Since 1997, Professor Klaus-Jürgen Bathe has generously supported 94 undergraduate engineering scholarships within the Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment at the University of Cape Town (UCT). These scholarships are awarded annually to outstanding students in their final two years of study who demonstrate exceptional academic ability and a commitment to excellence in their chosen fields.

During his visits to South Africa, Professor Klaus-Jürgen Bathe became deeply concerned about the challenges facing the country and the African continent more broadly. He firmly believed that strong leadership across key spheres of human activity is essential to ensuring a decent standard of living for all citizens.

This led to the establishment of the Klaus-Jürgen Bathe Leadership Programme at UCT. In early 2014, Professor Klaus-Jürgen Bathe made a generous donation to launch the programme, with the primary aim of developing graduates who possess outstanding leadership qualities and a strong sense of social justice. The programme aims to develop future leaders who will play meaningful roles across business, government, industry, and civil society in South Africa. Since its inception, 92 students from across all six UCT faculties have received leadership scholarships for their final two years of study.

From 2026, the Klaus-Jürgen Bathe Engineering Scholarship and the Klaus-Jürgen Bathe Leadership Scholarship will merge to form the Klaus-Jürgen Bathe Scholarships. These scholarships will be awarded annually to eight students: four from engineering and four from other faculties at UCT.

The scholarships will recognise students who demonstrate strong academic achievement, active leadership during their university years, and a meaningful contribution to society. Recipients are expected to exemplify integrity, responsibility, and a clear commitment to making a positive impact both within the university community and beyond.