University of Pretoria facts for kids
The University of Pretoria (also known as UP, Tuks, or Tukkies) is a large public university located in Pretoria, South Africa. Pretoria is the country's administrative capital. The university started small in 1908 with only 32 students in one building. Today, it has grown to about 53,000 students and is spread across seven campuses covering a huge area.
The University of Pretoria is known for its strong research and academic programs. It has nine faculties and a business school. Its Faculty of Veterinary Science, started in 1920, is the only one in South Africa and the second oldest in Africa. The university also launched the first MBA program outside North America in 1949. Its business school, the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), is often ranked as the best in Africa for executive education.
Since 1997, the university has produced more research than any other higher education institution in South Africa. In 2008, it awarded the highest percentage of master's and doctorate degrees in the country. Many of its researchers are among the top 1% globally.
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| Latin: Universitas Pretoriensis | |
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Other name
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Tuks or Tukkies |
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Former names
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Transvaal University College (1908–1930) |
| Motto | Ad destinatum persequor (Latin) |
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Motto in English
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"With zeal and perseverance, strive towards the goal" |
| Type | Public research university |
| Established | 4 March 1908 |
| Affiliation |
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| Endowment | R 8.3 million (2022) |
| Chancellor | Sisi Khampepe |
| Vice-Chancellor | Francis Petersen |
| Chairperson of Council | Kuseni Dlamini |
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Administrative staff
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13,814 (full-time) |
| Students |
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| Undergraduates | 35,942 |
| Postgraduates | 12,541 |
| Location |
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South Africa
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| Campus | 7 suburban campuses and facilities, 1,120 hectares (2,800 acres) |
| Colours | Blue, gold, and red |
Contents
History of the University
How the University Started: 1889–1929
The day might come when the Transvaal University College might mean to the Transvaal what Oxford University has meant to England. A long time might have to pass, and for a hundred years we might have to watch the grass growing on our lawns before that day arrives, but noble beginning has been made.
The idea for a university in Pretoria first came up in 1889. However, the Anglo–Boer War (1899-1902) put a stop to these plans. In 1904, a school called the Transvaal Technical Institute moved to Johannesburg and was later renamed Transvaal University College (TUC) in 1906.
On March 4, 1908, the TUC opened a new campus in Pretoria, offering courses in languages, sciences, and law. This was the beginning of the University of Pretoria. Classes started with only 32 students, 4 professors, and 3 lecturers in a Victorian house called Kya Rosa.
In 1910, the Pretoria campus became its own independent institution, keeping the name Transvaal University College until 1930. The Johannesburg campus later became the University of the Witwatersrand. In 1910, the TUC got its own campus in Hatfield, which is now the main part of the university. The first building on this new campus was the Old Arts Building. Its unique architectural style was recognized in 1968 when it became a heritage site. The nickname "Tukkies" or "Tuks" comes from the Afrikaans name for the college, Transvaalse Universiteitskollege (TUK).
Between 1910 and 1929, the university grew, adding new subjects like agriculture (1917), theology (1918), economics (1919), veterinary science (1920), and music (1923).
Growing and Expanding: 1929–1982
On October 10, 1930, the Transvaal University College officially changed its name to the University of Pretoria. At first, the university taught in both English and Afrikaans. However, by 1932, most students spoke Afrikaans, so the university decided to teach only in Afrikaans.
As more students joined, new buildings were needed, including the Club Hall and the Administration Building (nicknamed "The Ship"). The Medical Faculty was also started in 1943. During this time, many student activities began, like the annual Spring Day and inter-university competitions. Student newspapers like Trek and Die Perdeby were also created.
From 1948 to 1982, the university grew a lot, with many new buildings added to the Hatfield campus. In the mid-1960s, the university bought more land, which became the eastern part of the Hatfield campus. In 1949, the university also founded the Graduate School of Management (GSM).
Changes and Modernization: 1982 and Beyond
From 1982 to 2008, the University of Pretoria became a more diverse and welcoming place. In 1989, it officially opened its doors to students of all races. In 1994, it became a bilingual university again, teaching in both English and Afrikaans. However, in 2019, a new policy was adopted, making English the main language of teaching.
