspects

professionals contract with organisations for short periods of time.

• GIBS Entrepreneurship Development Academy, where existing entrepreneurs are supported • Online training, where UP students can learn more (#Start_UP; #Link_UP and #Grow_UP).

As their own boss A Centre for Entrepreneurship was established to enhance employment

UP in a Nutshell 2020 – 17

engineering, computer science, graphic design and digital art, and although the physical space is important, it is the collaboration between individuals with distinct areas of knowledge that is fundamental to fostering this creative environment.

Student Funding Support Access to student funding remains a major factor inhibiting access to higher education. It is therefore a priority for UP as we strive to serve the national goal of increasing access to affordable university education for all deserving students.

In 2019, UP awarded just over R1.7bn in loans and bursaries, with

contributions from UP’s own funds increasing to R163m.

Impact as an anchor institution We work closely with the Hatfield City Improvement District (HCID) to create a clean, safe, secure, and attractive environment beyond the University boundaries. As an anchor institution, UP is actively involved in the City of Tshwane and the Hatfield CBD Improvement District. A 24hour Hatfield Tshwane Metro Police Department satellite station opened its doors in 2019. It employs eight police officers and has two support vehicles (provided by UP) and 79 CCTV cameras.

The University has also secured funding from the Kresge Foundation in the United States to develop an Urban Design Framework for the Hatfield Campus Village.

The project has drawn interest from the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (GDID), which hosted a series of workshops with other universities in the province to encourage them to undertake similar projects.

Community engagement We derive great satisfaction from the success of our community engagement programme, which has been running for more than a decade. Students earn credits

18 – UP in a Nutshell 2020

CRITICAL SUPPORT

R1.7bn Total of loans and bursaries awarded in 2019 A veterinary student vaccinates a pet at the Mamelodi Animal Health Clinic.

towards their degrees, while applying their knowledge in the service of the community.

Close on 30 000 of our students are involved in curricular community engagement projects at over 1 000 sites. Volunteers from 120 registered student societies also contribute to the sustainability of the various community projects.

Our community engagement initiatives were significantly strengthened by our involvement in the University Social Responsibility Network (USRN), a global network of 16 top universities in the world selected for their responsiveness to their local context. We consider it critical that we use knowledge to make a decisive difference to the lives of the people in our communities.

33 000 Students involved in community projects

Only one in Africa UP is the only representative from Africa in the new University Social Responsibility Network, an international group of 16 top universities in the world selected for their responsiveness to their local context UP in a Nutshell 2020 – 19

WE LIVE Our primary goal is not only to produce quality graduates but also to produce graduates with attributes that go beyond mastery of their fields of study; graduates who can interact successfully in a globally interdependent world, and who are prepared for the challenges of a diverse world.

20 – UP in a Nutshell 2020

As one of South Africa’s oldest and most prestigious higher education institutions, the University of Pretoria produces sought-after graduates who are well-rounded citizens shaped by our holistic approach to education, which is enabled by a wide range of campus activities and student societies including sports, arts and culture.

STUDENT WELLBEING UP supports student wellbeing through a variety of programmes.

The Student Counselling Unit offers professional counselling and therapeutic support to ensure that students are equipped to deal with trauma, personal and academic stress, make correct career choices, and be academically successful.

The Student Health Services Unit provides basic health services to students on all campuses through full-time nursing staff and session doctors.

The Triple L + 1 programme promotes an environment that fosters academic success, diversity and community building in our university residences. The programme focuses on conversation to achieve understanding (Listening), creating a sense of belonging and the holistic development of all residents (Living), promoting Learning, and leaving a positive and innovative Legacy. The programmes address topics such as life skills, healthcare and mental health, diversity, financial training, sexual behaviour, addiction, academic skills UP in a Nutshell 2020 – 21

such as examination preparation and management of stress.

Through the University’s Disability Unit, first-year students with visual disabilities complete mobility training sessions, which include

basic cane skills and route training to the bus stops and other campus common facilities and buildings.

