University of the Western Cape

About University of the Western Cape

The University of the Western Cape (UWC) was founded in 1960 and occupies a unique space in the South African higher education landscape. It is a dynamic institution committed to excellence in learning, teaching, research and innovation in a globally competitive environment whilst remaining true to the values and ethos that have shaped its identity as a university rooted in serving the public good.

UWC is home to more than 23 000 students who engage in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in seven faculties, namely:

• Faculty of Arts and Humanities
• Faculty of Community Health Sciences
• Faculty of Dentistry
• Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Law
• Faculty of Natural Sciences

There are 2400 academic, professional and support staff employed at the university.

Vision
Attuned to South Africa’s need to make the best use of its talent pool and to be globally competitive, UWC will be a vibrant intellectual space where people engage with matters of real significance at the highest levels of competence, and it will be widely recognised for this role.

Mission
The University of the Western Cape is a national university, alert to its African and international context as it strives to be a place of quality, and a place to grow, from hope to action through knowledge. It is committed to excellence in teaching, learning and research, to nurturing the cultural diversity of South Africa, and to responding in critical and creative ways to the needs of a society in transition. Drawing on its proud experience in the liberation struggle, the University is aware of having a distinctive academic role in helping build an equitable and dynamic society.

Our Campuses

Our campus includes a nature reserve and the mountains of the Cape Peninsula and Stellenbosch afford beautiful landmarks to the east and west. The university is readily accessible by car, taxi, bus or train, and even has its own railway station, Unibell. Regional facilities, such as the Bellville central station and the Cape Town International Airport are a few minutes’ drive from the main campus.

The Western Cape region is a place of vibrant diversity, with a rich history as a cultural crossroads on the continent of Africa. UWC was placed beyond the edge of urban development in 1960. Out in the bush and sealed off from amenities, it was inhibited from being any kind of all political nuisance by an industrial barrier. The last barricade was the Transnet site in Robert Sobukwe Road. Ironically, UWC is now in the centre of the Cape Town metropolis.

Address
University of the Western Cape,
Robert Sobukwe Road,
Bellville, 7535
Republic of South Africa