South African tertiary education links -- technikons, universities, university departments and research units. Other South African education links are in Regional: Africa: South Africa: Education .
Category for sites relating to higher education in South Africa.
Nestling on the slopes of Devil's Peak, the University of Cape Town is South Africa's oldest university, and is one of Africa's leading teaching and research institutions.
UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, a boy's school which also provided some tertiary education. The College developed into a fully fledged university during the period 1880 to 1900, thanks to increased funding from private sources and the government.
Apart from establishing itself as a leading research and teaching university in the decades that followed, the period 1960 to 1990 was marked by sustained opposition to apartheid, particularly in higher education.
The university has six faculties (Commerce, Engineering and the Built Environment, Health Sciences, Humanities, Law and Science). This structure was recently reviewed as part of a comprehensive strategic planning process aimed at fulfilling UCT's Mission of being "an outstanding teaching and research university, educating for life and addressing the challenges facing our society".
Today, the university community comprises more than 15 000 students and 4 500 members of staff. Particular emphasis is placed on postgraduate studies and 30% of its students are enrolled in postgraduate programmes. UCT is internationally recognised as Africa's leading research university, a position confirmed by independent peer review.
In addition to the Groote Schuur Campus, UCT has three smaller campuses: the Medical School in Observatory, the Hiddingh Campus in the Gardens, and the Breakwater Campus at the Waterfront.
Category for sites relating to the University of Cape Town.