University of Botswana

The opening of the University of Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland (UBBS) on January 1, 1964 was the outcome of an agreement reached in the mid-1962 between the High Commission Territories and the Oblate of Mary Immaculate of Pius XII Catholic University, Roma, Lesotho.
Pius XII College of Roma, which is 35 kilometres from Maseru, was itself the product of a desire for an institution of higher learning for Africans by a Catholic Church hierarchy in southern Africa. It opened its doors to students in 1946, with five students and five priest-lecturers. In 1950, it was taken over by the Catholic Order of the Oblate of Mary Immaculate.
By 1963, there were 180 students, both men and women, and several buildings, including a science block, refectory, administration complex and workshops. Courses at Pius XII College were taught and examined under a special relationship entered into in 1955 with the University of South Africa, which awarded students degrees and diplomas in Science, Commerce and Education.
Pius XII College experienced difficulties over finance for the expanding institution and over racial restrictions on the student residences as required by the University of South Africa. Negotiations with the High Commission Territories to transform the University College into a fully-fledged university were initiated during 1962.
University of Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland (UBBS)
On June 13, 1963, a deed of cession and indemnity was signed by the Oblates and the High Commissioner of Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland. The new University, with Ford Foundation and British government funds, purchased the assets of the Roma Campus for an indemnity of half of its value, in exchange for guarantees of a continuing Catholic presence on the campus.
Students seeking specialised degrees in Medicine, Engineering, etc, proceeded to other universities after completing Part I (Years 1 and 2) studies in Science. The number of academic staff grew from 31 in 1964 to 78 in 1970. Staff was recruited from many countries, but the University pursued an active localisation policy from 1971.
UBLS was equally funded by the Governments of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland, but had comparatively little physical presence in Botswana and Swaziland in the first phase of its existence during 1964-1970.
With independence, the three countries began to take a closer look at the colonial inheritance of education, including their joint University, and began to identify the role of UBLS in higher and middle-level training.
A series of academic planning reports for UBLS produced after 1966 culminated in the second Alexander Report of 1970, which combined, 'the major recommendations of previous reports for the development of university campuses in each country and the unified development of higher education and vocational and teacher training'. The report recommended that Part I studies begin in Botswana and Swaziland, with eventual division of Part II (Year 2 and 4) studies among the campuses, and the consideration of 'polytechnic' arrangements for technical and vocational courses.
1971 - 1976
Following student unrest at Roma, and strained relations between the central UBLS administration and the Lesotho government over implementation of the 'Luyengo Package', the Roma campus was precipitately withdrawn from UBLS and constituted as the National University of Lesotho (NUL) on Monday October 20, 1975. This occurred at a time when a working group on further devolution of UBLS into three university colleges was preparing its report for the Council of the University.
The nationalisation of all facilities, monies and files in Lesotho meant the central administration of UBLS could operate with only limited effectiveness from premises at Malkerns during 1975-1976, and considerable autonomy was devolved onto the Botswana and Swaziland campuses.


Mission of the University of Botswana is to improve economic and social conditions for the Nation while advancing itself as a distinctively African university with a regional and international outlook. Specifically, the University will:
Provide excellence in the delivery of learning to ensure society is provided with talented, creative and confident graduates
Advance knowledge and understanding through excellence in research and its application
Improve economic and social development by high impact engagement with business, the professions, government and civil society
The University will fulfill its Vision and Mission by:
Offering quality academic and professional programmes that ensure a commitment to and a mastery of life-long learning skills as well as encouraging a spirit of critical enquiry
Developing a student-centred, intellectually stimulating and technologically advanced teaching, learning and research environment
Producing graduates who are independent, confident, self directed, critical thinkers, professionally competent, reflective practitioners, innovative, socially responsible and thereby marketable and competitive nationally and internationally
Advancing scholarship and generating research through the discovery, integration, dissemination and application of knowledge
Serving as an intellectual and cultural centre that draws upon the nation's indigenous knowledge base and which promotes Botswana's social and cultural heritage as well as being a community resource for new ideas, partnerships, and collaborative effort
Providing leadership in responding to the nation's cultural, economic, political scientific, social, technological and industrial needs and contributing to the qualitative development of Botswana's higher education system
Extending access to higher education through the utilisation of information and communication technologies, within the framework of life-long and open learning
Recruiting and developing quality staff and students, recognising and valuing the essential contribution they make, as well as rewarding excellence in the work they perform
Promoting the health, social, and spiritual welfare of the University community through a range of policies and programmes and a diversity of positive co-curricula activities and experiences
Enhancing the teaching, learning and research environment through the provision of a proactive style of leadership and management and efficient, effective and quality driven institutional support services.

