University of the Western Cape
Encyclopedia
The University of the Western Cape is a public university located in the Bellville suburb of Cape Town
, South Africa
. It was established in 1960 by the South African government
as a university for Coloured
people only. Other universities near Cape Town are the University of Cape Town
, (UCT, originally for English speaking whites) and the Stellenbosch University
(originally for Afrikaans speaking
whites). The establishing of UWC was a direct effect of the Separate University Education Bill of 1957. This law accomplished the segregation of higher education in South Africa. Coloured students were only allowed at a few non-white universities. In this period, other 'ethnical' universities, such as the University of Zululand and the University of the North, were founded as well. Since well before the end of apartheid in South Africa in 1994, it has been an integrated and multiracial
institution.
. The university offered a limited training for lower to middle level positions in schools and civil service. In the first years of its existence, a great deal of the teaching staff was white. Many of the lecturers came from the University of Stellenbosch. The language in most lectures was Afrikaans
. The first rector was N.J. Sieberhagen (from 1960 till 1973). The university started as a small institution: in the first year, 166 students were enrolled and the teaching staff numbered 17. In 1970, the institution gained university status and was able to award its own degrees and diplomas.
and apartheid. One of the few exceptions was Adam Small
, head of the Philosophy
Department. Small was dismissed in 1973 as a consequence of his involvement in the Black Consciousness Movement
. Apart from lecturers like Small, there were many students who were active in the struggle against apartheid, and who were loyal to the Black Consciousness Movement. Protests from students against the conservative university board and lack of participation in the university led to the appointment of the first coloured rector, Richard E. van der Ross in 1975. The years thereafter gave way to a more liberal atmosphere, in which the university gradually distanced itself from apartheid. In 1982, the university rejected the apartheid ideology formally in its mission statement; during the next year, the university gained the same autonomy as white universities through the University of the Western Cape Act.
Rector Jakes Gerwel made UWC an "intellectual home of the left", with attention for social and political issues. The university attracted increasing numbers of students from disadvantaged communities. Apart from coloured people, more and more black students enrolled. Gerwel was succeeded in 1995 by Cecil Abrahams, who was succeeded by Brian O'Connell in 2001. UWC retained the status of an autonomous university during the education restructuring of 2002.
During the past decade, UWC has developed an international reputation for research and development of free/open source software solutions and open educational resources. UWC is the only African institution that is a member of the Open Courseware Consortium, and was voted onto the OCWC board in 2007.
ranked the university the 7th best in South Africa and 1032th in the world.
Convention on the Rights of the Child
, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child
and the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. It was established in 1960 by the South African government
Politics of South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a unitary, parliamentary republic. The President of South Africa is both head of state and head of government; in the same manner as the prime minister of other nations, the President is elected by the National Assembly and must enjoy the confidence of the Assembly...
as a university for Coloured
Coloured
In the South African, Namibian, Zambian, Botswana and Zimbabwean context, the term Coloured refers to an heterogenous ethnic group who possess ancestry from Europe, various Khoisan and Bantu tribes of Southern Africa, West Africa, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaya, India, Mozambique,...
people only. Other universities near Cape Town are the University of Cape Town
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
, (UCT, originally for English speaking whites) and the Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University is a public research university situated in the town of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Other nearby universities are the University of Cape Town and University of the Western Cape....
(originally for Afrikaans speaking
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
whites). The establishing of UWC was a direct effect of the Separate University Education Bill of 1957. This law accomplished the segregation of higher education in South Africa. Coloured students were only allowed at a few non-white universities. In this period, other 'ethnical' universities, such as the University of Zululand and the University of the North, were founded as well. Since well before the end of apartheid in South Africa in 1994, it has been an integrated and multiracial
Multiracial
The terms multiracial and mixed-race describe people whose ancestries come from multiple races. Unlike the term biracial, which often is only used to refer to having parents or grandparents of two different races, the term multiracial may encompass biracial people but can also include people with...
institution.
Early days
UWC started as a 'bush college', a university college without autonomy under auspices of the University of South AfricaUniversity of South Africa
The University of South Africa is a distance education university, with headquarters in Pretoria, South Africa. With approximately 300 000 enrolled students, it qualifies as one of the world's mega universities.-History:...
