UCT reissues funding call for sustainability campus projects

Dear students and colleagues

The University of Cape Town (UCT) has made funds available for projects that focus on establishing and/or strengthening the environmental, social and financial sustainability of the university on any or all of our campuses.

This call was first issued before the COVID-19 pandemic made lockdown necessary. Given the significant ways in which our outlook on sustainability has shifted through the pandemic, it is crucial that we reconsider this topic within the context of new paradigms that have emerged over the past few months. This is why we have decided to reissue the call.

The new submission deadline for proposals is 1 October 2020, with an anticipated date of 1 January 2021 for the start of the project.

UCT will award at least two projects that run for up to five years at a budget of up to R1 million per annum, making the maximum total for each award R5 million.

This reissued call contains updates and revisions to the original call that was released in February 2020, so please take the time to download and read the necessary documents carefully:

• Download the project application template
• Download the Theory of Change template
• Read the UCT Sustainability Campus Project FAQ
• Read the full call guidelines

True sustainability needs to be far-reaching, including environmental, social and financial effects. Proposals to this call must include at least two of these sustainability areas and address at least one of the United Nations sustainable development goals.

For sustainability to be far-reaching, it also needs to include deep partnerships within the UCT community to ensure involvement and commitment across the fabric of the institution. Each project is expected to actively include professional, administrative support and service (PASS) staff, academic staff and students so that the full university community can contribute to the outcomes and share in this accomplishment.

This call is focused on the planning and design of these sustainability interventions and how they could be implemented, with potential for pilot implementation components. Where actual implementation requires funding beyond the amount of the award, the university will help successful applicants to raise the shortfall amount through international grant funding or other means, where the benefit of the project to UCT is confirmed.

As the Vice-Chancellor of UCT, I recognise that my role is that of custodian for a great institution. It is my responsibility to leave it in an even better position than it was when I took over leadership.  My hope is that the projects that come out of this call will not only build a more sustainable campus, but also inculcate a culture of sustainability in our students that they take with them wherever they go, and contribute to the building of a more sustainable country, continent and world.

Sincerely

Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng
Vice-Chancellor

Read previous communications:

• From the UCT Executive
• Campus Announcements