The University of Limpopo (UL) prides itself as a university that offers students from a socio-economical and educational disadvantaged background, an opportunity to realise their potential and become professionals and researchers of high calibre. Its location within a rural setting and reach of local communities gives it an edge to focus its teaching and research on aspects that have an impact on social and community development.

History and Background

The university was initially established as the University College of the North in terms of the Act for the Extension of University Education (Act 45 of 1959), located on the northernmost part of South Africa (Limpopo). The university was regarded as one of the black institutions formed as a result of political unrests ravaging the country at the time by the apartheid regime, which imposed Bantu Education, a systematic form of educational exclusion based on race.

Today, UL has four Faculties, and in 2016 it opened the first Medical School after 1994 creating yet another opportunity for mainly rural-based students to study Medicine.

Faculties

Research

UL research activities are guided by the institution’s commitment to “Finding solutions for Africa”. This intent dictates that one way of improving the University’s research is when the institution considers the community around it how research can improve the community. To this end, UL has five niche areas: Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS); Complementary and Alternative Medicines; Mental Health; Women’s Health and Climate Change and Sustainability.