During this period, the higher education landscape in South Africa underwent drastic changes following on from the lessons learnt during the preceding two years and the political changes in the country. These changes were reflected in an overhaul of institutional culture towards being more reflective of the concerns raised by students during the #FeesMustFall protests. UP developed world-class infrastructure to support its vision of being a leader in transdisciplinary research.  Professor Tawana Kupe was invested as the new Vice-Chancellor and Principal to lead the University of Pretoria forward in terms of achieving its long-term strategic goals and laying out where the University is headed beyond 2026. The global COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the modes of teaching and learning and highlighted the importance of access to digital resources as the University rose to the challenge of continuing to give its students high-quality education.

GALLERY: An African university: 2018 and beyond

Historic context

• 2018      Cyril Ramaphosa is elected president of the ANC and becomes president of South Africa
• 2020      COVID-19 global pandemic – SA under lockdown
• 2022      The Zondo Judicial Commission of Inquiry into State Capture delivers its report
• 2018      In partnership with SANRAL and the CSIR, UP commences with construction on Engineering 4.0, comprising of training facilities and testing laboratories for research on  transportation
• 2018      The names of the various UP residences are changed with the participation of the student residents and in line with the transformation policy of the University
• 2019      Professor Tawana Kupe becomes the first black male Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria
• 2019      Future Africa Research Institute is opened on the Hillcrest Campus
• 2019      Javett Art Centre at the University of Pretoria (Javett-UP) is opened on the Hatfield Campus
• 2020      Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UP enters lockdown on 26 March with students being sent home and classes and graduation ceremonies being conducted online
• 2021      24 Tuks athletes and five coaches and one referee are selected to represent South Africa at the Tokyo Games
• 2022      Full-time classes resume after intermitent lockdowns
• 2022      Emeritus Justice Sisi Khampepe is appointed as the 10th Chancellor of the University of Pretoria
• 2022      The University of Pretoria significantly improves its position in the 2022 Times Higher Education (THE) World Reputation Rankings. Globally, UP is ranked 382 in overall reputation compared to 514 in 2021, 385 in research reputation (581 in 2021), and 339 in teaching reputation (461 in 2021). In South Africa, UP is ranked 3rd (4th in 2021), overall. This is the University’s best performance over the past five years.

- Author: UP Archives