University of KwaZulu-Natal

The University of KwaZulu-Natal or UKZN is a university with five campuses all located in the province of KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

 in South Africa. It was formed on 1 January 2004 after the merger between the University of Natal

University of Natal

The University of Natal was a university in Natal, and later KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, that is now part of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. It was founded in 1910 as the Natal University College in Pietermaritzburg, and expanded to include a campus in Durban in 1931. In 1947, the university...

 and the University of Durban-Westville

University of Durban-Westville

The University of Durban-Westville was formerly a university situated in Westville, Durban opened 1972. It now forms part of the campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Known as UDW, it was initially established for Indians as during apartheid there were few universities that admitted non-White...

.

History

University of Durban-Westville

Organisation

The university is governed in accordance with the Higher Education Act, and the constitution of the university is specified in the Statute of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, as approved by the South African Minister of Education and the Parliament of South Africa

Parliament of South Africa

The Parliament of South Africa is South Africa's legislature and under the country's current Constitution is composed of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces....

.

In terms of the statute, the university consists of:

• the chancellor (the titular head). The first chancellor of the merged university was Dr Frene Ginwala
  Frene Ginwala
  Frene Noshir Ginwala is a South African journalist and politician who was the Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa from 1994 to 2004.Frene Ginwala is an Indian South African from the Parsi-Indian community of western India...
  
  . It is currently Dr Zweli Mkhize.
• the vice chancellor (the executive head)
• two or more deputy vice chancellors (currently there are five full and one acting)
• the registrar (responsible for registering students)
• the council (responsible for governance of the institution as a whole)
• the senate (responsible for governance of academic activities)
• the students representative council (responsible for students representation)
• the institutional forum (responsible for advising the council on matters of human rights and equality)
• the colleges (currently there are four)
• the academic and support staff
• the students
• the convocation (all the alumni and some others)

Academic structure

In terms of academic subdivisions, the university is made up of four colleges, each in turn made up of two faculties, which are in turn made up of several schools. In most cases, a subdivision is spread across one or more of the university's geographical campuses. For example, the School of Chemistry is located across both Pietermaritzburg and Westville campuses.

Faculty of Science and Agriculture

• Agricultural Sciences and Agribusiness
• Biochemistry, Genetics, Microbiology and Plant Pathology
• Biological and Conservation Sciences
• Chemistry
• Computer Science
• Environmental Sciences
• Geology
• Mathematical Sciences
• Physics
• Statistics and Actuarial Science

Faculty of Engineering

• Bioresources Engineering and Environmental Hydrology
• Chemical Engineering
• Civil Engineering, Surveying and Construction
• Electronic, Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering

Faculty of Health Sciences

• Audiology, Occupational Therapy and Speech Language Pathology
• Dentistry
• Medical Sciences
• Nursing
• Pharmacy and Pharmacology
• Physiotherapy, Sport Science and Optometry

Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine

• Clinical Medicine
• Family and Public Health
• Maternal, Child and Women’s Health
• Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
• Medical Education
• Surgical Disciplines

Faculty of Education

• Educational Studies
• Education and Development
• Language, Literacies, Media and Drama Education
• Maths, Sciences, Computer and Technology Education
• Social Science Education

Faculty of Humanities, Development and Social Sciences

• Anthropology, Gender and Historical Studies
• Architecture, Planning and Housing
• Development Studies
• IsiZulu
• Language, Literature and Linguistics
• Literary Studies, Media and Creative Arts
• Music
• Philosophy and Ethics
• Politics
• Psychology
• Religion and Theology
• Social Work and Community Development
• Sociology and Social Studies

Faculty of Management Studies

• Accounting
• Economics and Finance
• Graduate School of Business
• Information Systems and Technology
• Management
• Public Administration

Campuses

The University is geographically divided into 5 distinct campuses, which partially correspond to managerial and academic divisions of the university. Two campuses (Edgewood and the Medical School) house specific academic divisions (education and medicine respectively), but the remainder of the universities academic divisions are spanned across Howard College, Pietermaritzburg and Westville.

Pietermaritzburg campus

Pietermaritzburg campus was the main location of the University of Natal and its predecessor, the Natal University College, until the opening of the Howard College campus in Durban. This campus contains the university's oldest structure, Old Main Building, built in 1912. Pietermaritzburg campus offers a broad range of academic degrees, and is the only UKZN campus providing training in agriculture, theology and fine arts.

Howard College campus

Howard College campus was the Durban location of the University of Natal until the 2004 merger. It spans the Berea Ridge

Berea, Durban

The Berea is a ridge above the city of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa on the northern side which overlooks the city centre and the Indian Ocean. Berea is also used as a collective designation for the suburbs in the area...

