Kwame Nkrumah University (KNU) is a
public university
A public university or public college is a university or college that is in owned by the state or receives significant public funds through a national or subnational government, as opposed to a private university. Whether a national universit ...
in
Zambia
Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most cent ...
.
Location
The university's main campus is in the
central business district
A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...
of the city of
Kabwe
Kabwe is the capital of the Zambian Central Province and the Kabwe District, with a population estimated at 202,914 at the 2010 census. Named Broken Hill until 1966, it was founded when lead and zinc deposits were discovered in 1902. Kabwe also ...
, approximately by road north of
Lusaka
Lusaka (; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Zambia. It is one of the fastest-developing cities in southern Africa. Lusaka is in the southern part of the central plateau at an elevation of about . , the city's population was ab ...
, the capital and largest city in Zambia. The geographical coordinates of Kwame Nkrumah University are:14°26'41.0"S, 28°28'02.0"E (Latitude:-14.444722; Longitude:28.467222).
History
The institution was opened in 1967, as Kabwe Teachers Training College. It trained junior secondary school teachers at its inception. Four years later, the
president of Zambia
The president of Zambia is the head of state and the head of government of Zambia. The office was first held by Kenneth Kaunda following independence in 1964. Since 1991, when Kaunda left the presidency, the office has been held by seven othe ...
at the time,
Kenneth Kaunda
Kenneth David Kaunda (28 April 1924 – 17 June 2021), also known as KK, was a Zambian politician who served as the first President of Zambia from 1964 to 1991. He was at the forefront of the struggle for independence from British rule. Dissat ...
, renamed the college Nkrumah Teachers College, in honor of
Kwame Nkrumah
Kwame Nkrumah (born 21 September 190927 April 1972) was a Ghanaian politician, political theorist, and revolutionary. He was the first Prime Minister and President of Ghana, having led the Gold Coast to independence from Britain in 1957. An in ...
, the first
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
and first President of
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
. During the period when
Levy Mwanawasa
Levy Patrick Mwanawasa (3 September 1948 – 19 August 2008) was the third president of Zambia. He served as president from January 2002 until his death in August 2008. Mwanawasa is credited with having initiated a campaign to rid the corrupti ...
was president (2002 to 2008), the college began transforming into a university, a process that concluded while
Michael Sata
Michael Charles Chilufya Sata (6 July 1937 – 28 October 2014) was a Zambian politician who was the fifth president of Zambia, from 23 September 2011 until his death on 28 October 2014. A social democrat, he led the Patriotic Front (PF), a maj ...
was in office (2011 to 2014).
Kwame Nkrumah University was established by Part IV, Section 14 of the Higher Education Act No. 4 of 2013. At its inception, the university could only accommodate 600 students, a number that has since increased to 6,000. As of August 2016, it employed 74 full-time academic staff. At that time, the university was undergoing a major infrastructure expansion, including four student hostels; each capable of accommodating 600 students. ''Hua Jiang Investment Limited'', a
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
construction firm, is carrying out the construction works, on which the
government of Zambia
The politics of Zambia takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the president of Zambia is head of state, head of government and leader of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by th ...
had spent in excess of ZMW:57,518,410 (approx. US$5.68 million).
The university held its first graduation ceremony under its own university letterheads in August 2015.
Locations
Nkrumah University has three campus locations. The main campus — Munkoyo Street Campus — is about 3 km from the
Kabwe
Kabwe is the capital of the Zambian Central Province and the Kabwe District, with a population estimated at 202,914 at the 2010 census. Named Broken Hill until 1966, it was founded when lead and zinc deposits were discovered in 1902. Kabwe also ...
city center. Nkrumah University has recently acquired the PAID-ESA campus along the same street (Previously the Pan African Institute for Development - East/Southern Africa); this campus will help expand the capacity of the university. The newest campus is the West Campus. It lies immediately to the left of Main Campus. Kwame Nkrumah University has a new state of the art Library which is located at the west Library. The new campus also houses the new lecture theatre. Other infrastructure are still under construction within the same vicinity.