Tactile paving on campuses help staff and students who are visually impaired to safely and easily move around the University.

SPORTS AND THE ARTS Sport has continued to be a source of pride for the University and our performance during 2019 confirmed that UP is indeed a sporting powerhouse in Africa.

Our deserved Sportsman of the Year was Akani Simbine while Sportswoman of the Year was Tatjana Schoenmaker, both worldclass athletes. For the second consecutive year, UP teams were the overall Varsity Champions, winning three tournaments.

UP’s focus on sport and sport development, also through our world-renowned High Performance Centre, is a major drawcard for student athletes to study at UP. With the new Sport, Exercise Medicine and Lifestyle Institute (SEMLI) launched in 2018, UP will further distinguish itself as a centre of excellence in sports medicine, sports science and research on healthy lifestyles.

22 – UP in a Nutshell 2020

There were outstanding events and achievements for the arts and music at UP in 2019, most notably the Principal’s Concert, which has been held every year since 1977 to recognise the important role played by the arts, including music, in building a community and in uplifting our spirits.

The 2019 Concert set a new standard when Abdullah Ibrahim, coming all the way from New York, mesmerised the audience with his great talent. Everyone agreed that he is indeed a “jazz master” as he was officially crowned in 2019 by the National Endowment for the Arts in the US. Tuks FM won the best campus radio station of the year award at the Liberty Radio Awards, making it the only radio station to have won this award five times.

Student hunger and nutrition Food insecurity – whether through undernourishment or lack of food – denies students the chance to achieve their full potential. UP pays considerable attention to this aspect of university life.

• Affordable nutritious meal-of-the day options are available in the residence dining halls.

• The Student Nutrition and Progress Programme provides meal credits or food parcels to students in need.

R700 000 was made available from the UP budget in 2019 and was supplemented by private cash donations of more than R200 000, as well as food donations from the private sector.

• Tuks FM teamed up with Menlyn Park Shopping Centre to help UP students in need. The campaign, Back2Varsity, called on the public to donate nonperishable foods, stationery, toiletries and clothing. The food alone collected provided about 170 students with meals for six months.

• In 2019, the University continued providing a loan advance to each student in a UP residence to enable them to afford meals until NSFAS

Food insecurity among students is a cause for concern. UP’s Healthy Eating campaign aimed to help students make smarter food choices, while the Back2Varsity campaign collected enough food to provide 170 students with meals for six months.

or bursary funds are paid out. The rationale for this advance is to prevent students from going hungry and to enable them to concentrate in class without worrying whether they will have a meal or not.

UP in a Nutshell 2020 – 23

BEST SA SPRINTER Akani Simbine, UP’s Sportsman of the Year, delivered the best result by a SA sprinter in a 100m final at a world championship UP is a centre of excellence in sport development through our world-renowned High Performance Centre, and – through our Sport, Exercise Medicine and Lifestyle Institute – in sports medicine, sports science and research on healthy lifestyles.

The absolute hunger to be the best led to the Tuks rowers setting four firsts during the USSA Boat Race Regatta. The highlight was the performance of the men’s A-crew who won for the 11th consecutive time, a new USSA record. The Tuks women’s A-crew won for a fourth consecutive time, which is another first. The men’s B and women’s B teams were also victorious. No university has ever managed to win all four races, making Tuks the overall USSA rowing champions.

24 – UP in a Nutshell 2020

UNBEATEN Donald Ramphadi, Tuks wheelchair rising star, has remained unbeaten in 12 international tournaments

X2 For the second consecutive year, UP teams were the overall Varsity Champions, winning three tournaments

1ST SA WOMAN Tatjana Schoenmaker, UP’s Sportswoman of the Year, is the first SA woman to win a medal at the World Championships. She also swept the 100 and 200 breaststroke gold medals at the 2019 World University Games

www.up.ac.za