The city of Ekurhuleni is the only metro in the country that does not have a university. Due to this, residents now have long commutes and travel distances to pursue higher education.
The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Blade Nzimande said his department plans to build two new higher education institutions following approval from cabinet.
The new University of Science and Innovation will be built in Ekurhuleni and the new crime detection University in Hammanskraal.
According to the Department of Higher Education and Training, efforts to establish the two new universities are moving along steadily.
Earlier this year, the department appointed a committee to conduct a feasibility study on the two new institutions, that are funded through the Infrastructure and Efficiency Grant (IEG) to the value of R6 million.
“The process of establishing the two new higher education institutions commenced in April 2021 with the appointment of a Project Steering Committee constituted by stakeholder representatives from various organisations and sectors.” says Nzimande.
The department says that the two feasibility studies that are currently being conducted will be completed and submitted to Minister Blade Nzimande by 31 October 2022.
The new University of Science and Innovation is expected to focus on science and innovation subjects, specifically STEM subjects and the new crime Detection University in Hammanskraal is aimed at crime detection and fighting.
Many have raised questions on how the new institutions will be classified and whether they will be classified as university colleges or full universities.
In response, Nzimande said that the classification of the two new higher education institutions as university colleges or universities will only be known once the feasibility studies have been completed.
