The University of Pretoria (UP) recently hosted a successful annual #ChooseUP Day on its seven campuses to introduce prospective students and parents/guardians to its staff, campuses, student services and facilities ahead of the 2024 academic year.

Thousands of prospective students, mostly Grade 12 learners, made their way to UP’s campuses on Saturday, 9 September 2023, showing that the institution was still the university of choice for many people in South Africa and beyond.

“Our mission entails producing graduates who are not only global citizens and leaders, but who are also equipped with the skills, innovation and dedication to address the evolving needs of our world, Interim Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Themba Mosia said.

UP Interim Vice-Chancellor Professor Themba Mosia addresses prospective students, parents and guardians during #ChooseUP Day.

“The UP graduate emerges as a critical thinker, a creative problem solver and a collaborative partner as we firmly believe that the best solutions arise from working together. Moreover, our students are trained to be enterprising, influential and to display qualities that are essential for success in the dynamic landscape of an everchanging world with complex challenges.”

“We take immense pride in our status as a top-tier research-intensive institution, firmly ranked in the top 1% of universities worldwide in 10 specialised fields. Notably, over 70% of our lecturers hold doctoral degrees, ensuring that the skills and knowledge taught to you are of the highest calibre. In fact, in the 2022 graduation cohort, more than 3 000 students achieved a remarkable average of 80% and above. We’re dedicated to maintaining this exceptional standard.”

Prof Mosia said, indeed UP’s commitment to delivering high-quality education is evident in its undergraduate pass rate of 93%.

Future veterinarians get up close and personal with the animals at the Onderstepoort Campus.

Prospective students were also informed about the student support programmes that would be available to them, and that have been specifically designed to unlock their potential and support them throughout their academic journey.

Speaking more on this, Acting Vice-Principal for Student Life Professor Flavia Senkubuge said: “Having been a student myself years ago, I know this phase of your life comes with great excitement and anxiety about what the future holds, but I want to reassure you that UP cares and we will support you throughout your journey as a first-year student until you graduate.”

“Remember, UP has a reputation for producing quality graduates with over 300 000 alumni who are leading achievers in the business, social, political, sporting and cultural arenas, and who are all making a positive impact in the communities they work and live in. We look forward to welcoming you into our vibrant community and witnessing your incredible journey ahead.”

Click on the image below for more pictures from the event

Prospective students and their parents and guardians also got the chance to get advice from UP staff members about life at UP.

Student Representative Council (SRC) President Njabulo Sibeko took to the podium and told prospective students, parents and guardians to rest assured that the team of dedicated SRC members will always have their back no matter what comes their way.

“The UP community is more than just a hashtag. It is a lifestyle that we all want to achieve. We want to have a UP community that is not only welcoming to one group of people but is welcoming to everyone irrespective of their backgrounds,” he said.

Prospective student Glory Montali, 19, said, “I took a gap year this year because I did not want to go to any other university except the University of Pretoria… Being here with my mother and seeing the facilities and resources, I am now even more obsessed with UP and I do not regret my decisions. I will definitely be coming here in 2024 to study BConSci (Clothing Retail Management) offered by the Department of Consumer and Food Sciences.”

Watch a fun video of the festivities on our TikTok account