. Howard College offers a wide range of degrees, with some teaching divided between there and Westville.

Westville campus

Westville campus is located in and environmental conservancy in Westville

Westville, KwaZulu-Natal

Westville is an area near Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, which is situated 20 km inland from the Durban city centre. Formerly an independent municipality governed by a Town Council, it now forms part of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, which also includes Durban...

, about 20 km West of Durban. It was formerly the site of the University of Durban-Westville before the 2004 merger. Westville offers a range of degrees, and will soon be the main home of the disciplines of commerce and management.

Nelson Mandela medical school

Nelson Mandela medical school campus was originally a racially segregated part of the University of Natal, created in 1950. It was one of the few tertiary institutions legally allowed to provide education to black people under apartheid. It was granted Nelson Mandela's name on its 50th anniversary in 2000. The medical school is the home of health sciences.

Edgewood campus

Edgewood campus is located in Pinetown

Pinetown

Pinetown is a small city just inland from Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Pinetown is situated 16 km west of Durban at an elevation of 1,000 to 1,300 feet . It was established in 1850 around the Wayside Hotel, itself built the year before along the main wagon route between Durban and...

, east of Durban. The buildings originally formed the Edgewood College of Education, which was incorporated into the University of Natal in 2001. Edgewood is the main location of the university's Faculty of Education.

Ranking

UKZN was ranked third in South Africa, and in the 401–500 range worldwide by the Academic Ranking of World Universities

Academic Ranking of World Universities

The Academic Ranking of World Universities , commonly known as the Shanghai ranking, is a publication that was founded and compiled by the Shanghai Jiaotong University to rank universities globally. The rankings have been conducted since 2003 and updated annually...

 in 2010. It was ranked fourth in South African and in the 501–550 range worldwide by the QS World University Rankings

QS World University Rankings

The QS World University Rankings is a ranking of the world’s top 500 universities by Quacquarelli Symonds using a method that has published annually since 2004....

 in 2010.

UKZN's website was ranked sixth out of university websites in South Africa (and 1,051st worldwide) in the January 2011 edition of the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities

Webometrics Ranking of World Universities

The Webometrics Ranking of World Universities, also known as Ranking Web of World Universities, is ranking system for the world's universities based on a composite indicator that takes into account both the volume of the Web contents and the visibility and impact of these web publications...

.

Controversies

There have been a number of controversies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal since its foundation.

Firstly, there have been several staff strikes

Strike action

Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...

 and student strike

Student strike

A student strike occurs when students enrolled at a teaching institution such as a school, college or university refuse to go to class. This form of strike action is often used as a negotiating tactic in order to put pressure on the governing body of the university, particularly in countries where...

s,
with some strikes from 2009 onward involving police

South African Police Service

The South African Police Service is the national police force of the Republic of South Africa. Its 1116 police stations in South Africa are divided according to the provincial borders, and a Provincial Commissioner is appointed in each province...

 intervention and the use of riot control

Riot control

Riot control refers to the measures used by police, military, or other security forces to control, disperse, and arrest civilians who are involved in a riot, demonstration, or protest. Law enforcement officers or soldiers have long used non-lethal weapons such as batons and whips to disperse crowds...

 measures, as well as violence on the part of some strikers.

Secondly, there have been a series of legal and disciplinary actions taken by senior university management against academics for speaking in public about the university.
These actions have drawn wide criticism, both from academics and from organisations such as Cosatu

Congress of South African Trade Unions

The Congress of South African Trade Unions is a trade union federation in South Africa. It was founded in 1985 and is the biggest of the country’s three main trade union federations, with 21 affiliated trade unions, altogether organising 1.8 million workers.-Establishment:COSATU was established in...

 and UNESCO

UNESCO

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...

.
They were also the cause of a 2008 staff strike.

Notable alumni

• Imani Sanga
  Imani Sanga
  Imani Sanga an ethnomusicologist, composer and Choral Conductor is a Senior Lecturer in Music at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Born in Matamba Uwanji in 1972, Imani Sanga was educated at Chimala primary school, Kidugala Lutheran Seminary, University of Dar es Salaam where he earned...
  
  , composer and ethnomusicologist 
• John McCoy, South African recipient of the International Fulbright Science & Technology Award

As the university has only existed since 2004, very few of its graduates have had the opportunity to attain great fame. There are, however, numerous notable alumni of its founding institutions:-

University of Durban-Westville

• Malusi Gigaba
  Malusi Gigaba
  Knowledge Malusi Nkanyezi Gigaba is the Minister of Public Enterprises in the government of South Africa. First elected to the National Assembly of South Africa in 1999 as part of the African National Congress, he resigned in 2001 but was re-elected in 2004...
  
