MINISTER NZIMANDE TO OFFICIALLY OPEN THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN CAPE EDUCATION FACULTY PRICINCT AND UNIBELL STUDENT ACCOMMODATION
The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande will officially open the University of the Western Cape (UWC) Education Faculty precinct as well as the Unibell Student Accommodation tomorrow, Monday, 24th April 2023.
Both projects are significant in scale and will add tremendous value to the University, its academic focus and the living and learning experience of students.
South Campus Education Precinct Project
The University’s 2014 Master Development Plan introduced a focus on precinct development on the main campus in Bellville. This project signifies a substantial next phase in the University’s focus on precinct development on its main campus and the adaptive re-use of existing infrastructure to give new life to older buildings.
Progress with this strategy was largely driven by the rate at which the science precinct – including the Life and Chemical Sciences buildings, the South African Institute for Advanced Materials Chemistry building as well as the Computer and Mathematical Sciences (CAMS) building – could be developed.
Unibell Student Accommodation
Quality student accommodation forms a critical part of student success and greatly impact students’ living and learning experiences. By living on campus or in close proximity to campus help students stay connected to the university environments, provide opportunities for learning communities and facilitate access to university amenities and services.
Against this backdrop Minister Nzimande in his NCOP Budget Speech of 23 May 2017,referred to the need to build approximately 200 000 new beds for universities alone, in addition to the accommodation need for TVET colleges and promised that “the University of the Western Cape will get a new student village on its Bellville campus with more than 2 600 beds – doubling its current capacity in one project”.
Members of the media are invited to join Minister Nzimande, the Chancellor of the University of the Western Cape, Dr Thabo Cecil Makgoba; Chair of the University Council, Judge Nathan Erasmus, Vice Chancellor & Rector, Professor Tyrone Pretorius and the Development Bank of Southern Africa as follows:
Date: 24 April 2023
Time: 10h30
Location: Unibell Residence, University of the Western Cape, Robert Sobukwe Road, Bellville.
Members of the media can confirm their attendance with Ishmael Mnisi at 0660378859.
Issued by:
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation
Meiring Naude Road
Brummeria
Pretoria
Enquiries: Ishmael Mnisi 0660378859