Academic Integrity expressed in creativity, objective analysis, experimentation, critical appraisal, independent thought, informed debate and intellectual honesty
Cultural Authenticity by ensuring that the diversity of Botswana's indigenous values and cultural heritage forms an important part of the academic and organisational life of the institution
Internationalism through participation in the global world of scholarship, by being receptive and responsive to issues within the international environment as well as the recruitment of an international staff and student body
Social responsibility by promoting an awareness of, and providing leadership in responding to, the issues and problems facing society
Equity by ensuring equal opportunity and non-discrimination on the basis of personal, ethnic, religious, gender or other social characteristics
Autonomy as an institution, that is, through its self-governing structures, independent in action while being responsive to societal needs
Public Accountability by ensuring transparent decision-making and open review as well as the full participation of stakeholders in the development of the institution;
Productivity through the setting and rewarding of high standards of performance underpinned by a dedication to quality, efficiency and effectiveness throughout the institution.

Wollega University

Wollega University (WU), also known as Nekemte University, is a university in Nekemte, a town in the Western Oromia Region of Ethiopia.

Wollega University is one of the public higher educational institutions established at Nekemte in 2007. It is located 328 km West of Addis Ababa at the outskirt of Nekemte town on the 150 hectares of land surrounded by evergreen forest and natural scenery of landscape, and spectacular view of mount Komto. At present, the University, runs 60 undergraduate, and 17 graduate programs in three different campuses at Nekemte, Gimbi and Shambu towns.

Science, Technology and Arts Research (STAR) Journal (ISSN: 2226-7522 (Print) and ISSN: 2305-3327 (Online)) is an international, open access, online, print, peer-reviewed and quarterly publishing journal in all fields of science, technology and arts on the basis of its originality, importance, interdisciplinary interest, timeliness, accessibility, elegance and surprising conclusions. STAR Journal is an official international journal of Wollega University.

Mekelle Institute of Technology

The first was to provide the excellent but poor children, mostly in rural communities, with opportunities to finish high school and make their way to colleges and universities. And, the second one was to encourage children all over the primary schools in Tigrai to excel as they aspire to joining the model high school. Mr Araya and colleagues pursued the project and the founding of Qalamino Special High School was realized in 1997 with the support of the National Regional State of Tigrai. The first rationale had its impact in driving the gentle men into initiating the cause. But, the criterion for admission to the School later became having the best performance.

Offer high quality education, undertake advanced R&D programs, and deliver dependable community services in engineering, science, and technology.


Become a Center of Excellence in Engineering, Science, and Technology education and R&D, thus enhance the realization of science and technology-led national development.

MIT is established to play its role in alleviating shortage of professionals in critical fields of engineering and technology. The fields of engineering and technology pioneered in the Institute, however, are being introduced in other higher education institutions in the Country. The programs of MIT were developed to be characteristically distinctive and superior. Thus, long-term and short-term plans as well as periodic initiatives have to be pursued to ensure MIT’s distinction and superiority – in the quality and relevance of its education and training, research and development, and community service programs. The principal objective of having this Strategic Plan is, therefore, to maintain and enhance the distinctive and superior programs. Its integration with Mekelle University guarantees the successful implementation of this Strategic Plan. By the same token, the successful implementation of MIT’s Strategic Plan places the University at distinctively better position in regard to its cardinal mission.

Goal Statement

Produce highly qualified professionals in engineering, science, and technology who can invent and innovate, apply research, and build their own careers, thus contribute towards the development of Ethiopia and the transformation of Ethiopians to a self-reliant and vibrant society.

The specific goals of Mekelle Institute of Technology are:

To produce high-level professionals in the fields of Science and Technology, who can invent and innovate.
To produce professionals who can contribute towards the transformation of our society from backwardness and dependency to self-reliance and vibrancy.
To produce professionals who can contribute to the growing technology especially to the advancement of the technology of our country.
To solve technology related problems in the country through its research and development and ICT department.
Value Statement

MIT supports innovation and creativity in response to development needs of the Ethiopian society.

