Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) opened on 1 January 2005, the result of the merging of the PE Technikon the University of Port Elizabeth (UPE) and the Port Elizabeth campus of Vista University (Vista PE).
The PE Technikon has its roots in the country’s oldest art school, the PE Art School founded in 1882; the University of Port Elizabeth (UPE), the country’s first dual-medium residential university, came into being on 31 January 1964; and the Port Elizabeth campus of Vista university, which opened up access to higher education for disadvantaged students.
The union of these institutions came about as a result of government’s countrywide restructuring of higher education – intended to deliver a more equitable and efficient system to meet the needs of South Africa, the continent and the world in the 21st century.
On 20 July 2017, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University was officially renamed Nelson Mandela University: the only higher education institution in the world to carry the name of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. The name change provided an opportunity for the institution to rebrand and position itself continentally and globally, while also allowing it to usher in a new era of renewed vigour towards meaningful transformation.
The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University has already established itself as a leader in fields such as automotive engineering, ecology, marine students, community health, the built environment, art and design, accounting and auditing, education and IT, but it also offers students an even wider choice of stimulating and market-orientated courses, opening up a variety of career opportunities.
Nelson Mandela University is today a sought-after educational destination and the most diverse university in South Africa.
Our mission is to be a dynamic African university, recognised for its leadership in generating cutting-edge knowledge for a sustainable future. Our mission is to offer a diverse range of life-changing educational experiences for a better world.
Programs
Campuses
Six different campuses make up the NMMU, of which five are located in the Nelson Mandela Metropole and one in George. The North and South NMMU Campuses are located on a nature reserve on the coastal parts of the city.
