The future of the University of Pretoria (UP) lies in the strength of its stakeholder interactions, and a vision to succeed in all our endeavours to have a caring university. As I reflect on this special day in our University calendar, I remember what Joe Echevarria, CEO of the University of Miami, Chair Emeritus of former USA President Barack Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, and Advisor to the Obama Foundation, said about our interdependencies. One of his quotes was, “The best way to predict the future is to create it together.”

This quote resonates with me because I strongly believe that young people are the future of this country, and I share the University’s philanthropic ambitions to provide financial support to students in need, particularly those who fall in the so-called “missing middle” category. These are students who come from families that are “too rich” to qualify for NSFAS funding, but “too poor” to qualify for a bank loan to fund their studies.

But even as we experience hardships as a country, and our needy students feel extreme poverty, I am reminded of the words of South African writer Prof Zakes Mda, who in an interview expressed his optimism about South Africa’s future and described the challenges of the first decades of democracy thus: “I think these are just the pangs of birth. I think a number of things will self-correct.” Like Prof Mda, I too believe our country has a strong civil society that cares, and as UP we appeal to everyone to make the future of our students matter.

In this light, I therefore encourage our staff, students, alumni, donors and friends of the University across all parts of the world to assist us as we build a prosperous tomorrow for future generations of students by raising funds through our UP Giving Day, which will take place on Monday, 24 July 2023, the day that our students return to our campuses to begin the second semester. 

UP Giving Day is a three-year campaign that started in 2022 to create philanthropic awareness, attract new donors, and encourage existing donors to increase their funding to the University. It takes place in July, a month dedicated to former President Nelson Mandela’s spirit of giving back to the less fortunate. In 2022 the target was to reach 250 new donors and raise R20 million. We managed to reach 456 donors and raised R19.3 million. As a forward-looking and future-focused institution, we are confident that collaborating with our stakeholders and the public can help us meet and exceed these numbers. 

Additionally, the University of Pretoria is preparing to launch what promises to be a first in Africa – and possibly the world: the UP Alumni Online Mall. This is a virtual mall where our alumni community will be able to log in to collect discount coupons from over 400 stores and brands and make purchases at discounted rates across South Africa. These brands include the most popular retail stores, gyms, travel and accommodation agencies, car dealerships, and insurers, to mention a few. What makes this an even greater innovation is that, while it will offer our alumni tangible benefits at discounted rates – benefits unlocked by an inexpensive subscription fee – it will simultaneously raise funds for UP’s Alma Mater Fund, which benefits our students. A pilot of this initiative has already raised just under R300 000 for our students from a list of subscribers who paid just R50 per person a month. This is the kind of innovation that can truly change the world – a win-win for everyone.

At UP we really have seen that, indeed, “The best way to predict the future is to create it together.” Through our collaborations, UP has made significant progress in the 2024 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings (WUR), and is now ranked at the 323rd position worldwide. This is a notable improvement from a 2023 ranking in the 591-600 range. UP is ranked number one in South Africa in three of the nine indicators: Employer Reputation (155 in the world), International Research Networks (26), and Sustainability (158). UP achieved a significant milestone by securing the 26th position in the world for its International Research Network (IRN), which is in line with our strategy of increasing the extent and diversity of our international research collaborations. 

In the 2023 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, UP has improved our position by rising to position 69 out of 1 705 universities in 115 countries. This represents a climb up from the 101-200 band in 2022, and it came despite increased competition, as the number of participating universities grew from 1 410 in 2022 to 1 705 in 2023.

All these strides would not be possible without our stakeholders and supporters who have taken us this far. With your continued support, we will continue to be responsive to the continent’s needs, and remain excited for the times ahead. Become part of UP’s brighter future by donating whatever you can. No donation is too small when we donate together! 

www.givingday.up.ac.za 

#UPGivingMatters