University of Zululand

Infobox University
name = University of Zululand
motto = Dilligentia Cresco
"By diligence I grow"
established = 1960
type = Public University
chancellor = Jacob Zuma
vice_chancellor = Prof Rachel Vuyiswa Gumbi
Staff = 737
students = 6,825
undergrad = 6,456
postgrad = 369
city = Mhlathuze, KwaZulu Natal
Province = Kwazulu Natal
country = South Africa
colours = Blue, White, Black and Gold
mascot = Fish Eagle
nickname = Ongoye
website = [http://www.unizulu.ac.za/ www.unizulu.ac.za]

The University of Zululand (also known as Unizulu) has been designated to serve as the only comprehensive tertiary educational institution north of the uThukela River in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Its new status is in accordance with South Africa's National Plan for Higher Education aimed at eradicating inequity and costly duplication. As a result, Unizulu offers career-focused programmes as well as a limited number of relevant university degree courses that have been structured with potential employees and employers in mind.

The University has extended its existing links with a wide array of tertiary educational institutions in the United States and in Europe by establishing partnerships with the University of Mississippi, Radford University, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and Chicago State University. Unizulu pursues an agenda for scholarly investigation in response to social problems, with community service being systematically integrated into the formal curriculum. The University strives to produce graduates with high-level knowledge and skills and who have been educated for citizenship and for active participation in society. In order to do so effectively, it seeks to cultivate relationships with funding agencies at home and abroad.

History

The University of Zululand was first established in 1960 as the University College of Zululand. In 1970 the college was granted University status. Since then the University has continued to expand and has experienced an increased intake of students from other parts of Africa, especially from Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Namibia, Nigeria, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

In 1982 the University of Zululand Foundation, administered by a board of Governors, was established to administer the University's fundraising and investment operations.

In 1984 the University Council was granted autonomy with regard to practically all matters relating to the disbursement of the annual subsidy, provision of facilities and the employment of staff.

In 2005 the former six Faculties ( Arts; Education; Science & Agriculture; Law, Commerce & Administration; and Theology & Religion Studies) merge to become four Faculties, namely Arts; Commerce, Administration & Law; Education; and Science & Agriculture.

In 2006 the existing Information Technology infrastructure was replaced by a R32,9 million state-of-the art system. And the building of the new student residences for occupancy in 2008 commences.

Campus

The main Campus is situated in Kwadlangezwa, 19 km south of Empangeni and about 142 km north of Durban off the N2 National Road on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast. Empangeni is the nearest town.

atellite Campuses

The Faculty of Law, Commerce and Administration offers classes in business Economics at Ulundi as well as Richards Bay, while other faculties such as Education also have off-campus centers at Ulundi, Vryheid, Mhhuze and Piet-Retief. The Department of Theology and Religion Studies co-operates with seven insttutions that are affiliated to the University and are located as far afield as Randburg, Benoni and Mitchells Plain in the Western Cape.

tudents

tudent Enrolment

The current student enrolment is 6,825 comprising mainly of Blacks, Indians and whites.

Campus Media

Isigijimi is the official newsletter of the University of Zululand that publishes news for the University staff and management.

UZPress Online ( [http://www.pr.uzulu.ac.za/uzpress] ) provides campus news to students as well as training opportunities for communications students recruited through a potfolio of numerous articles. UZPress was established in August 2005 by Tendani Maemu, an IT student and web developer with the help of several other students under the Patronage of Thabo Leshoro, the Public Relations Officer of the University. In May 2007 UZPress founded a quarterly distributed student magazine known as Campus Life.

Campus Six is a television broadcasting station located at the main campus.

Academic Faculties

Programs are offered within four faculties:

Arts

The Faculty of Arts is the largest Faculty at the University of Zululand representing the largest number of enrolled students and the highest student to staff ratio. The 18 departments cover a wide range of fields including language and linguistics to social sciences and the humanities.

Commerce, Administration and Law

The Faculty comprises six academic departments, viz, Department of Accounting (including Information Technology), Department of Business Management, Department of Economics, Department of Industrial Psychology (incorporating Human Resources Management), Department of Public Administration and Political Science and the Law Departments (Private law, Public Law and Criminal & Procedural Law). The Faculty participates avidly in community outreach and development programmes.

Education

The faculty consists of six departments, namely, Comparative and Science of Education, Curriculum and Instruction Studies, Educational Planning and Administration, Educational Psychology and Foundations of Education.

cience and Agriculture

The Faculty of Science and Agriculture offers various Science Programmes within the departments of Agriculture, Biochemistry and Microbiology, Botany, Chemistry, Computer Science, Consumer Science, Geography and Environmental Studies, Human Movement Sciences, Hydrology, Mathematical Science, Nursing, Physics and Engineering, Science Foundation and Zoology.

Facilities

The University comprises facilities available at the main campus which includes:

* Auditoriums, Halls and Conference Venues
* Lecture Rooms and Microlaboratories
* Library
* Computer Laboratories
* Sports Facilities
* Campus Television Broadcasting Station
* Student Centre
* Lecture Houses
* Men and Women Residences
* Health Clinic.

ports and Recreation

Sports and Recreation is governed by the Student Services Department which carries out some of the co-curricular services that aim at contributing towards total personal student development and advancement. There are 23 sports codes classified as indoor and outdoor.

Indoor sports include: Aerobics, Basketball, Bodybuilding, Boxing, Chess, Dance, Judo, Karate, Pool, Squash and Table tennis.

Outdoor sports include: Athletics, Cricket, Hiking, Hockey, Netball, Rowing, Rugby, Soccer (Men and women), Softball, Swimming, Tennis and Volleyball.

Alumni

The University of Zululand’s first convocation committee was appointed in 1984 with the late Prof P C Luthuli as the first President.

Subsequent Presidents were Prof L M Magi, Mr Sisho Maphisa (the current University Registrar), the late Mr. Jethro Ndlovu, Dr. Simo Lushaba and Mr. Mpho Makwana.

The current Convocation executive consists of: Mr Vusi Mahaye (President), Mr Godfrey Ntombela (Deputy President), Mrs. Nomalungelo Gina (Secretary), Ms. Gugu-Mapule Mashiteng (Treasurer), Mr. Petrus Ngomana (Additional member) and Mr. Mondli Ndlela (Additional member).

The first full-time Convocation Officer responsible for operations was appointed in 1998 and the incumbent, Mr Thula Makhathini, still holds the post.

External links

* [http://www.uzulu.ac.za/ University of Zululand Official Webpage]