Unit for Urban Citizenship (UUC)

The Mamelodi campus works closely together with the Unit for Urban Citizenship situated in the Department of Architecture.

The aims of the UCC are:

• to facilitate transdisciplinary research on urban citizenship;
• to focus on community engagement and strengthen social impact through evidenced-based multi-scalar interventions;
• to support the socio-economic and spatial transformation imperatives of the national development agenda;
• and give effect to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Projects linked with the Mamelodi campus:

The Mamelodi Collaborative is an anchor institution strategy collaboration between the University of Pretoria and Rutgers University-Newark (USA) focused on community engagement efforts in the township of Mamelodi in the City of Tshwane, with a strong emphasis on the education ecosystem through the research theme focused on the broadening of education pathways. The collaboration builds on current pre-university interventions that have led to notable success in graduation rates of students that transition from After School and Out of School initiatives. In addition, pre-existing partnerships between community institutions in Mamelodi and the University of Pretoria have been further developed, through models of anchor institution engagement, for the enhancement of the surrounding education networks.

The Mamelodi Collaborative Built Environment working group focuses on developing policy recommendations regarding spatial guidelines in support of the combined educational intentions of the Departments of Social Development (ECD), Basic Education and Higher Education and Training. Alignment between these intentions and the operational mechanisms in the delivery of infrastructure by the departments of Public Works and Infrastructure Development is investigated towards developing a healthy educational ecosystem. Referring to the educational environment as an ecosystem is to understand the impact of educational institutions as a nuclear agent. They have the capability of reinforcing existing and creating durable connections within networks in their context. For this reason, it becomes increasingly important to address the role of education within a contexts ecosystem.

Please view a video of students that was developed within this theme:

2020: Project at Tsako Thabo Secondary School