The University of Pretoria (UP) has shown a steadfast commitment to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 1), which aims to eradicate poverty in all its forms everywhere. The institution has actively engaged in research, education, and community outreach programs that directly contribute to poverty alleviation. By fostering an academic environment that encourages interdisciplinary studies and innovative thinking, the university has become a hub for generating solutions to address the complex issue poverty. Collaborations with local communities, government agencies, and international organizations further enhance the impact of these initiatives, ensuring that the benefits of the university's work extend beyond the campus. In addition to its academic endeavors, the University of Pretoria emphasizes the importance of social responsibility and community engagement. Various student-led initiatives and volunteer programs are in place to directly assist marginalized communities, providing vital resources and support. These programs not only contribute to immediate poverty alleviation but also serve to empower individuals and communities, fostering long-term sustainability. Through its comprehensive approach, the University of Pretoria demonstrates a genuine commitment to SDG 1, actively contributing to the global effort to eradicate poverty and promote prosperity for all.
UP adopts a holistic and interdisciplinary teaching and learning approach towards SDG 1, which aims to eradicate poverty in all its forms. This approach is embedded in the curriculum across various departments, ensuring that students from different disciplines gain a comprehensive understanding of poverty and its multifaceted nature. Courses are designed to not only provide theoretical knowledge but also to encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, and active engagement with real-world poverty-related issues. Through case studies, fieldwork, and community engagement projects, students are exposed to the practical challenges of poverty alleviation, fostering a sense of social responsibility and a commitment to sustainable development. In addition to formal coursework, UP offers various platforms for experiential learning and community engagement. Student organisations and volunteer programs are actively involved in poverty alleviation projects, providing students with opportunities to apply their academic knowledge in practical settings. These initiatives also facilitate partnerships between the university, local communities, and external organisations, creating a collaborative network for knowledge exchange and joint action towards achieving SDG 1. Through its innovative teaching and learning approach, UP not only equips students with the necessary skills and knowledge to contribute to poverty eradication but also instills a sense of civic duty and a commitment to social justice, ensuring that the next generation of leaders is prepared to address global challenges.
The University of Pretoria (UP) in South Africa is actively involved in research related to Sustainable Development Goal 1 (SDG 1), which aims to end poverty in all its forms everywhere. The university's commitment to addressing poverty through research is evident in its various departments, centers, and institutes that focus on social issues, economic development, and public policy. Below are some key areas of research related to SDG 1 at the University of Pretoria:
The University of Pretoria (UP) is highly committed to community outreach and engagement, particularly in addressing SDG 1, which aims to end poverty in all its forms everywhere. Through various programs, initiatives, and collaborations, UP extends its impact beyond the campus to directly contribute to poverty alleviation and community development. Below are some of the ways in which the university is involved in community outreach related to SDG 1:
The Ikusasa Student Financial Aid Programme (ISFAP) provides bursaries to students who come from poor and working class backgrounds, including the missing middle. It covers full university fees and other fees such as accommodation, meals, mentoring, medical support, etc. In order to qualify for an ISFAP bursary, you need to have a household income which falls between R0 and R600 000 (bottom quintile).
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is a South African government student financial aid scheme which provides financial aid to undergraduate students to help pay for the cost of their tertiary education after finishing high school and it is funded by the Department of Higher Education and Training.
Dell Young Leaders Program was created by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, to address the education issues of South African children. The program helps up to 100 South African from poor areas across the University of Cape Town and University of Pretoria, who which to pursue a professional degree.
The Sikelela Scholars is a completion program that connects students to university resources designed to help them secure and start their careers. The program has provided new ways on how we can partner with our students to ensure they have the tools they need, raising ambition of what’s possible at the university. The program matches students with resources to help them navigate their experiences at university and program staff provides students with proactive semester check-ins, academic guidance and support with coursework, financial counseling and assistance, wellness and well-being programs, and career readiness counseling.
The Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Merit Award (VCDMA) covers tuition fees for thee years and the amount for the first year is R 80 000. This award will be made to the new first-year student who has achieved the highest overall average or the new first-year student from a Quintile 1 or Quintile 2 (bottom 20% of the household income group). The full list of all bursaries is available at this link.
In the realm of EMS, there are several funding avenues available to support education and development in this critical sector. FASSET, the Finance and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority, is known for providing funding for accounting and finance-related training, which can be pivotal for EMS organizations seeking to improve their financial management and reporting capabilities. ISFAP, the Ikusasa Student Financial Aid Programme, offers means-tested funding to students in selected fields, including those pursuing health sciences, which may encompass EMS-related qualifications. Lastly, Thuthuka, a bursary fund initiative by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), primarily focuses on transforming the accounting profession by supporting students who require financial assistance to study towards becoming Chartered Accountants (CA(SA)), which can indirectly benefit the financial departments within EMS services. Each of these funding sources plays a vital role in bolstering the capacity and sustainability of EMS by ensuring that the financial and educational resources are in place for those who manage and deliver these lifesaving services. For more information please refer to this link.
In 2021, the Faculty of Health Sciences at UP launched the Food Parcel Project in response to the significant increase in UP students who do not have access to healthy food and toiletries. All non-perishable foodstuffs and toiletries are welcome and are dropped in the marked boxes at the assigned drop-off points.
All UP campuses are centrally located along major transport hubs for easy access for people using public transport such as the Gautrain and Gautrain buses, municipal or private buses, taxis or hired cabs.