. The university offered a limited training for lower to middle level positions in schools and civil service. In the first years of its existence, a great deal of the teaching staff was white. Many of the lecturers came from the University of Stellenbosch. The language in most lectures was Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
. The first rector was N.J. Sieberhagen (from 1960 till 1973). The university started as a small institution: in the first year, 166 students were enrolled and the teaching staff numbered 17. In 1970, the institution gained university status and was able to award its own degrees and diplomas.
Resistance against Apartheid
During the first 15 years, the board and staff were primarily whites, supporting the National PartyNational Party (South Africa)
The National Party is a former political party in South Africa. Founded in 1914, it was the governing party of the country from 4 June 1948 until 9 May 1994. Members of the National Party were sometimes known as Nationalists or Nats. Its policies included apartheid, the establishment of a...
and apartheid. One of the few exceptions was Adam Small
Adam Small (writer)
Adam Small is a South African writer who was involved in the Black Consciousness Movement and other activism. He is noted as a "coloured" writer who wrote works in Afrikaans that dealt with racial discrimination and satirized the political situation...
, head of the Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
Department. Small was dismissed in 1973 as a consequence of his involvement in the Black Consciousness Movement
Black Consciousness Movement
The Black Consciousness Movement was a grassroots anti-Apartheid activist movement that emerged in South Africa in the mid-1960s out of the political vacuum created by the jailing and banning of the African National Congress and Pan Africanist Congress leadership after the Sharpeville Massacre in...
. Apart from lecturers like Small, there were many students who were active in the struggle against apartheid, and who were loyal to the Black Consciousness Movement. Protests from students against the conservative university board and lack of participation in the university led to the appointment of the first coloured rector, Richard E. van der Ross in 1975. The years thereafter gave way to a more liberal atmosphere, in which the university gradually distanced itself from apartheid. In 1982, the university rejected the apartheid ideology formally in its mission statement; during the next year, the university gained the same autonomy as white universities through the University of the Western Cape Act.
Rector Jakes Gerwel made UWC an "intellectual home of the left", with attention for social and political issues. The university attracted increasing numbers of students from disadvantaged communities. Apart from coloured people, more and more black students enrolled. Gerwel was succeeded in 1995 by Cecil Abrahams, who was succeeded by Brian O'Connell in 2001. UWC retained the status of an autonomous university during the education restructuring of 2002.
During the past decade, UWC has developed an international reputation for research and development of free/open source software solutions and open educational resources. UWC is the only African institution that is a member of the Open Courseware Consortium, and was voted onto the OCWC board in 2007.
Today
Since then, The University of The Western Cape has grown to become one of the most diverse universities in South Africa. Its excellence and quality of education is complemented by its faculty and staff, and brought to life by its students.Ranking
In 2010 WebometricsWebometrics
The science of webometrics tries to measure the World Wide Web to get knowledge about the number and types of hyperlinks, structure of the World Wide Web and usage patterns...
ranked the university the 7th best in South Africa and 1032th in the world.
Children's Rights Project
The Children's Rights Project is a South African organization. Located in the Community Law Centre, University of the Western Cape. Its goal is the recognition and protection of children's rights within the framework of the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Convention on the Rights of the Child
Convention on the Rights of the Child
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is a human rights treaty setting out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children...
, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child
African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child
The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child was adopted by the Organisation of African Unity in 1990 and was entered into force in 1999...
and the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.
Notable alumni
- José Luís GuterresJosé Luís GuterresJosé Luís Guterres is a East Timorese politician and diplomat.-Career:Guterres was a member of the Central Committee of the former ruling party Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor. He served as the ambassador of the unrecognized East Timor government to Angola, Mozambique and the...
, East TimorEast TimorThe Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
ese politician and diplomat - Zoe WicombZoe WicombZoë Wicomb is an author.She attended the University of the Western Cape, and after graduating left South Africa for England in 1970, where she continued her studies at Reading University....
, author, both attended and taught at UWC. - Danny JordaanDanny JordaanDaniel Alexander "Danny" Jordaan is a South African sports administrator as well as a former lecturer, politician and anti-apartheid activist. He led South Africa's successful 2010 FIFA World Cup bid, the first successful one for Africa. He also led their unsuccessful bid four years earlier for...
, Chief Executive Officer of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.