The Premier University of African Scholarship
The new University of KwaZulu-Natal unites two major educational institutions in KwaZulu-Natal – the University of Natal and the University of Durban-Westville.

The University of KwaZulu-Natal aims to be a truly South African university that reflects the society in which it is situated – not only in terms of race, gender and class – but in terms of how it structures its values and priorities and how it responds to social needs. As an institution of higher learning, it is committed to academic excellence, innovation in research and critical engagement with society. With its vision to be the Premier University of African Scholarship, the University of KwaZulu-Natal draws inspiration from an African identity and takes seriously its responsibilities to the development of the African continent.

In keeping with our vision "The Premier University of African Scholarship" a process of consolidation aimed at eradicating duplication, streamlining the provision of Higher Education services and creating first rate equitable campuses is well under way. Over the next two years the University will inject over R400 million into the total university's infrastructure to ensure that UKZN's laboratory facilities, lecture halls and office space are of a world-class standards. We will also spend approximately R40 million on research and teaching equipment which includes, for example the latest and most advanced NMR instrument. Approximately 75% of this infrastructural investment shall be for the Westville campus
The University of KwaZulu-Natal was formed on 1 January 2004 as a result of the merger between the University of Durban-Westville and the University of Natal.
The new university brings together the rich histories of both the former Universities.

The University of Durban-Westville was established in the 1960s as the University College for Indians on Salisbury Island in Durban Bay. Student numbers throughout the 1960s were low as a result of the Congress Alliances’ policy of shunning apartheid structures. This policy gave way in the 1980s to a strategy of “education under protest” which sought to transform apartheid institutions into sites of struggle. Student numbers grew rapidly and in 1971, the College was granted University status. The following year, the newly-named University of Durban-Westville moved into its modern campus in Westville and was a site of major anti-apartheid struggle. UDW became an autonomous institution in 1984, opening up to students of all races.

Founded in 1910 as the Natal University College in Pietermaritzburg, the University of Natal was granted independent University status in 1949 owing to its rapid growth in numbers, its wide range of courses and its achievements in and opportunities for research. By that time, the NUC was already a multi-campus institution, having been extended to Durban after World War 1. The distinctive Howard College building was opened in 1931, following a donation by Mr T B Davis, whose son Howard Davis was killed during the Battle of Somme in World War I. In 1946, the government approved a Faculty of Agriculture in Pietermaritzburg and, in 1947, a Medical School for African, Indian and Coloured students in Durban.

The two KwaZulu-Natal universities were among the first batch of South African institutions to merge in 2004 in accordance with the government’s higher educational restructuring plans that will eventually see the number of higher educational institutions in South Africa reduced from 36 to 21. Confirmed by a Cabinet decision in December 2002, the mergers are the culmination of a wide-ranging consultative process on the restructuring of the Higher Education Sector that began in the early 1990s.
The goals of the University are to:
Promote access to learning that will expand educational and employment opportunities for the historically disadvantaged, and support social transformation and redress.
Create and develop an enabling environment for all learners and scholars to pursue their studies in accordance with the principles of academic freedom.
Advance knowledge and culture through globally competitive teaching, learning, scholarship and research, innovation and scientific investigation.
Foster a capacity for independent critical thinking, free engagement in fundamental discovery and a reappraisal and extension of traditional views of the world amongst students and staff.
Support and contribute, across the academic enterprise, to national and regional development, and the welfare and upliftment of the wider community.
Provide holistic education which promotes an awareness of social responsibility and sound ethical practice in a diverse society.
Promote and foster tolerance and respect for multilingualism, diverse cultures and social values.
Promote excellence in teaching and learning through creative and innovative curriculum design and development, pedagogical strategies and assessment practices in accordance with sound quality assurance principles.
Strengthen the institution through local and international collaboration, exchanges and partnerships with the private sector and higher education institutions in teaching, research and development enterprises.
Conserve the physical environment, and foster a culture of responsible, ethical, sustainable use of natural resources.
Increase opportunities for lifelong learning in response to the educational, social, political, scientific and economic challenges of our time.
Equip graduates to serve as future leaders of the nation.
Ensure effective governance through democratic representation, accountability, and transparency.
Promote the social and personal well-being of staff and students, and foster the realization of their full human potential.
The University views this vision and mission statement as a reflection of its core values and commitments. In carrying out its various activities, the University seeks to contribute to the building of a just South African society.   More detail...