UP's Law Clinic forms part of the Faculty of Law and is a statutorily recognised legal aid clinic in terms of the Legal Practice Act, 28 of 2014. This clinic provides support in terms of legal services for students from low income families. For more information, please refer to this link.
The Department of Student Affairs (DSA) offers a range of services to enhance student success, leadership, welfare and wellness. Our services have a proactive and programme-based approach.
Application fees are waived for students who apply for studies at the University of Pretoria if your household income is lower than or equal to R150 000 per annum.
Higher education in South Africa does not come cheap. On average, it costs R19 000 a month, all inclusive, to put one student through an undergraduate BSc, BA, BEng or BCom degree at a contact university. The cost is several thousands of Rands more per month if a student is studying a specialised degree such as medicine. This is why the University of Pretoria’s Giving Day on 24 July 2023 is so important – and such a good cause. A once-off contribution of as little as R10 could end up making all the difference to a missing middle student or would-be postgraduate in need. Many small contributions can add up to a lot. As at 2022, donations received from individual donors have brought in enough funds to assist 73 students, of whom 39 have graduated.
UP aids in the local community supporting the start-up of financially and socially sustainable businesses through relevant education or resources (e.g. mentorship programmes, training workshops, access to university facilities). The University of Pretoria Business Incubator (UPBI) is a rapid business incubator based at the University of Pretoria. We help aspiring young entrepreneurs build the companies that will shape the future by equipping them with the tools, skills and connections that they need to turn that dream into a tangible reality. The UPBI is open to all students of the University of Pretoria, regardless of degree or year of study. To be a part of the incubator as students must first apply with either a business idea or an already running business and then they are interviewed. Once they have passed the application process, students are inducted into the incubator as incubates. They are then eligible to attend a series of talks hosted by a select group of speakers.
TuksNovation is a technology business incubator that provides specialised product and business development support to startups. Through partnerships TuksNovation provides an ecosystem for corporates to support new and upcoming start-ups. TuksNovation collaborates with student entrepreneurial challenges and events to give students the opportunity to engage with the start-up community. TuksNovation supports student entrepreneur challenges, talk events and Masterclass webinars to engage with industry experts and gain valuable experience towards their own entrepreneurial journey. We aim to be a leading facilitator of an innovation ecosystem that catalysis the acceleration of technology into sustainable new enterprises. TuksNovation initially provides technology development and entrepreneurship training support in order to ensure that the technology is fully developed and addresses a relevant market need. The list of ventures is provided here.
The Centre for Entrepreneurship at the University of Pretoria (UP) has launched a National SMME Support Portal (NSSP). The portal was established to support and enhance small business continuity in South Africa during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The portal offers free professional services and resources via an online portal, with all the automated functionality needed to fulfil its objectives. More than 320 professionals are already offering their valuable and specialised services for free on a weekly basis. Webinars and training covering an array of short and relevant topics will also be made available during the pandemic. The SMME portal is proudly hosted and developed by the Department of Library Services’ Digital Systems and Services Unit. The portal can be accessed by any registered SMME in South Africa.
The University of Pretoria (UP) has launched the Mamelodi Business Hub, which will offer young people in Mamelodi and further afield the opportunity to realise their entrepreneurial ambitions. For more than a decade, the initiative touched the lives of more than 14 000 entrepreneurs. But now, what Prof Kupe describes as UP’s best-kept secret has reached a point where it is ready to scale its activities for greater impact. The revitalized hub is born out of a greater vision for South Africa and Africa. For more info please see this link.
The UP Public Policy Hub (PPH) is envisioned to foster greater adoption of sustainable, evidence-based public policies in Africa by promoting collaboration between academic research and government public policy through the co-creation of transdisciplinary and policy-relevant research for better development outcomes in Africa. The PPH aligns with UP's Destination 2026 and Beyond Strategic Plan and it is set to strengthen UP's impact on economic and social development. The Hub's research focus areas will be determined by the public sector’s needs, as well as by cutting-edge and innovative research outputs from the academic community. They will be anchored and developed within the framework of the African Union's (AU) Agenda 2063 and the United Nations' (UN) Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. To become an active partner in shaping Africa’s development agenda from a public policy and governance perspective, the PPH has the following five strategic pillars to support its vision: 1) Collaborative, relevant, and impactful research: Partner with faculties, centres, and institutes across UP as well as research fellows and associates at other universities; national and international practitioners, and policymakers to produce practical research with implementable solutions for societal impact, 2) Consultative processes and research-to-policy dialogues: Develop and convene networks of public sector and research experts with the intention of increasing demand for and uptake of evidence in policy decisions. These research-to-policy dialogues will also assist researchers in understanding the policymaking processes and how to be more helpful, and flexible, when communicating research (e.g., through policy briefs, and policy notes), 3) Capacity development and executive training: Using existing expertise across the university and the knowledge created through collaborative research, partner with Enterprises UP to provide a range of learning opportunities for policymakers across sectors and through developed curricula, build the capacity of the next generation of leaders and policymakers in the public sector, 4) Influencing university curriculum design: By integrating the diverse expertise of multiple stakeholders in the research formulation process as co-producers of knowledge in an ever-changing environment, expose students and faculty staff to real-time global policy issues and real-world learning to the qualifications offered by the University of Pretoria are practical, relevant, and adaptive to real-world events, and 5) Ensuring positive societal impact: At a national level, the goal is to have the public sector appropriating a knowledge repository to shape and influence public policy, reforms, and legislation. The PPH’s research focus areas are anchored and developed within the framework of the African Union’s (AU) Agenda 2063 and the United Nations’ (UN) Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.
Read more about Goal 1 on UN Website
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