In 1999, the two veterinary science faculties in South Africa, one at the University of Pretoria and one at Medunsa, joined together. This meant that the university's Onderstepoort campus became the only place in South Africa to study veterinary science. In 2000, the Teachers Training College Pretoria joined the university's Faculty of Education, which moved to the Groenkloof campus.
The Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) was established in 2000 in Johannesburg, thanks to a generous donation from Sir Donald Gordon. GIBS replaced the university's older Graduate School of Management. In 2004, the Mamelodi campus of Vista University also became part of the University of Pretoria.
How the University is Run
| Faculty founding | |
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| Faculty | Year founded |
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| Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences | 1920 |
| Faculty of Education | 1902 |
| Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology | 1908 |
| Faculty of Health Sciences | 1943 |
| Faculty of Humanities | 1908 |
| Faculty of Law | 1908 |
| Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences | 1917 |
| Faculty of Theology | 1919 |
| Faculty of Veterinary Science | 1920 |
| Gordon Institute of Business Science | 2000 |
The University of Pretoria is managed by a council. The vice-chancellor is in charge of the daily running of the university, and the chancellor is the ceremonial head. The university has nine faculties and one business school, which include 140 departments and many research centers.
University Campuses
Hatfield Campus
The main campus and central offices are in Hatfield, Pretoria. This campus is home to six of the nine faculties. It covers a large area and has more than 60 buildings that are important for their history.
Next to the Hatfield campus is the Hillcrest campus, which has the High Performance Centre and the LC de Villiers Sports Grounds. This area is also home to the university's experimental farm, used for agricultural research. The Hatfield campus is connected to Johannesburg by the Hatrain station. There are also shuttle buses that connect the different campuses.
Museums at Hatfield
The university has a large collection of art, including paintings, sculptures, and graphic works by famous South African and international artists. It also has the biggest sculpture collection in South Africa.
The Old Arts Building, a heritage site, houses several important collections:
- The Van Tilburg Collection displays 17th and 18th-century furniture, paintings, and ceramics. It also has the largest collection of Chinese ceramic objects in South Africa, dating back thousands of years.
- The Mapungubwe Collection contains amazing artifacts found at the Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site. These include gold ornaments, ivory, and ancient tools, showing how people lived hundreds of years ago.
- The Van Gybland-Oosterhoff Collection is a large collection of Dutch cultural items, including objects, publications, and photographs.
The Old Merensky Library is home to the Edoardo Villa Museum, which has the largest collection of sculptures by the famous Italian artist Edoardo Villa.
The Van Wouw Museum showcases the work of Anton van Wouw, a pioneer South African sculptor. His works often show Boer figures and indigenous peoples of South Africa.
The university also has Sci-Enza, a Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) Discovery Centre. It's a fun place where kids and adults can learn about science through hands-on activities. It has a digital planetarium, an exploratorium, and exhibits on biology and indigenous technology.
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Willem Lodewijk, an etching from the van Gybland-Oosterhoff Collection.
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An equine sculpture by Danie de Jager at the sports grounds.
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The famous gold rhino statuette in the Mapungubwe Museum.
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Important Places on Campus
The Aula, a large hall completed in 1958, is where many ceremonies and events take place. It was the first opera house in Pretoria. The Musaion (a 500-seat music complex) and the Amphitheatre (a 3000-seat outdoor venue) were built between 1960 and 1964. The University Chapel, originally a Catholic church built in 1925, was bought by the university in 1980.
Other Campuses
Onderstepoort Campus, Pretoria
The Onderstepoort campus is about 30 km north-west of the Hatfield campus. This campus is dedicated to the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences. It's the only place in South Africa where you can study to become a veterinarian or a veterinary nurse. The Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital provides medical care for animals and is a key part of student training.
