University of Pretoria

University of Pretoria (UP) is a leading research university in South Africa.

The University of Pretoria (UP) is a leading research university in South Africa, established in 1908 as the Pretoria campus of the Johannesburg-based Transvaal University College (TUC). It is the fourth South African institution in continuous operation to be awarded university status.

The roots of UP can be traced back to 1902 when the Transvaal government decided to establish a higher education institution in Pretoria, the capital of the Transvaal province. In 1908, the TUC opened its doors with 32 students and four professors, offering courses in arts, science, and education. The TUC quickly grew in both size and reputation, and in 1910, it became the first institution in the Transvaal to offer university-level degrees.

In 1930, the TUC was granted full university status and was renamed the University of Pretoria. The university continued to expand rapidly throughout the 1930s and 1940s, adding new faculties and departments and increasing its student enrollment. UP also played a significant role in the development of Afrikaans, the language of the majority of South Africans, as a medium of academic instruction.

During the apartheid era in South Africa, UP became a center of political activism and resistance against the government's discriminatory policies. The university's students and staff were at the forefront of the anti-apartheid movement, organizing protests and demonstrations and challenging the government's segregationist laws.

After the end of apartheid in 1994, UP underwent a significant transformation to become a more inclusive and representative institution. The university made a concerted effort to attract black students and faculty, and it also introduced new programs and initiatives aimed at promoting social justice and equity.

Today, UP is a leading research university with a strong commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and social responsibility. The university has a diverse student body from all over South Africa and from a variety of other countries. UP is also a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities and the Association of African Universities.

Based on the QS World University Rankings of 2024, University of Pretoria is positioned as the #323 top university in the world, which makes it the #5 top university in South Africa.