University of South Africa

University of South Africa

public university

Year dem found am	26 June 1873
Official name	University of South Africa, Universiteit van Suid-Afrika, Yunivesithi ya Afurika Tshipembe
Country	South Africa
Edey de administrative territorial entity insyd	Pretoria
Coordinate location	25°46′2″S 28°11′58″E
Language dem use	English
Significant event	name change
Dema official website	https://www.unisa.ac.za/

De University of South Africa (UNISA) be de largest varsity system insyd South Africa by enrollment. Edey attract third of all higher education students insyd South Africa. Thru various colleges den affiliates, UNISA get ova 400,000 students, wey dey include international students from 130 countries worldwide, wey dey make am one of de world ein mega varsities den de only such university for Africa insyd.

As comprehensive varsity, Unisa dey offer both vocational den academic programmes, many of wich receive international accreditation, as well as extensive geographical footprint, wey dey give dema students recognition den employability for chaw countries de world ova. De varsity dey list chaw notable South Africans among ein alumni, wey dey include two Nobel prize winners: Nelson Mandela, de first democratically presido of South Africa dem elect den Archbishop Desmond Tutu.^[1]

Dem founded am for 1873 insyd as de University of the Cape of Good Hope, de University of South Africa (anaa Unisa as ebe commonly known) spend most of ein early history as agency wey dey examine give Oxford den Cambridge universities den as incubator from wich most oda varsities insyd South Africa descend. Legislation insyd 1916 dem establish de autonomous University of South Africa (de same legislation dem establish Stellenbosch University den de University of Cape Town as autonomous varsities) as "umbrella" anaa federal institution plus ein seat insyd Pretoria, wey dey play academic trusteeship role give several colleges wey eventually cam turn autonomous universities.^[2] De colleges wey na dem dey under UNISA ein trusteeship be Grey University College (Bloemfontein), Huguenot University College (Wellington), Natal University College (Pietermaritzburg), Rhodes University College (Grahamstown), Transvaal University College (Pretoria), de South African School of Mines and Technology (Johannesburg), den Potchefstroom University College.^[3] For 1959 insyd, plus de passage of de Extension of University Education Act, UNISA ein trusteeship sanso extend go de five "black varsities", namely University of Zululand, University of the Western Cape, University of the North, University of Durban-Westville, den University of Fort Hare.^[4] Insyd 1946, na dem give UNISA fresh role as distance education varsity, den today edey offer certificate, diploma den degree courses^[5] up to doctoral level.

Insyd January 2004, Unisa merge plus Technikon Southern Africa (Technikon SA, polytechnic) wey dem incorporate de distance education component of Vista University (VUDEC). De combined institution retain de name University of South Africa. Dem now dey organise am by college den by school;

De varsity

Panorama View of Unisa (Main Campus)

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Building

De varsity get seven regional centres insyd South Africa, wey dey service students for all nine provinces insyd. Dese be:

• Eastern Cape (East London, Mthatha, Port Elizabeth)
• Gauteng (Ekurhuleni, Florida, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Vaal Triangle)
• Kwazulu-Natal (Durban, Newcastle, Pietermaritzburg, Richards Bay, Wild Coast Region)
• Limpopo Province (Giyani, Makhado, Polokwane)
• Midlands (Bloemfontein, Kimberley Kroonstad, Mafikeng, Potchefstroom, Rustenburg)
• Mpumalanga (Middelburg, Nelspruit)
• Western Cape (Cape Town, George)

Academic community

As one of de world ein mega varsities, Unisa dey present academic offerings dem associate plus both technological den traditional varsities. Dese dey include, buh no limit to, combination of career-orientated courses dem usually associate plus varsity of technology, den formative academic programmes dem typically link to traditional varsity.

• College of Accounting Sciences
• College of Agricultural den Environmental Sciences
• College of Education
• College of Economic den Management Sciences
• College of Graduate Studies
• College of Human Sciences
• College of Law
• College of Science, Engineering den Technology
• Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL)

For addition to de eight colleges den SBL, Unisa get numerous bureaus, centres, institutes, museums den units^[6] wey dey support academic development den research.