Groenkloof Campus, Pretoria
The Groenkloof campus is home to the Faculty of Education. This campus has a long history of teacher training, dating back to the Pretoria Normal School established in 1902. In 2000, the Teachers Training College Pretoria became part of the university, and the Faculty of Education moved to this self-sufficient campus.
Prinshof Campus, Pretoria
Students in the Faculty of Health Sciences study at the Prinshof campus. This campus is next to the Steve Biko Hospital, which is the main hospital where students get hands-on training. Other hospitals like Kalafong Hospital and Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital are also used for training.
Illovo Campus, Johannesburg
The university's business school, the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), is located in Illovo, Johannesburg. It also has a satellite campus in the inner city of Johannesburg. GIBS is known for its business programs and has a strong reputation.
Academics and Research
Library System
"This country has given me so much that I am only too happy to be allowed to help it to develop and to be able to give back to it a fraction of what it has given to me".
In 1933, the university decided to build a new library because its collection was growing. The Old Merensky Library, designed by Gerard Moerdijk, opened in 1937. It has a mix of architectural styles and became a heritage site in 1991.
As the university grew, a larger library, Merensky Library II, was completed in 1975. Besides the main Merensky Library, the university has several other specialized libraries, including the Jotello F Soga Library (Veterinary Science), Oliver R Tambo Law Library, and Health Sciences Library. The Oliver R Tambo Law Library has a very comprehensive collection of legal materials from African countries.
In 2006, the university launched UPSpace, an online collection of its research. The university's library is also a partner in the World Digital Library project.
Research at UP
The University of Pretoria is a leading research university in South Africa. It works with businesses, industries, and other organizations on many research projects. This research helps South Africa become more competitive and innovative. The university is part of the CDIO Initiative, which is an international group focused on engineering education.
Some notable research areas include:
- Centre for Human Rights
- Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI)
- African Centre for Genome Technologies
Online Research Collections
The university has two main online collections for its research:
- UPeTD: This was launched in 2000 for electronic theses and dissertations. All its records were moved to UPSpace in 2014.
- UPSpace: This is the university's main online collection of research. It includes historical documents, research articles, conference papers, and lectures from past and current researchers.
Reputation and Rankings
| University rankings | |
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| Global – Overall | |
| ARWU World | 401–500 (2023) |
| QS World | =323 (2024) |
| THE World | 501–600 (2024) |
The University of Pretoria is consistently ranked among the top universities in South Africa and Africa. It also appears in global rankings, showing its strong academic standing worldwide. For example, in 2024, it was ranked among the top 501-600 universities globally by Times Higher Education. Its business school, GIBS, is also highly ranked internationally for its executive education programs.
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Kya Rosa, the original building of the Transvaal University College.
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The first student council in 1909.
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Rag festivities in Church Square in 1910.
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Welcoming day for first-year students in 1929.
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The university's mascot, Oom Gert, in 1939.
Student Life at UP
The University of Pretoria has a vibrant student life with many activities and traditions.
Where Students Live
The university offers housing in 24 residences for undergraduate and postgraduate students, and 3 residences just for postgraduate students. The first students lived in the Kya Rosa house. Later, the first male residence, Kollegetehuis, was built in 1915, followed by the first female residence, Asterhof, in 1925. Students who don't live in residences can join one of four Day Houses (Docendo, Dregeana, Luminous, and Vividus Ladies) to participate in student activities.
Student Groups
There are over 100 student clubs and organizations at the university. These include student government bodies like the Student Parliament and Student Representative Council (SRC), which help manage student affairs and fund other student groups. There are also many societies for religious, political, social, cultural, and academic interests.
Student Activities and Traditions
The university has many fun traditions. One popular belief is that if a blossom from a Jacaranda tree falls on your head, you will do well in your exams!
The university started the tradition of Rag (student society) (Afrikaans: Jool) in South Africa in 1925. During Rag, students build floats and parade through the streets, collecting money for charity.
Spring Day is a special university holiday held every year in September.
Students also enjoy song and dance competitions like Insync, Serenade, and Serrie. The Drama Department hosts the annual Krêkvars Arts Festival, where students can put on their own plays.
