University of Eswatini

The University of Eswatini (or UNESWA; formerly known as the University of Swaziland, or UNISWA) is the national university of Eswatini.

It was established by act of parliament in 1982. The university is developed from the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland (UBLS), formerly known as the University of Basutoland,

Bechuanaland and Swaziland (UBBS), which was established in 1964.

It became the University of Botswana and Swaziland when the Lesotho campus withdrew to form the National University of Lesotho on 20 October 1975, and then became an independent national

university in 1982.

The university has eight (8) faculties, which are located in the three campuses of the university. These are: Kwaluseni, Luyengo and Mbabane (K, L, M). Luyengo campus houses the Agriculture and Consumer Sciences faculties, Mbabane campus is home to the faculty of Health Sciences, and Kwaluseni campus is the main campus. The University of Eswatini is mainly an undergraduate institution, offering bachelor's degrees. There are a few postgraduate programmes including two Ph.D. programmes.

The head of the university is the chancellor, who is king Mswati III. Its daily management is the responsibility of the vice chancellor, who is professor Justice Thwala. UNESWA is home to research centers and institutes.

The university also publishes research periodicals such as the UNISWA Research Journal of Agriculture, Science and Technology and the UNISWA Research Journal.

History

Tertiary education in Eswatini began with the establishment of the University of Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland in 1964 and continued via the University of Botswana and Swaziland between 1976 and 1982. It was only after the splitting of the latter institution in 1982 that the University of Swaziland (UNISWA) was finally established. The Swaziland Agricultural College and University Centre, which came into being in 1966, had developed independently, and it now constitutes UNESWA's Faculty of Agriculture and is situated on the Luyengo campus of the university.

Main recipients of the courses offered are officers working for the Ministry of Agriculture and Education.

There are two other campuses which, like Luyengo, are situated in the Mbabane/Manzini corridor in the west-central area of the country. The main campus is at Kwaluseni, which was financed jointly by the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, the Anglo American Corporation, and the Eswatini government. The campus houses the faculties of Commerce, Education, Humanities, and Science. The Mbabane campus houses the Faculty of Health Sciences, established in 1996. Certificate, diploma and degree programmes are offered in general and specialised nursing, community mental health science and environmental health services.

Since achieving full university status in the early 1980s, UNESWA has grown in accordance with its chief mandate, which is to assist in the national development effort through manpower production. The output of teachers, nurses and agricultural experts has risen steadily, while the double-subject-major degrees on offer in both the humanities and the sciences have been designed to provide teachers with more than one speciality – an important qualification where teacher shortages are endemic.

The electronic and electrical engineering programme offered by the Faculty of Science and Engineering reflects the need to rapidly develop the science and technology expertise within the country.

Governance and administration

The University of Eswatini is governed by the University Council which is appointed by the Chancellor. The Chancellor of the university is His Majesty King Mswati III. In this capacity, he confers all degrees during the University graduation ceremony. The daily management of the university is the responsibility of the Vice-Chancellor with the assistance of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor. Both are appointed by the University Council and are accountable to it. The Vice-Chancellor is professor J.M Thwala. In addition there is a University Senate which is responsible for academic authority of the university. It is chaired by the Vice-Chancellor. The Faculties of the university are run by the Deans who are also chairpersons of the respective Faculty boards. They are accountable to the University Senate. Other officers of the university are responsible for various affairs such as the Dean of Student Affairs, Registrar, Physical Planner among others.

Students are represented by the Student Representative Council (SRC) which falls under the Student Welfare Office which is run by the Dean of Student Affairs. Issues pertaining to student accommodation and residences on the campuses is the responsibility of the warden also under the Student Welfare Office.

Campuses

The three campuses are within 40 kilometers of each other:

Kwaluseni campus is the main campus, with the faculties of commerce, humanities, social science, education and science.

Luyengo campus was formerly the Swaziland Agricultural College and University Centre (SACUC), and is the location of the faculty of agriculture and consumer sciences.

Mbabane campus was formerly Swaziland's Institute of Health Sciences, and is the location of the university's faculty of health sciences; it includes a nursing school, a midwifery programme and the environmental studies programme.

Academics

The university is divided into the faculties of Agriculture, Consumer Sciences, Health Sciences, Education, Humanities, Commerce, Science & Engineering, and Social Science. There is also the Institute of Distance Education (IDE) which is responsible for all distance education instruction. The Institute of Postgraduate Studies is responsible for postgraduate programmes at masters and doctorate level. The university is also home to the biggest library in Eswatini. The library has branches in all three campuses with the main and biggest library at Kwaluseni, the main campus.

Faculty of Agriculture

The faculty is located at the Luyengo campus which is located between Malkerns and Bhunya.

The faculty houses the departments of Agriculture and Biosystem Engineering, Agricultural Economics and Management, Agricultural Education and Extension, Animal Science, Consumer Sciences, Crop Production and Horticulture. The faculty offers undergraduate degree majors in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Management, Agricultural Education, Agronomy, Animal Science, Animal Science (Dairy), and Horticulture.

Faculty of Commerce

The faculty is located at the main campus in Kwaluseni. It has two departments

namely the Accounting and Business Administration departments and offers only undergraduate

programmes. The undergraduate majors for the Bachelor of Commerce degree are in Accounting, Management and Marketing. The faculty also offers a Diploma in Commerce course.

Faculty of Consumer Sciences

The faculty is located at the Luyengo campus. The faculty is made up of the following departments:

• Consumer Science Education and Community Development (CED)
• Food and Nutrition Sciences (NFS)
• Textiles and Apparel Design (TAD)

The faculty offers degrees at undergraduate (B.Sc.) and post-graduate (M.Sc.) level.

Faculty of Education

The faculty is located at the Kwaluseni campus and has the following academic departments:

• Adult Education
• Curriculum and Teaching
• Educational Foundations and Management
• In-Service Education
• Primary Education
• Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)

The faculty offers undergraduate programmes leading to the B.Ed. degree and some departments within the Faculty also offer post-graduate programmes leading to the M.Ed. degree.

Faculty of Health Sciences

The faculty is located at the Mbabane campus of the university

near the Eswatini Government Hospital. The Faculty of Health Sciences has the

following academic departments:

• Community Health Nursing Science
• Environmental Health Science
• General Nursing
• Midwifery Science

The faculty offers only undergraduate programmes in nursing and environmental health.

Notable alumni

Patricia McFadden - Swazi author, Professor of Sociology, and African radical feminist.

Patrice Motsepe - South African mining magnate.

Lindiwe Sisulu - South African politician.

Naledi Pandor - South African politician.

Tokyo Sexwale - South African politician and Non-Executive Chairman Mvelaphanda Holdings

Thuli Madonsela - Public Protector of South Africa

Эх сурвалж: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)