  , deputy Minister of Home Affairs in South Africa
  Government of South Africa
  The Republic of South Africa is a constitutional democracy with a three-tier system of government and an independent judiciary, operating in a nearly unique system that combines aspects of parliamentary and presidential systems. Legislative authority is held by the Parliament of South Africa...
  
   
• Radhakrishna Padayachi
  Radhakrishna Padayachi
  Radhakrishna Lutchmana "Roy" Padayachie is the Minister of Communications of the Republic of South Africa.He Joined the African National Congress in and Served as Executive Member of the Natal Indian Congress...
  
  , deputy Minister of Communications in South Africa
  Government of South Africa
  The Republic of South Africa is a constitutional democracy with a three-tier system of government and an independent judiciary, operating in a nearly unique system that combines aspects of parliamentary and presidential systems. Legislative authority is held by the Parliament of South Africa...
  
   

University of Natal

Steve Biko Steve Biko Stephen Biko was a noted anti-apartheid activist in South Africa in the 1960s and 1970s. A student leader, he later founded the Black Consciousness Movement which would empower and mobilize much of the urban black population. Since his death in police custody, he has been called a martyr of the... , anti-apartheid activist Tommy Bedford Tommy Bedford Thomas Pleydell 'Tommy' Bedford is a South African rugby union player who has represented the national team, the Springboks, 25 times, captaining the Springboks on 3 occasions.-Career:... , rugby player and anti-apartheid activist Colin Bundy Colin Bundy Professor Colin James Bundy is a South African historian and former Principal of Green Templeton College, Oxford.Professor Bundy was an influential member of a generation of historians who substantially revised understanding of South African history... , Warden, Green College, Oxford Green College, Oxford Green College was a graduate college of the University of Oxford in England. It was centred around an architecturally appealing 18th century building: the Radcliffe Observatory, which is modelled after the ancient "Tower of the Winds" in Athens.... ; Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of London University of London -20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...   Mangosuthu Buthelezi Mangosuthu Buthelezi Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi is a South African Zulu politician who founded the Inkatha Freedom Party in 1975 and continues to lead the party today.His praise name is Shenge.-Early life:... , leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party Inkatha Freedom Party The Inkatha Freedom Party is a political party in South Africa. Since its founding, it has been led by Mangosuthu Buthelezi. It is currently the fourth largest party in the National Assembly of South Africa.-History:...   Sheila Cussons Sheila Cussons Sheila Cussons was an Afrikaans poet. She was born on the Moravia missionary station near Piketberg, South Africa, and studied fine arts at the University of Natal in Pietermaritzburg. She was one of the most important poets in Afrikaans, besides an accomplished painter and artist.The poet D.J... , poet Lev David Lev David Lev David, is a writer, radio producer and radio presenter, and media consultant. He is both founder and chief executive officer of Say Yay Media, having previously founded and headed the consulting branch of Lev David Media.David studied economics at the University of Natal , before working for... , writer, radio producer/presenter and media consultant Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini-Zuma is a South African politician and was an anti-apartheid activist. She was South Africa's Minister of Health from 1994 to 1999, under President Nelson Mandela, then Minister of Foreign Affairs from 17 June 1999 to 10 May 2009, under Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema... , Minister of Foreign Affairs in South Africa Government of South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a constitutional democracy with a three-tier system of government and an independent judiciary, operating in a nearly unique system that combines aspects of parliamentary and presidential systems. Legislative authority is held by the Parliament of South Africa...   Adrian Furnham Adrian Furnham Adrian Furnham is a South African-born British organisational and applied psychologist, management expert and Professor of Psychology at University College London... , organizational and applied psychologist and management expert Craig Joubert Craig Joubert Craig Paul Joubert is a South African professional rugby union referee. He has officiated at international level since 2003 with the 2011 Rugby World Cup Final being his most profile match.-Biography:... , rugby referee Mazisi Kunene Mazisi Kunene Mazisi Kunene was a South African poet best known for his poem Emperor Shaka the Great. While in exile from South Africa's apartheid regime, Kunene was an active supporter and organizer of the anti-apartheid movement in Europe and Africa... , poet David Lewis-Williams David Lewis-Williams James David Lewis-Williams is a South African scholar. He is professor emeritus of cognitive archaeology at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.... , professor emeritus of Cognitive Archaeology at the University of the Witwatersrand Douglas Livingstone Douglas Livingstone (poet) Douglas Livingstone was a South African poet.He was born in Kuala Lumpur, but his family moved to Natal after his father was taken prisoner during the Japanese invasion of Malaya. He attended Kearsney College and in 1964, he started work as a marine biologist in Durban... , contemporary poet Lara Logan Lara Logan Lara Logan is a South African television and radio journalist, and war correspondent. She is the chief foreign affairs correspondent for CBS News, and a correspondent for CBS's 60 Minutes.-Personal life:... , television journalist for CBS News CBS News CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...   Colin Moss, actor Fatima Meer Fatima Meer Fatima Meer was a South African writer, academic, screenwriter, and prominent anti-apartheid activist.-Early life:... , writer, academic and anti-apartheid activist Frank Mdlalose Frank Mdlalose Dr Frank Themba Mdlalose was the first Premier of the newly renamed KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa, after the African National Congress won the country's first all-inclusive general election in April 1994.... , first Premier of KwaZulu-Natal Premier of KwaZulu-Natal The Premier of KwaZulu-Natal is the head of government of the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.For a discussion of the election, role and powers of the Premier, see the article "Premier ".-List of Premiers of KwaZulu-Natal:...

