Vaal University of Technology (VUT) is a tertiary institution in South Africa. It attracts students from all over the country. It is one of the largest residential Universities of Technology, with about 25,000 students, 300 programs, all primarily taught in English. The campus and facilities are conducive to learning, research, recreation and sport, art and culture, and community service. The campuses have lecture halls, laboratories, a number of auditoriums and office space situated on . Four satellite campuses extend the services of the university, at Secunda, Kempton Park,

Klerksdorp Klerksdorp () is located in the North West Province, South Africa. Klerksdorp, the largest city in the North West Province, is located southeast of Mahikeng, the provincial capital. Klerksdorp was also the first capital of the then Transvaal Repub ...

and

Upington Upington ( Nama: //Khara hais) is a town founded in 1873 and located in the Northern Cape province of South Africa, on the banks of the Orange River. The town was originally called Olijvenhoutsdrift ('Olive wood drift'), due to the abundance of ...

. Besides the four faculties, various departments serve its students, catering for their needs.

History

The forerunner to the Vaal University of Technology was named the Vaal Triangle College for Advanced Technical Education. Situated in Vanderbijlpark in South Africa's industrial heartland, it opened to 189 students (taught by 15 members of staff ) in 1966. Growth was rapid. In 1975, new buildings – including a library, gymnasium, laboratories and lecture halls – enabled growth to continue, so that by 1978 student enrolments reached 3,000 and the staff complement 137. The following year, the Advanced Technical Education Amendment Act brought a name change – the Vaal Triangle Technikon – and the opportunity for the new category of higher education institutions to offer and award National Certificates, National Diplomas, National Higher Diplomas and National Masters Diplomas. By 1987, as new facilities continued to be added to the core institution, student numbers reached 6 000, and nearly 15,000 twelve years later. In 2004, the Vaal University of Technology came into being – and incorporated the old Vista University campus in Sebokeng township which was promptly renamed ‘Educity’.

Academics

The 325 academic and research staff are spread across the university's four faculties: *Applied and Computer Science *Engineering and Technology *Humanities *Management Science Notable staff members include Prof

Peter Dzvimbo Peter Dzvimbo is a Zimbabwean academic. He was the first Vice-Chancellor of the Zimbabwe Open University and was Rector of the African Virtual University. He joined the Vaal University of Technology as the Deputy Vice Chancellor: Academic and Re ...

the university's current deputy vice chancellor: academic and research.

Student enrollment

The Vaal University of Technology (VUT) is a contact institution. There were 16,146 contact students enrolled in 2007. Of the student body, 14,693 were full-time students and 1,453 part-time. Of these, 14,781 were South African citizens while 909 were from other SADC countries and 456 from non-SADC countries.

Ranking

Notable alumni

* Lilian Imuetinyan Salami, academic and current

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 of Nations, Commonwealth and former Commonwealth n ...

, University of Benin

References

Universities in Gauteng Universities in Mpumalanga Universities in North West (South African province) Universities in the Northern Cape Public universities in South Africa 1966 establishments in South Africa Science and technology in South Africa Emfuleni {{SouthAfrica-university-stub