Ranking

For 2015 insyd, dem rank de University of South Africa de 6th best varsity insyd South Africa by de Times Higher Education. Dis make de varsity de 6th best varsity insyd Africa, out of 30.^[7]

University of South Africa World Ranking

UNISA Times Higher Education Ranking 2016 to 2024
Year	World Rank
2024	1001–1200
2023	1001–1200
2022	801–1000
2021	1001+
2020	1001+
2019	1001+
2018	801–1000
2017	801+
2016	601-800
[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]

Academic dress

• Bachelors, masters den honours degrees: black gown plus de same pattern as Master of Arts gown of de University of Oxford anaa Cambridge, den black cap plus black tassel.
• Doctoral degrees: cardinal red gown plus open sleeves dem line in cardinal red, cardinal red cap plus tassel insyd de colour of de college concern.^[22]

Culture

Former coat of arms

Unisa dey promote den promulgate culture in all ein manifestations since ein inception for 1873 insyd. Apart from de academic courses dem offer by Unisa ein College of Humanities, practical language, dem dey actively pursue art den music skills thru de setting of curricula den de implementation of special courses den examinations.

• African Centre for Arts, Culture den Heritage studies
• Museum of Anthropology den Archaeology
• Department of Music
• Unisa Space Art Gallery
• Unisa Music Foundation

Notable alumni

• 
  Edwin Cameron
• 
  Denis Goldberg
• 
  Chenjerai Hove
• 
  Antjie Krog
• 
  Nelson Mandela
• 
  Gifty Oware-Mensah
• 
  Dikgang Moseneke
• 
  Barney Pityana
• 
  Mamphela Ramphele
• 
  Cyril Ramaphosa
• 
  Desmond Tutu

References

1. "Illustrious alumni". 15 April 2021. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
2. Welsh, David (1975). "Universities and Society in South Africa: An Historical Perspective (The Van Wyk de Vries Commission on Universities: Critical Comments)". Philosophical Papers. 4 (1): 22. doi:10.1080/05568647509506448.
3. Welsh, David (1975). "Universities and Society in South Africa: An Historical Perspective". Philosophical Papers. 4 (1): 22. doi:10.1080/05568647509506448.
4. Moulder, James (1975). "Academic Freedom and the Extension of University Education Act". Philosophical Papers. 4 (1): 65. doi:10.1080/05568647509506451.
5. "Unisa Short Courses". Mansa Digital. 17 November 2019. Archived from the original on 17 November 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
6. "Unisa – Bureaus, Centres, Institutes, Museums and Units". Unisa.ac.za. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
7. "Top Africa". Ranking Web of World Universities. Archived from the original on 9 July 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2010.
8. "World University Rankings 2024 (South Africa)". Times Higher Education (THE). 20 October 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
9. "World University Rankings 2023 (South Africa)". Times Higher Education (THE). 20 October 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
10. "World University Rankings 2022 (South Africa)". Times Higher Education (THE). 20 October 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
11. "World University Rankings 2021 (South Africa)". Times Higher Education (THE). 20 October 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
12. "World University Rankings 2020 (South Africa)". Times Higher Education (THE). 20 October 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
13. "World University Rankings 2019 (South Africa)". Times Higher Education (THE). 20 October 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
14. "World University Rankings 2018 (South Africa)". Times Higher Education (THE). 20 October 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
15. "World University Rankings 2017 (South Africa)". Times Higher Education (THE). 20 October 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
16. "World University Rankings 2016 (South Africa)". Times Higher Education (THE). 20 October 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
17. "World University Rankings 2015 (South Africa)". Times Higher Education (THE). 20 October 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
18. "World University Rankings 2014 (South Africa)". Times Higher Education (THE). 20 October 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
19. "World University Rankings 2013 (South Africa)". Times Higher Education (THE). 20 October 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
20. "World University Rankings 2012 (South Africa)". Times Higher Education (THE). 20 October 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
21. "World University Rankings 2011 (South Africa)". Times Higher Education (THE). 20 October 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
22. "Academic dress". www.unisa.ac.za. Retrieved 26 January 2019.

External links

De varsity

• Official website
• Official Unisa Facebook page
• Official Unisa Twitter page
• Official Unisa YouTube page

International cooperation

• Institutional Cooperation and Membership
• African Relations
• The Network for Education and Research in Europe (Network of evangelical seminaries, most insyd Germany)
• Aufbaustudium (MTh UNISA)