University of Western Cape

The University of the Western Cape (UWC) is a South African public research university located in Bellville, a suburb of Cape Town. The university was founded by the South African government in 1960 as a university exclusively for Colored people. Other universities in the vicinity of Cape Town include the University of Cape Town (UCT), Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), and Stellenbosch University (originally for Afrikaans speaking whites). The Extension of University Education Act of 1959 had a direct impact on the creation of UWC. In South Africa, this law resulted in the segregation of higher education. Only a few non-white universities accepted colored pupils. Other "ethnical" universities, such as the University of Zululand and the University of the North, were also established at this time. It has been an integrated and multiracial institution since even before the end of apartheid in South Africa in 1994.

The University of the West Indies is a research-intensive environment. The academic staff is well-educated, with half of them possessing doctorates. Most departments have graduate programs, some of which have the country's greatest enrollment. Many institutes and centers place a high emphasis on research. There are other notable projects and programs that utilize expertise from several departments and universities. The University of the Western Cape collaborates with the universities of Cape Town and Stellenbosch on a number of projects. Postgraduate students account for 20% of all students at UWC.

Webometrics placed the university 6th in South Africa, 7th in Africa, and 885th worldwide in 2014. The university's Faculty of Law and Dentistry were both named the best in Africa by Webometrics. Today, this university still is one of the best universities in South Africa.

Established: 1959
Location: Robert Sobukwe Road, Bellville, Western Cape, South Africa

Website: https://www.uwc.ac.za/