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The University of Witswatersrand (WITS) is centrally positioned in Johannesburg, with about 28 000 students and has made a name for itself nationally and internationally. It is positioned 24th by the Times Higher Education Rankings amongst the world top 100 universities from which Fortune 500 CEO's graduated.

Wits University is a leader in the research field and appeals to students from the whole African Continent. 

Wits has created more than 120 000 graduates since 1922 when it was granted full university status.  The well esteemed Wits Business School is one of the oldest in South Africa.

Wits is in possession of the largest fossil collection in the southern hemisphere. Its Institute for Human Evolution is committed to the research of palaeoanthropology.

Faculties

  • Commerce Law & Management
  • Engineering & the Built Environment
  • Health Sciences
  • Humanities
  • Science

Courses 

Wits has 34 schools and offers 3 000 courses. 

Wits Plus is a part-time evening classes learning institution. It offers qualifications that are internationally accredited and valued by organisations in the private and public sector. This covers degrees, certificates and short courses.

Campuses 

The main university campus is divided in half by the M1 highway, into the west campus and the east campus and there is a pedestrian bridge over the highway.

  • East Campus
  • West Campus
  • Education Campus
  • Parktown Campus
  • Braamfontein Campus

Values 

  • Independent enquiry and trust.
  • International engagement
  • Intellectual excellence and integrity. 
  • Academic freedom and institutional autonomy. 
  • Collegiality. 
  • Social engagement and responsiveness. 
  • Diversity. 
  • Accountability. 
  • Debate and critical engagement.

Vision 

The University of the Witwatersrand aspires to be a leading research-intensive university firmly embedded in the top 100 world universities by 2022.

Mission

The mission of the University of the Witwatersrand is to grow its global stature as a leading research-intensive university and a gateway to research engagement and intellectual achievement in Africa. As an institution built on principles of intellectual excellence, we are committed to providing high-quality, internationally competitive education, founded on high academic standards, cutting-edge research, public engagement, and productive partnerships with leading institutions throughout the world.

Aims 

  • Amplify generation and dissemination of ground-breaking knowledge.
  • Attract and retain distinguished scholars and prize-winning leaders.
  • Attract and retain the best academic and support staff
  • Benchmark with top-league and top-100 universities.
  • Contribute to society through research, teaching and social engagement.
  • Establish and sustain a sound base for diversified sources of income.
  • Maintain a distinctive focus and reputation for ground-breaking research and scholarship in science, engineering and technology.
  • Maintain a high proportion of carefully selected postgraduate students
  • Maintain a high proportion of international students and staff
  • Optimise our international visibility and impact of research, and our reputation for teaching
  • Produce highly influential graduates for the global civil society
  • Provide a high-quality, supportive research and educational environment for students and staff
  • Recruit highly talented students for undergraduate education
  • Retain a high degree of academic freedom and institutional independence
  • Retain our long-lasting legacy of high-level achievement and excellence
  • Widen our footprint globally through extensive strategic networks

Residences

  • Braamfontein 3
  • East campus cluster3
  • Highfiels cluster 3
  • Parktown cluster 4
  • West campus cluster 3
  • Wits Junction
  • Ernest Oppenheimer Hall 
  • Knockando Halls of Residence 
  • Parktown Village 

 Alumni

  •  Gavin Hood, Oskar academy prize winner, foreign films 1982
  • Nelson Mandela, Honorary alumni won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993
  • Sir Aaron King, Nobel Prize winner for Chemistry. 1982

History

Wits opened its doors in 1896 as the South African School of Mines in Kimberley. It was dedicated to the technical and scientific aspects of mining, 29 years after the discovery of diamonds in the town. More than 130 000 graduates have passed through its doors in the 91-years of its existence.

After several changes of locality and names several times it was granted full university status on March 1922. At this time it became an English speaking university, University of Witwatersrand. The campus still occupies the original 80 acre site in Milner Park donated by the City of Johannesburg.

In the 1960s, the University acquired a World Heritage site, the Sterkfontein site. It is famous for its limestone caves and is rich in archaeological material, 

The University has advanced its plans to provide more customer service with more leisure and convenience facilities for students and staff.

 Johannesburg General Hospital is, since 2002, the location of the School of Oral Health. 

In 2003 the university opened International House which is a residence catering mainly for the expanding international student population. 

Wits is the one of the first universities to open a student mall. It was named the Matrix and consists of 26 leisure and convenience outlets. 


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