The University of South Africa (Unisa) says its academic and institutional performance has continued to improve a year after a failed attempt to place the institution under administration. Monday, 27 October 2025, marked just over a year since the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria stopped the then Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation from placing Unisa under administration. The court ruling followed an urgent application by the university’s Council and Management, which argued that the minister’s move was…

The University of South Africa (Unisa) has officially appointed academic administrator, Professor Moloko Sepota, as its new University Registrar, effective 1 October 2025. The appointment marks a significant milestone for the institution as it continues to strengthen its leadership and administrative capacity. In a statement released this week, Unisa praised Professor Sepota’s leadership during his tenure as Acting Registrar since June 2023, noting that his contribution has brought “much-needed stability” to one of the university’s most crucial portfolios. “During this…

Unisa celebrates a remarkable milestone, with over a hundred patents granted for inventions that stem from its ongoing research and development efforts. Since the launch of the Directorate of Innovation, Technology Transfer and Commercialisation (DITTC) in 2012, the university has worked closely with both staff and students to transform fresh ideas into protected technologies. The DITTC has made tremendous progress in the promotion and support of innovative solutions and inventions from Unisa’s research and development activities. The directorate was established…

Hundreds of needy students who were unable to graduate from the University of South Africa (Unisa) due to outstanding fees will finally receive their qualifications.  The university’s Convocation, comprising one million alumni, has raised more than R2.5 million through donations and pledges to cover the tuition fees for financially needy students whose careers have been hindered by student debt.  According to the body, 27 000 Unisa students who are on the verge of completing their studies may not be able…

The news broke not as a shock, but as a confirmation—a quiet, resonant chord struck deep within the heart of Africa’s largest university.   When the University of South Africa (UNISA) was announced as the double winner at the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA) awards recently, it felt less like a surprise to many and more like a continent exhaling a sigh of pride. SARIMA brings together research and innovation management practitioners to reinforce various disciplines and institutional…

African youth must uproot the continent’s colonial legacy and reclaim their intellectual sovereignty, said Sindisiwe Chikunga, South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities. Speaking at the recent 7th Pan African Youth Forum in Durban, Chikuga said colonialism had damaged the continent’s institutions, economies and self-perceptions.  She delivered a keynote address at the August 25 gathering, hosted by the University of South Africa (Unisa), in collaboration with the Association of Technical Universities and Polytechnics in…

The University of South Africa and the Association of Technical Universities and Polytechnics in Africa (ATUPA) have signed an agreement to promote innovation, vocational education and the development of technical skills across Africa.  Unisa Vice Chancellor Professor Puleng LenKabula and ATUPA leaders, including Executive Board Chair Dr Tafadzwa Mudondo, signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on August 26, 2025, during the weeklong ATUPA International Conference held in Durban, South Africa.   ATUPA is a premier continental association that serves as…

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…

James Chibueze, Distinguished Professor in the College of Science, Engineering, and Technology, recently scooped the highly coveted Royal Society Rising Star Africa Prize for his work in advancing African astronomy through pioneering research, capacity building, and international collaborations. The Royal Society is a fellowship that comprises many of the world’s most eminent scientists and is one of the oldest scientific academies. On August 27, 2025, the Royal Society announced the recipients of its 2025 medals and awards.  Chibueze, of the…

The Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI) has honoured several of UNISA’s female academics for “pushing the boundaries of knowledge” in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).  These trailblazers were among the recipients of the DSTI’s 2025 South African Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA) in Pretoria on August 21, 2025. They include Professor Zilungile Mkhize-Kitswana, of Unisa’s College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES) and Professor Tebogo Pilgrene Mashifana, of Unisa’s College of Science, Engineering and…