The University of Cape Town established the UCT Australian Trust as an international office in Australia in 2011, with the appointments of Lenore Plummer as Chief Executive Officer and Ruth Thornton as Alumni Relations Manager.

Alumni chapters are being established in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide. The objectives of the alumni chapters are to:

• Organise successful events that foster professional and social contacts amongst alumni of the University of Cape Town;
• Expand the database of UCT alumni residing in Australia;
• Promote the University of Cape Town, its faculties, staff, students and alumni;
• Raise funds for the University of Cape Town Australian Trust

Benefits of Alumni participation

• Stay in touch with fellow alumni who shared the UCT experience
• Stay abreast of UCT developments on the global front
• Give back to the organisation that fostered your career
• Make use of business networking opportunities
• Assist South Africa achieve its educational objectives

The objective of the Trust is to raise funds for health and educational social justice initiatives initiated by UCT to empower South African communities rise above poverty.

Donating to UCT from Australia

We are pleased to announce that tax deductible donations may now be made to UCT from within Australia. This follows the establishment of an account within APHEDA (Australian Charity Union Aid Abroad), which is accredited by AusAid to transfer development funds overseas.
If you'd like to take advantage of this development, you can make a donation in one of the following ways:

• By credit card. Ensure that UCT is nominated as beneficiary.
• By cheque, made out to "APHEDA-UCT Australian Trust" and sent to the following address:
  APHEDA
  Level 3, 277-283 Sussex St
  Sydney
  NSW
  2000
• By contacting APHEDA by fax at 61 02 9261 1118.

In addition, please contact Lenore Plummer with the details of your donation, including the UCT area you wish to support. Lenore is also available to answer any queries you may have about tax deductibility, the UCT Trust's fundraising priorities or the donations process.

Contact us

Ruth Thornton
Alumni Relations Manager
5 Elvina Avenue
Avalon NSW 2107
Tel: 0299733807
or 0414224494

The University of Cape Town, Regional Office: Canada, is one of the four international offices, set up to maintain relations with alumni worldwide by -

• Organising networking opportunities that foster professional and social contacts amongst alumni of the University of Cape Town;
• Promoting the University of Cape Town, its faculties, staff, students and alumni;
• Providing a conduit for Canadian tax efficient donations to UCT in response to fundraising appeals sent out by the University from time to time.

Supporting UCT

In Canada, the University of Cape Town holds the status as a "prescribed university" under Section 118.1 of the Canadian Income Tax Act (Schedule VIII, item No. 19). As a qualified donee, donations made directly to the University of Cape Town are eligible for Canadian tax credits. In line with this status, as of 1 January 2011, the University of Cape Town's Regional Office: Canada has been in a position to receipt donations to UCT.

Presently, the Canadian Alumni Bursary in MBChB and the Canadian Alumni Bursaries in postgraduate study are awarded each year from funds raised by Canadian alumni. Other areas of support are in line with UCT's set priorities, and posted on the UCT Canada website. Here you will also find a downloadable donation/pledge form, and a link for online donations in Canada.

Alumni networking

The Regional Office: Canada organises alumni events in all the main centres of Canada where there is interest and a critical mass. Events are held regularly in Toronto and Vancouver. The regional office is available to assist regions with arranging events that will have relevance to UCT or its alumni. Feel free to contact the co-ordinators listed below, or contact Samantha Mandigora, Regional Director, directly.

Benefits of Alumni participation:

• Stay in touch with fellow alumni who shared the UCT experience;
• Access stimulating lectures and presentations by speakers on current topics of interest;
• Attend informal alumni social events;
• Stay abreast of UCT developments on the global front;
• Maintain an active affiliation to your alma mater and its respected international reputation;
• Make use of business networking opportunities

The University of Cape Town Trust is a UK registered charitable trust (number 803042) which raises funds and support for UCT in the UK and other parts of Europe. Established in London in 1991 by Vice Chancellor Dr Stuart Saunders, the Trust has raised some £30 million for projects at UCT from Foundations, companies and individuals. Chaired by Sir Frank Berman KCMG QC, the majority of the UCT Trust's Board of Trustees are eminent UCT alumni.

If you are resident in the UK, you can make a tax effective donation to UCT through the UCT Trust. Please see the UCT Trust website for more details.

The UCT Trust also organises events for UCT alumni based in the UK. Please see the UCT Trust Events Page to find out about upcoming events near you.

To ensure you receive invitations to future events, please send your email address - and those of any other UCT alumni you know in the UK - to Sam Davies.

UK events have included:

• UCT London Lectures with UCT academics such as the Dean of Law, Professor Danwood Chirwa, and Dr Patti Silbert of the Schools Improvement Initiative
• Vice-Chancellor's Receptions at prestigious London venues such as the House of Lords, the South African High Commission and the Chelsea Flower Show
• Lunches and evening receptions in Bristol, Cambridge and Oxford
• Fundraising concerts for UCT's Opera School
• Gatherings of the newly established Young Alumni Network

We look forward to hearing from you!

The UCT Fund Inc., is a registered non-profit organisation in the US which supports the university through fundraising and donor engagement. The UCT Fund Inc. has, as a precautionary and temporary measure, suspended certain activities with effect from 14 May 2025.

This action follows concerns raised by some alumni around the hosting of speakers allegedly linked to organisations designated as Foreign Terrorist Organisations (FTOs) under US law, particularly related to the past Israel Apartheid Week events.

In response to these concerns, the UCT Fund Inc. board has requested the university to initiate a formal inquiry. The regulatory environment in the US and the implications of the allegations necessitate that the university supports the UCT Fund Inc. in this regard.

For further information, please contact Porcha Dodson, the US Regional Director