Sol Plaatje University

De **Sol Plaatje University**, wey na dem provisionally refer to am as de University of the Northern Cape, dem gbele insyd Kimberley, South Africa, insyd 2014, wey dey accommodate modest initial intake of 135 students. Dem dey expect student complement make e increase gradually towards target of 7 500 students by 2024. Dem launch am for ceremony insyd Kimberley for 19 September 2013, na dem formally establish am as public university for terms of Section 20 of de Higher Education Act of 1997, by way of Government Notice 630, dem date 22 August 2013. Minister of Higher Education den Training, Blade Nzimande, observe for de launch dat dis “be de first new university (insyd South Africa) make dem launch am since 1994 den as such be powerful symbol of de country ein democracy, inclusiveness, den growth. Edey represent fresh order of African intellect, plus firm wey dey focus for innovation den excellence insyd." Previously dem announce de name give de university, for 25 July 2013, Presido Jacob Zuma mention de development of academic niche areas wey no dey exist elsewhere, anaa na dem be under-represented, insyd South Africa. "Given de rich heritage of Kimberley den de Northern Cape for general," Zuma say, "dem envisage that Sol Plaatje go specialise insyd heritage studies, wey dey include interconnected academic fields such as museum management, archaeology, indigenous languages, den restoration architecture. "Prof Andrew Crouch take over de helm for 1 April 2020 after de term of founding Vice-Chancellor, Prof Yunus Ballim cam to a close.

## History

De idea of make dem establish university insyd de Northern Cape gain political endorsement insyd 2012, most notably insyd Presido Jacob Zuma ein announcement of 5 July 2012 dat de seat den main campus give de university go rather be de inner city of Kimberley. Na dem believe say na der be “potential make e inject fresh life den purpose into dis historic city dem dey mine”. De idea achieve legal substance wen dem sign record of intention by officials insyd Kimberley for 19 March 2013. Na party to de agreement be national Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande, de Northern Cape Province ein acting premier Grizelda Cjiekella, den de mayor of de Sol Plaatje Municipality, Agnes Ntlhangula.

Na de signing of de record of intention be preparatory step towards gazetted notice wey go bring de institution into make e be as legal entity. De university go be one of de first two make dem establish insyd post-apartheid South Africa – de other make e situate insyd Mpumalanga.

Dem gbele de university insyd 2014.

De Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) appoint de University of the Witwatersrand make e set up DHET New Universities Project Management Team make e plan for de fresh university insyd Kimberley.

Na dem invite nominations insyd December 2012 give members of Interim Council for de fresh university.

De Interim Council announce by Presido Jacob Zuma for 25 July 2013 dey comprise: Ms Jennifer Glennie, as Chairperson, den, as members: Mr Abel Madonsela, Mr Maruping Lekwene, Dr Yvonne Muthien, den Prof Vishnu Padayachee.

## Feasibility

Dem submit study into de feasibility of both de infrastructure den operations give de fresh university to national Treasury insyd September 2012. Treasury endorse de plan (wey dey include dat give university insyd Mpumalanga), wey dey allocate R2 billion for de period 2013 to 2016.

## Campus
Dem dey anticipate dat de Sol Plaatje University go occupy combination of existing den purpose-built structures insyd de inner city of Kimberley, specifically de present Civic Centre wey dey include parts of de Oppenheimer Gardens den buildings wey dey surround. Dese dey include de former Cape Provincial Administration building wey na dem use by de National Institute for Higher Education. Provincial MEC Pauline Williams (Sport, Arts den Culture) refer to de McGregor Museum insyd Kimberley wey cam turn "serious role-player" plus ein collections den research disciplines be key resources den "de nucleus of future faculty."

Insyd May 2013 de Department of Higher Education den Training New Universities Project Management Team (Northern Cape) invite expressions of interest from architects make dem participate insyd two-stage architectural ideas competition make dem dey address de need for fresh buildings den “make dem encourage innovative ideas, den best practice concepts, as well as make dem identify talented designers make dem participate insyd de design of de university precincts den buildings.”

Chaw of de newly built buildings win regional den national awards for architecture since completion while de central auditorium building design by Henri Comrie of URBA Architects and Urban Designers win de prize for de best building for higher education for de World Architecture Festival (WAF) dem hold insyd Lisbon for 2022 insyd.

## Curriculum

Programmes dem report insyd de media go be for disciplines such as information technology den computer sciences, engineering, den agriculture; studies insyd management wey dey focus for business den hospitality management top; nursing as focus of health sciences; plus specializations insyd teacher education, indigenous languages, heritage studies, wey den sanso dey plan art.

Na dem sanso suggest dat na de university “dem dey expect make e offer postgraduate studies insyd astronomy, as well as insyd applied sciences such as renewable energy, low carbon energy, hydrology, water resource management, den climate variability.”

De DHET New Universities Project Management Team website dey indicate de intention dat de new university for get unique programmes den research priorities wey ddy enable am make e attract students, academics den researchers nationally den internationally. Dis dey imply academic missions wey go develop towards specialist niche areas wey no be available elsewhere insyd South Africa, dey attract den dey retain skilled staff, while edey inspire vibrant student population.

For make e dey create strong academic hub, dem go draw de individuality of de province upon make e develop unique academic focus.

Dem dey envisage dat de university insyd de Northern Cape go be comprehensive, multi-campus University plus de seat den main campus insyd Kimberley. De qualification type go focus for “Higher Certificate, Advanced Certificate den Diploma level as vocational den technology-focused programmes plus approach dem phase towards formative den professional bachelor's degrees insyd de study fields of Engineering den Management Sciences” top.

Specifically, dem consider de programmes wey dey follow:

### Available from 2014

* Computer den Information Science/Engineering: Diploma in Information Technology (Applications Development)
* Business, Economics den Management Sciences: National Diploma: Retail Business Management
* Education: B Ed (Further Education den Training - Maths, Technology & Science)

### From 2015

* Health Professions den Related Clinical Sciences: Diploma in Nursing den Higher Certificate in Emergency Medical Care
* Social Sciences: Museology/Museum Studies den Heritage Studies (New qualification)
* Life Sciences & Physical Sciences BSc (Lifeden Physical Sciences)

### From 2016

* Business, Economics den Management Sciences: National Diploma Tourism Management
* Visual and performing arts: National Diploma in Fine Arts
* Agriculture: National Diploma in Agriculture
* Diploma in Law anaa Bachelor Law

## References


## External links
Wikimedia Commons get media wey dey relate to ******.

* Official website