The university has several musical groups, including the UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO), UP Chorale, UP Brass Band, and various choirs. The university also supports the annual National Youth Orchestra course.
Students also participate in engineering competitions, like the Baja SAE competition, where teams design, build, and race small off-road cars.
University Mascot
Oom Gert (which means Uncle Gert in Afrikaans) has been the official university mascot since 1929. He is often the target of playful "kidnappings" by rival universities.
Student Media
The Perdeby (meaning "The Wasp") is the official university newspaper, founded in 1939. Tuks FM (107.2 FM) is the campus radio station, run by students and broadcasting to the Northern Gauteng area.
Community Service
The university helps local communities through various service programs, especially in areas where it has expertise, such as business and management.
Sports at UP
The University of Pretoria has a strong tradition of student involvement in sports. It has 30 registered sport clubs and 10 academies, with thousands of students participating. The university's sports facilities, located on the Hillcrest campus, include the LC de Villiers Sports Grounds and the High Performance Centre (HPC).
The HPC, established in 2002, is a top training location for South African national teams and international sports federations. It includes the Institute for Sport Research and a Sport Science and Medical Unit. The HPC also has the TuksSport High School, which allows students in grades 8-12 to train and travel for sports while continuing their studies.
Rugby
Rugby is very popular at the university. Teams compete in various leagues, including the Varsity Cup tournament, which features the top 8 university rugby teams in South Africa. The university won the Varsity Cup in 2012 and 2013.
Mind Sports
The university has a growing Mind Sports club, founded in 2013. This club focuses on competitive gaming and has had great success, with many gamers qualifying for national team trials. It has become the top university club in South Africa for mind sports.
Football
In 2002, the university started the Tuks Football Academy and the University of Pretoria F.C.. The team quickly moved up through the leagues and in the 2011/2012 season, they were promoted to the South African Premier Soccer League (PSL), which is the top football league in the country.
Famous Alumni and People
The University of Pretoria has educated over 250,000 alumni who have gone on to achieve great things in various fields.
Many alumni have become successful in business, including CEOs of major companies. Dr. Anton Rupert, a famous South African businessman and conservationist, was honored as "Tukkie of the century" and was a former chancellor of the university. Marius Kloppers was the CEO of BHP, one of the world's largest mining companies.
In law, alumni include judges of the High Court and Constitutional Court. Johann van der Westhuizen is a judge in the Constitutional Court of South Africa and helped start the university's Centre for Human Rights. Christof Heyns was a professor of human rights law and a United Nations Special Rapporteur.
The university has also produced many important theologians, like Albert Geyser, who spoke out against apartheid, and Johan Heyns, who was praised by Nelson Mandela as a "martyr for his country and a soldier of peace."
In sports, many famous athletes are alumni, including Springboks (South Africa's national rugby team members) like coach Heyneke Meyer and former captains Victor Matfield, Wynand Claassen, Naas Botha, and Joost van der Westhuizen. Other notable athletes include Caster Semenya, Tatjana Schoenmaker, and Oscar Pistorius.
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A graduate with a banner of the TUC.
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A graduation ceremony in 1918.
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A graduation ceremony in 1920.
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A graduation ceremony in 1922.
Images for kids
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Willem Lodewijk, etching done by Jacobus Houbraken, published by Isaac Tirion, 1752. Forming part of the van Gybland-Oosterhoff Collection
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Equine sculpture by Danie de Jager, Lc de Villiers Sports grounds
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The gold rhino statuete in the Mapungubwe Museum
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Kya Rosa, the original building of the Transvaal University College
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The first student council in 1909
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Rag festivities in Church Square in 1910
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Welcoming day for first years in 1929
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The university's mascot, Oom Gert in 1939
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Graduate with a banner of the TUC
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Graduation ceremony in 1918
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Graduation ceremony in 1920
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Graduation ceremony in 1922
See also
In Spanish: Universidad de Pretoria para niños
- Open access in South Africa and List of South African open access repositories
