The UWC Ikamva Lethu – Our Future Campaign 2016-2020 aims to raise XXXX over five years and is a build up towards the University’s 60th Anniversary. The campaign will hone in on three areas. Firstly, Student Funding, which we have named the SRC iKamva Lethu Fund– Our Future Student Fund. Our second area of focus is Infrastructure, titled Sakha iKamva – Building Our Future. Finally, there is our Development Fund, or Sikulisa iKamva – GrowingOur Future. The overarching goal of The UWC Ikamva Lethu – Our Future Campaign 2016-2020 is to strengthen the University’s capacity in those areas of excellence as outlined in its Institutional Operational Plan. The campaign will be driven by the Department for Institutional Advancement and led by the Rector and Vice- Chancellor, Professor Tyrone Pretorius. It will be supported by the Executive, council members the Board of Trustees, academics, staff students, alumni and professional services staff.
Background
These are uncertain, financially uncertain times for higher education in South Africa. Over the past two decades, income from tuition fees and state subsidies – coupled with the need to increase enrolment – has put growing pressures on university resources. At UWC, it is estimated that the university will have to grow its third-stream income by as much as 18% per year over the next five years if it is to maintain current standards and continue to generate a modest operating surplus. But UWC also has more ambitious goals. We want to become – and we’re already making strides in that direction – one of the leading universities in South Africa, Africa and, yes, the world. This means growth – especially in infrastructure. But we also want to cement our reputation as a university that offers opportunities to – and develops – students from all walks of life. Student protests at the end of 2015 has cast a harsh but perhaps timely spotlight on, among other things, the financial constraints under which many students operate. It also served as a caution to what can happen if those pressures are allowed to boil over. While the responsibility to deal with this fraught situation is not universities’ alone, it has placed a greater burden on institutions to develop and grow such third-stream incomes.