NELSPRUIT – Mr Blade Nzimande, minister of Higher Education, is to officially launch the University of Mpumalanga tomorrow. It will be launched at the Lowveld Agriculture College where the 10-year development plan for the university is to be presented. Members of the university’s interim council will also be introduced.
The winners of the competition for the design of the planned new facilities are to be announced at a dinner at the college campus tonight. The college’s premises have been chosen as the location for the university. The launch and sod-turning was supposed to take place in September, but it is still on course to start operations in January 2015.
In the interim, both the college and Siyabuswa College, which are to be incorporated into the university, will continue functioning as they do now. Only in 2015 will their functioning and budget allocation move to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). The University of the Witwatersrand is managing the development and establishment of the university.
In March, Nzimande, announced a R10 billion investment over 10 years. The university is expected to offer qualifications up to doctorate level upon its completion in 2024, when it will also accommodate 15 000 students.
Fields of study will remain agriculture and biodiversity, linking with food security, natural resource management, nature conservation, plant and animal sciences and technology. Degrees in teaching will also be offered at Siyabuswa College.