D.J. Opperman, Afrikaans poet David Papineau David Papineau David Papineau is an academic philosopher. He works as Professor of Philosophy of Science at King's College London, having previously taught for several years at Cambridge University and been a fellow of Robinson College, Cambridge... , academic philosopher Alan Paton Alan Paton Alan Stewart Paton was a South African author and anti-apartheid activist.-Family:Paton was born in Pietermaritzburg, Natal Province , the son of a minor civil servant. After attending Maritzburg College, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Natal in his hometown, followed... , author, Cry, The Beloved Country Cry, The Beloved Country Cry, the Beloved Country is a novel by South African author Alan Paton. It was first published in New York City in 1948 by Charles Scribner's Sons and in London by Jonathan Cape; noted American publisher Bennett Cerf remarked at that year's meeting of the American Booksellers Association that there... Shaun Pollock Shaun Pollock Shaun Maclean Pollock is a retired South African cricketer who is considered a bowling all-rounder. From 2000 to 2003 he was the captain of the South African cricket team, and also played for Africa XI, World XI, Dolphins and Warwickshire. He was also chosen as the Wisden Cricketer of the Year in... , cricketer Mamphela Ramphele Mamphela Ramphele Mamphela Aletta Ramphele is a South African academic, businesswoman and medical doctor and was an anti-apartheid activist. She is a current trustee on the board of the Rockefeller Foundation in New York.-Life and career:... , academic, businesswoman, medical doctor and anti-apartheid activist Sydney Skaife Sydney Skaife Sydney Harold Skaife D.Sc FRSSAf. was an eminent South African entomologist and naturalist. His career and educational publications covered a wide field... , entomologist, naturalist and conservationist William Smith William Smith (South African) William Smith is South Africa's best-known and most popular television science and mathematics teacher.-Early life and education:Smith was born in Grahamstown and attended St. Andrew's Prep before matriculating at Union High School in Graaff-Reinet... , television mathematics and science teacher John van de Ruit John van de Ruit John Howard van de Ruit is a South African novelist, actor, playwright and producer. He has been a professional actor, playwright and producer since 1998. He was born in Durban and educated at Michaelhouse, where he stayed in Founders House and from where he matriculated in 1993... , novelist, actor, playwright and producer Trevor Wadley Trevor Wadley Trevor Lloyd Wadley, was a South African electrical engineer, best known for his development of the Wadley Loop circuit for greater stability in communications receivers.... , electrical engineer and inventor of the Wadley Loop Wadley Loop The Wadley Loop circuit was designed by Dr. Trevor Wadley in the 1940s and was first used for a stable Wavemeter.- Overview :In a traditional superheterodyne radio receiver, most oscillator drift and instability occurs in the first frequency converter stage, because it is tunable and operating at a...   Alan Whiteside Alan Whiteside Alan Whiteside born in Nairobi, Kenya on 18 March 1956) is an internationally respected academic, researcher and professor at the University of KwaZulu Natal. He is well-known for his innovative work in the field of HIV and AIDS... , AIDS researcher and author Karthy Govender Karthy Govender Karthy Govender is a commissioner for the South African Human Rights Commission. Karthy Govender, along with Commissioner Jody Kollapen are two Commissioners of minority South African Tamil ancestry. Karthy Govender is also an associate professor in the Law Faculty at the University of... , commissioner for South African Human Rights Commission South African Human Rights Commission The South African Human Rights Commission was inaugurated in October 1995 as an independent national institution. It draws its mandate from the South African Constitution by way of the South African Human Rights Commission Act of 1994....

External links

• UKZN official site
• Fight for Fazel Khan - Union Leader Fired from UKZN in 2006
• Freedom of Expression Institute website