MIT has now been joined with Mekelle University under Ethiopia Institute of Technology due to reasons related to politics. ASSTU has now been joined with adama science and technology University under Ethiopia science and Technology minister due to reasons related to politics. It is believed that both ASSTU and Adama Science and Technology university have adopted MIT's curriculum. still it is a puzzle why MIT could not be under Ethiopia science and technology.

University of Cape Town

UCT has a proud tradition of academic excellence and effecting social change and development through its pioneering scholarship, faculty and students.

It is also renowned for its striking beauty, with its campus located at the foot of Table Mountain's Devil's Peak, with panoramic views of much of Cape Town.

Dr Max PriceUCT is very similar to the city of Cape Town: it has a vibrant, cosmopolitan community. It is a cultural melting pot where each person contributes their unique blend of knowledge and thinking. Our staff and students come from over 100 countries in Africa and the rest of the world. The university has also built links, partnerships and exchange agreements with leading African and international institutions that further enrich the academic, social and cultural diversity of our campus.

This heritage characterises the experience of studying at UCT, where our students are introduced to a life of leadership and service through social engagement. They also have the opportunity to hone their leadership skills by participating in the over 100 clubs and societies on campus, as well as in student governance.

Please browse freely through these web pages for information on all aspects of the university. You may also look at our photo albums that capture the highlights of life at UCT.

UCT aspires to become a premier academic meeting point between South Africa, the rest of Africa and the world. Taking advantage of expanding global networks and our distinct vantage point in Africa, we are committed, through innovative research and scholarship, to grapple with the key issues of our natural and social worlds. We aim to produce graduates whose qualifications are internationally recognised and locally applicable, underpinned by values of engaged citizenship and social justice. UCT will promote diversity and transformation within our institution and beyond, including growing the next generation of academics.

Foundation statement underpinning the mission statement

Our research-led identity is shaped by a commitment to:

academic freedom as the prerequisite to fostering intellectual debate and free enquiry;
ensuring that research informs all our activities including teaching, learning and service to the community;
advancing and disseminating knowledge that addresses the key challenges facing society - South African, continental and global;

In advancing UCT as an Afropolitan university, we will:

expand our expertise on Africa and offer it to the world;
extend our networks on the continent, along with our global connections and partnerships;
promote student and staff exchanges and collaborative research and postgraduate programmes;
engage critically with Africa's intellectuals and world views in teaching and research;
contribute to strengthening higher education on our continent.
We strive to provide an environment for our diverse student and staff community that:

promotes a more equitable and non-racial society;
supports redress in regard to past injustices;
is affirming and inclusive of all staff and students and promotes diversity in demographics, skills and backgrounds;
offers individual development opportunities to all staff;
is welcoming as a meeting space for scholars from Africa and around the world.

The strategic plan for the University of Cape Town

The strategic plan for the University of Cape Town highlights the interventions we believe we need to make in order to develop UCT in particular ways over the next five to 10 years.

The six key strategic goals are:

Internationalising UCT via an Afropolitan Niche
Transformation of UCT Towards Non-Racialism - Redress, Diversity, Inclusiveness and the Recognition of African Voices
Working Towards a Desired Size and Shape for UCT
A Vision for the Development of Research at UCT: Greater Impact, Greater Engagement
Enhancing the Quality and Profile of UCT's Graduates
Expanding and Enhancing UCT's Contribution to South Africa's Development Challenges
Download the Strategic Plan document.

Central University of Technology

Professor Thandwa Mthembu was appointed Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT), on 1 January 2007. Before then he had been Vice-Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Partnerships and Advancement at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, colloquially known as Wits. He has served in other senior and executive management positions at South African universities, including the then University of Durban Westville (as Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic and Research) and the then Vista University (as Campus Principal at Welkom).

