A dinner to inaugurate the 16 new scholars of the Klaus-Jürgen Bathe Leadership Programme was held at the Vineyard Hotel in Newlands on 19 February 2015. The event was hosted by the the Programme Donor, Professor Klaus-Jürgen Bathe of Massachusetts, USA, and the Programme Director, Professor Alphose Zingoni of the Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment at the University of Cape Town.

The Consul General of the US Consulate in Cape Town, Mr. Teddy Taylor, the Head of Cultural Affairs of the German Consulate in Cape Town, Ms Kirsten Buchhorn, UCT Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Francis Petersen, as well as other invited guests, attended the dinner to welcome the first cohort of Bathe Leadership scholars. The evening also provided the opportunity to introduce the programme to the German and US governments, regarded, together with the South African government, as key partners for the future sustainability of the programme.

 The Klaus-Jürgen Bathe Leadership Programme was formally launched in 2014 with the primary goal of producing graduates with outstanding leadership qualities and a strong sense of social justice, who will go on to play leading and significant roles in business, government, industry and civil society in South Africa and on the African continent. Full-cost scholarships will be provided to selected undergraduate students from across all faculties at UCT. Candidates have to be academically outstanding, with demonstrated leadership potential and a strong commitment to serve South Africa and the African continent. Under the programme, scholars will be nurtured towards becoming excellent leaders of tomorrow. They will be availed the opportunity to spend six weeks attached to an approved organisation in Germany, USA or South Africa, learning the skills of good leadership through observation.

Nearly R20 million has already been committed to the Programme, and the first phase will see 46 students graduating from the programme.