Dear UP colleague,

Following a decision by the UP Executive at a meeting held on 29 October 2019, I would like to inform you that the name of the Department of University Relations (DUR) has been changed to the Department of Institutional Advancement (DIA). The name change is to ensure that the Department and University are aligned to global best practices as well as to the University 2025 Institutional Plan, which seeks to elevate the reputation of the University.

The DIA will continue to work towards achieving the following in line with the University’s strategy:

• Build and protect the University’s reputation and create awareness among all its stakeholders through marketing, communication and public relations.
• Raise funds to support the University's mission. 
• Coordinate all institutional programmes and events.
• Build and foster relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including staff, students and alumni.

As part of the name change, the division responsible for the technical maintenance and back-end of the UP website will move to the Department of Information Technology Services (ITS) from January 2020.

Please take note of these changes, and I encourage you to embrace the change and continue to work collaboratively with your colleagues in the DIA to achieve the goals of the University. It is indeed an exciting time and an opportunity for us to do things differently going forward. We look forward to your continued support and co-operation as we work towards building UP as one of the leading tertiary institutions in the world.
 

Kind regards,

Prof CMA Nicholson