A PhD in mathematics by formal education, he has published mathematics papers in international journals including a monograph. Over the last 15 years he diversified his scholarly interests to include higher education governance and management, social transformation and public intellectualism, areas in which he has written and published in journals, newspapers and magazines and contributed book chapters. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the East African Social Science Research Review, a journal based in East Africa, but catering for both eastern and southern Africa. He was guest editor of a 2012 special journal issue of the South African Journal of Higher Education.
He is Chairman of the South African Technology Network (SATN), a network of universities of technology and other innovation focused organisations and agencies in South Africa, including Namibia; Chairman of the Steering Committee for the Rural Campus Connection Project, a special ministerial project being implemented by Higher Education South Africa (HESA); Chairman of HESA’s Research and Innovation Strategy Group. He was also Chairman of the Ministerial Task Team on the establishment of a University in the Mpumalanga province, a national project that is currently being implemented; a member of the Ministerial Task Team on the National Youth Service.


Specific Admission information
An application fee, as stipulated in the admission regulations of the CUT, must be paid before the deadline specified in the admission regulations.

Prospective students must provide the Assistant Registrar: Academic Structure and Student Enrolment Services with their completed application forms for admission to the CUT as early as possible in the preceding academic year or semester.  A non-refundable application fee is payable with each application for admission.

Once the Academic Structure and Student Enrolment Services Unit have processed the applications, a selection list is drawn up and forwarded to the various faculties.

Upon receipt of the selection lists, the head of the department divide the applications into three (3) categories, namely:

1.        Applicants who meet all the admission requirements;

2.        Applicants to be subjected to the testing of potential;

3.        Applicants who are considered academically unsuccessful.

Applicants falling into the first category are notified in writing by the Academic Structure and Student Enrolment Services Unit that their applications for admission to the CUT have been successful.

The unsuccessful applicants falling into the third category are notified in writing by the Academic Structure and Student Enrolment Services Unit that their applications for admission to the CUT have been unsuccessful.

Applicants falling into the second category are notified in writing by the Academic Structure and Student Enrolment Services Unit that their applications for admission are subject to the testing of potential. The date, time and place of such testing will be clearly indicated.

RHODES UNIVERSITY

Rhodes University, a 111-year old institution [in 2015], with a well-established reputation for academic excellence.

Located in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, Rhodes is a small university which enjoys the distinction of having among the best undergraduate pass and graduation rates in South Africa, outstanding postgraduate success rates, and the best research output per academic staff member. This is testimony to the quality of students that Rhodes attracts and of academic provision, and to the commitment of Rhodes staff to student development and success.

Numerous clubs and societies provide extensive opportunities for students to participate in a variety of intellectual, social, cultural, and sport activities and further develop valuable skills.

At Rhodes the partnership between students, academics and other staff extends to the governance of the university. Through the Students Representative Council and other representative bodies of undergraduates and postgraduates students participate in the Council, Senate and other decision-and policy-making committees of the University.

Apart from enabling students to shape the nature and direction of Rhodes, these structures provide students invaluable opportunities to develop leadership skills.

Rhodes University looks to the future with confidence, secure that as indawo yolwazi (a place of knowledge) and through the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research and community engagement it produces outstanding graduates that are sought after and makes a vital contribution to human and social development.

I invite you to explore our website and discover what makes Rhodes University such an attractive proposition and the institution of first choice for anyone seeking an exceptional and meaningful higher education experience.

All international students (those who are not South African citizens or who do not have permanent residence in South Africa) are required to have a valid study permit prior to being permitted to register at Rhodes University.
Applications for study permits should be made at your nearest South African Consulate, Embassy or High Commission, usually in your home country. A study permit is usually granted for the period of the degree programme for which you are registering at a specific institution. Should you change degree or institution, your study visa will need to be amended accordingly by the Department of Home Affairs. Students are responsible for maintaining the validity of their permits at all times.
Please do not proceed to Rhodes University without a valid study permit.
The following documentation will be required in support of your study visa application:
− an official letter of provisional acceptance from the university
− medical and radiological reports
− relevant certificate (if married, divorced, widowed or separated)
− proof of valid medical insurance recognized in South Africa
− details regarding accommodation
− proof of sufficient funds to cover tuition fees, accommodation, living expenses and miscellaneous costs
− a police clearance certificate (less than 6 months old)
− a repatriation deposit

In addition you will be charged an application fee. Please note that processing time for study visa applications can be six to eight weeks and your passport will be retained by the South African Consulate, Embassy or High Commission for the duration of the application period.