Academics
The following undergraduate degree courses are offered by Kwame Nkrumah University:
*
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...
with
Education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
in the
Humanities
Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture. In the Renaissance, the term contrasted with divinity and referred to what is now called classics, the main area of secular study in universities at the t ...
and
Social Sciences
Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of soci ...
*
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
with
Education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
in the
Natural Sciences
Natural science is one of the branches of science concerned with the description, understanding and prediction of natural phenomena, based on empirical evidence from observation and experimentation. Mechanisms such as peer review and repeatab ...
*
Bachelor of Business Studies
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) is a bachelor's degree in business administration awarded by colleges and universities after completion of undergraduate study in the fundamentals of business administration and usually including advanced ...
with
Education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
Departments
The Nkrumah University is divided into 4 schools:
*School of
Natural Sciences
Natural science is one of the branches of science concerned with the description, understanding and prediction of natural phenomena, based on empirical evidence from observation and experimentation. Mechanisms such as peer review and repeatab ...
with departments for:
# Life Sciences
# Physical Sciences
# Mathematics and Statistics
# Physical Education
*School of
Business Studies
Business studies, often simply called business, is a field of study that deals with the principles of business, management, and economics. It combines elements of accountancy, finance, marketing, organizational studies, human resource management, a ...
with departments for:
# Computing and Communication Technologies
# Accounting, Economics and Finance
# Marketing and Management Studies
*School of
Education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
with departments for:
# Psychology And Sociology
# Educational Administration and Policy Studies
# Languages and Social Sciences Education
# Mathematics and Science Education
# Special Education
*School of
Social Sciences
Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of soci ...
with departments for:
# Social Sciences
# Languages
# Religious Studies
# Linguistics
Governance
The University Senate runs the university under the supervision of the University Council. There are four schools namely; the school of Natural Science, the school of Business Studies, the school of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the school of Education. There are two institutes; Institute of Open and Distance Learning, and the Centre for Information and Communication Technology.
Care Taker Committee of Kwame Nkrumah University composed of Dr. Yusuf Ahmed (chairperson), Mrs. Sherry Anne Thole (Vice Chairperson), Dr. Christopher Mazimba, Dr. Elizabeth Nkumbula, Mr. Felix A. Nkandu, Dr. Phoebe Albina Bwembya, Hon. Susan B. Kawandami, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Higher Education, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Finance (Budget). Prof Hellicy Ng'ambi
Vice Chancellor
A chancellor is a leader of a college or university, usually either the executive or ceremonial head of the university or of a university campus within a university system.
In most Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations, the chancellor is ...
and Dr. Judith C.N.Lungu (Deputy Vice Chancellor) of Kwame Nkrumah University
Other facilities
* The University Guest House and Lodge.
Student life
Activities
*
Sports
Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, th ...
*
Community service
Community service is unpaid work performed by a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of their community without any form of compensation. Community service can be distinct from volunteering, since it is not always performed ...
Press and radio
Nkruman Times
Nkrumah University media
Students residences
*Mulungushi hostel (gents)
*Luapula hostel (gents)
*Kafue hostel (gents)
*PAID-ESA hostels (gents)
*Liseli hostel (females)
*Chimwemwe hostel (females)
*Zambezi hostel (females)
*Luangwa hostel (females)
*Peririntwaya hostel (females)
Sports clubs
Netball, Football, Volleyball, Basketball
Affiliations
Nkrumah is a new member of the Association of African Universities, the Association of Commonwealth Universities, Football Association of Zambia and the International Association of Universities.
See also
*
Education in Zambia
Lower education in Zambia is divided into three levels and these are namely: primary, junior secondary and upper secondary. Higher education in Zambia has improved in the recent years due to the increase of private universities and colleges. The ...
*
List of universities in Zambia
This is a list of registered universities in Zambia. As of 2020, there were 9 registered public institutions and 54 registered private institutions in Zambia following regulations set forth by the Zambian Higher Education Authority.
Public Univers ...
References
External links
Website of Kwame Nkrumah University
{{authority control
Central Province, Zambia
1967 establishments in Zambia
Educational institutions established in 1967
Universities in Zambia