Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

"NMMU" redirects here. For the football club, see NMMU F.C..

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
Motto	For Tomorrow
Type	Public
Chancellor	Mrs Santie Botha
Vice-Chancellor	Professor Derrick Swartz
Admin. staff	4,160
Students	22,652
Undergraduates	19,768
Postgraduates	2,884
Location	Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape and George, Western Cape, South Africa
Campus	suburban
Former names	University of Port Elizabeth, Port Elizabeth Technikon, Vista University PE campus
Colors	Dark Blue, Red and White
Nickname	Madibaz
Mascot	Diba the dolphin
Affiliations	IAU, AAU, HESA, ACU
Website	www.nmmu.ac.za

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) is a South African tertiary education institution with its main administration in the coastal city of Port Elizabeth. The merger creating the NMMU was realized in January 2005 but its history dates back to 1882 with the foundation of Port Elizabeth Art School. The merger brought together the University of Port Elizabeth, the Port Elizabeth Technikon and the Port Elizabeth campus of Vista University. The University draws international students from all over the world. There are over 3000 international students and include students from the United States, France, China, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom and many other countries.^{[citation needed]}

NMMU is a comprehensive university offering professional and vocational training. The University has six campuses - five in Port Elizabeth and one in George. The main campus is the South Campus. Questions have been raised regarding safety on the main campus ^[1] It has a 21-storey administration building. Students at NMMU can study towards diplomas and degrees up to and including doctoral level qualifications. A number of courses include workplace experience as part of the curriculum.

History, formation and campus developments

NMMU was formed through the merger of the following institutions: The PE Technikon, which had its roots in the Port Elizabeth Art School founded in 1882 (the oldest art school in South Africa).^{[citation needed]} The institution later became the College for Advanced Technical Education (CATE). The college moved from Central to the coastal suburb of Summerstrand in 1974 and became the PE Technikon in 1979. The PE Technikon expanded to the Western Cape in 1985 when it took over the College for Forestry, Saasveld, from the Department of Forestry.^{[citation needed]} The Teachers’ Training College, located opposite The Boardwalk Waterfront Complex ^[2] in Summerstrand, was taken over by the Technikon in 1994.

The University of Port Elizabeth (UPE) was the country’s first dual-medium (English and Afrikaans) residential university, came into being on 31 January 1964, and was assisted by financing and donations of land from the Broederbond.^{[citation needed]} The first academic year commenced on 1 March 1965. UPE moved from Central to Summerstrand in 1974. The campus was officially opened in August 1975 and the final move from Bird Street came in 1979 with the opening of the science blocks at Summerstrand. The University of Port Elizabeth's campus is now what is the NMMU Summerstrand South Campus. The Summertrand South campus, is the largest campus of any university in the southern hemisphere of the world.^{[citation needed]} Built on 830 ha of land donated by the then Port Elizabeth City Council, the campus was declared a nature reserve in 1983. It is the only university in South Africa to be situated on a nature reserve and the only university to offer game drives on its campus. The downside of being located on a wildlife reserve is that students are often attacked by monkeys. Three of the five Port Elizabeth campuses are situated close to Humewood Beach which has been awarded blue flag status.

NMMU's campuses are:

• South Campus, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth
• North Campus, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth
• 2nd Avenue Campus, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth
• Missionvale Campus, Uitenhage Road
• Bird Street Campus, Central, Port Elizabeth
• Saasveld, George

Ranking

See also: Rankings of universities in South Africa and Rankings of business schools in South Africa

In 2011, Webometrics ranked the university(Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University) the 10th best in South Africa and 1586th in the world.^[3]

Faculties

NMMU has the following faculties:

• Faculty of Arts
• Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences
  • Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Business School
• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Information Technology
• Faculty of Health Sciences
• Faculty of Law
• Faculty of Science

Sports

• Athletics: The Xerox NMMU Sports Stadium has an athletics track. The EP men’s 4 x 100m relay team is the fastest relay team in the country as proven at the SA Senior Athletics championships in Durban in April 2011 (All athletes are from the NMMU Athletics Club)
• Basketball: The NMMU basketball club has a modern arena, with approximately 5000 seats, in a modern large indoor centre, located on the Missionvale Campus.
• Cricket: The NMMU cricket club has produced cricketer Ashwell Prince and Wayne Parnell. It is currently the Number One University Cricket team in S.A.^{[4][citation needed]} It has a cricket field located at the Summerstrand south campus and at the 2nd Avenue Campus. NMMU are the current National Champions of the annual University cricket championships.^{[citation needed]} See also Chevrolet Warriors.
• Golf: The University is situated right next to Humewood Golf Club (though located in Summerstrand). It is ranked in the top-10 of South African golf courses.^{[citation needed]} NMMU students get special incentives at the Humewood Golf Club, if they are registered with the NMMU Golf Club.
• Hockey: The University's North Campus has an astroturf hockey pitch, with flood-lights.
• Netball: The 2nd Avenue campus has class netball courts.
• Rugby: Rugby is a major sport at NMMU. NMMU participates in the FNB Varsity Cup, a rugby competition for the top-8 South African rugby playing Universities.
• Soccer: The Xerox NMMU Sports Stadium is the home to NMMU F.C.. The stadium was used as a training venue during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.^{[citation needed]} Residence soccer leagues exist.
• Tennis: The NMMU Tennis club has tennis courts located on all campuses. On the South Campus, there are 14 tennis courts at the tennis complex.
• Other sports:
  • Indoor sports include: aerobics, underwater hockey, bodybuilding (NMMU has an on campus gym and and its own Biokinetics & Sport Science Unit/Centre ) , indoor swimming, boxing, chess, dance, judo, karate, pool, squash and table tennis.
  • Outdoor sports include: surfing, hiking, rowing, softball, swimming, volleyball, badminton, archery and horse-racing.

Notable alumni and staff

• Category:Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University academics
• Category:Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University alumni

References

1. ^ http://www.theherald.co.za/article.aspx?id=531104 and http://www.theherald.co.za/herald/2008/09/09/news/n18_09092008.htm and http://www.theherald.co.za/article.aspx?id=532304 and http://www.theherald.co.za/herald/2005/05/11/news/n27_11052005.htm.
2. ^ http://www.suninternational.com/DESTINATIONS/CASINOS/BOARDWALK/Pages/default.aspx
3. ^ "Top Africa". Ranking Web of World Universities. http://www.webometrics.info/top100_continent.asp?cont=africa. Retrieved 26 February 2010. 
4. ^ http://www.supersport.com/cricket/domestic-cricket/news/110924/Madibaz_the_new_Club_Champs

External links

• Official NMMU Website
• NMMU International
• NMMU Facebook Page

Coordinates: 34°00′30″S 25°40′14″E / 34.008416°S 25.670586°E / -34.008416; 25.670586