University of South Africa Vice Chancellor, Professor Puleng LenkaBula, has challenged academics, policymakers, and industry leaders to reflect on the role of education in combating poverty and underdevelopment amid digitisation and shifting geopolitics.   She also called for strategic, innovative and collaborative leadership in the higher education sector in the face of growing challenges, including the financing of the sector and global trade restrictions.  LenkaBula recently addressed the Catalytic Niche Area (CNAs) Research Symposium at the university’s main campus, Muckleneuk, in…

According to the 2025 Shanghai Ranking’s Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), published on 15 August, 2025 Unisa remains among the eight best universities in the country and the top 1 000 universities globally. The ranking is published by the Centre for World-Class Universities of the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. As only approximately 10% of all universities are ranked by ARWU and only the top 1 000 universities are published in the ranking results, it is a significant achievement for…

In a poignant seminar held at the University of South Africa (Unisa) on Wednesday, diplomats, academics, and global security experts gathered to mark 80 years since the establishment of the United Nations (UN) and the devastating atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The commemorative event, themed “The United Nations at 80: The Post-World War II Peace Architecture and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty”, served as both a tribute and a sobering assessment of the current global peace order. Hosted in collaboration…

The University of South Africa (Unisa) made history on 25 April 2025 by hosting the launch of the Academia-Public-Private-Diplomatic Corps Forum at the G20 Africa Investment Summit (AIS), a first-of-its-kind initiative to unite universities, governments, businesses, and diplomats in advancing Africa’s economic transformation. Themed “The Road to G20 Through Research, Innovation, and Collaboration in the Intelligent Age”, the event brought together G20 delegates, government officials, business leaders, academics, diplomats, and traditional leaders to forge actionable strategies for Africa’s sustainable development.…

UNISA has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Óbuda University in Hungary to boost collaboration in engineering and technology disciplines that are central to Unisa’s 10 catalytic niche areas. This follows a similar deal signed earlier in 2025 with Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary’s oldest and largest university. The agreements were finalised during the Hungarian-South African Rectors’ Forum in Budapest, which took place from 31 March to 4 April 2025. The Hungarian-South African Rectors’ Forum is a platform created by…

The University of South Africa (UNISA), in collaboration with the Water Research Commission (WRC) and the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), hosted the 2025 Water Imbizo on Tuesday, 25 March 2025, under the theme “Forging Collective Solutions Towards the South African Water Crisis.” Held during National Water Week, the event brought together academics, researchers and stakeholders to address critical issues such as declining water reserves, intergenerational water preservation and equitable resource management. Professor Puleng LenkaBula, UNISA Principal and Vice-Chancellor,…

In a landmark achievement, three professors from the University of South Africa (UNISA) have been recognised at the South African Medical Research Council’s (SAMRC) 11th Scientific Merit Awards, the nation’s premier platform for celebrating excellence in health research. Professors Zilungile Mkhize-Kwitshana, Lindiwe Zungu, and Usisipho Feleni were honoured for their pioneering contributions to public health, occupational safety, and environmental sustainability, cementing UNISA’s role as a leader in innovative and socially impactful research. Established in 1969, the SAMRC is dedicated to…

In its first edition of 2025, the Webometrics Ranking Web of Universities shows that Unisa rose from the 797th (2024) to the 732nd (2025) place internationally, while the institution retained a solid seventh position among the 124 South African institutions of higher learning (including also colleges and academies, both private and public) ranked by Webometrics. The ranking is an initiative of the Cybermetrics Lab, which is part of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), the largest public research body…

The University of South Africa (UNISA) and Makerere University in Uganda have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance collaboration in teaching, learning, research, and community engagement. The MoU was signed on January 13 during Makerere University’s 75th graduation ceremony, held at the university’s Freedom Square in the capital Kampala. This graduation ceremony celebrated the achievements of 13,658 students, including 143 PhD, 1,813 master’s degree, and 243 postgraduate diploma graduates. Established in 1922, Makerere University is the oldest and…

Speaking at Makerere University, Uganda’s largest and oldest institution of higher learning, Professor Puleng LenkaBula shared her thoughts on the resilience, actions, and leadership of African women in the quest to shape the continent’s future and its position in the world. On 13 January 2025, Professor Puleng LenkaBula, Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor (VC), delivered the commencement address at Makerere University’s 75 th graduation ceremony, sharing her thoughts on the resilience, actions, and leadership of African women in the quest to…