National University of Lesotho

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National University of Lesotho
logo
motto 'Nete ke thebe
founding 1964
Sponsorship state
place Roma
country Lesotho
Vice Chancellor Manthotho H. Lephoto
Students 7,000
Networks IAU
Website www.nul.ls
Awarded the degrees by the then Chancellor, King Moshoeshoe II ; in front of him the student representative, behind him military councilor Justin Lekhanya (1988)
Roma with the university campus in the center

The National University of Lesotho , or NUL for short , is the only university in the Kingdom of Lesotho . Most of their faculties are located in Roma , about 35 kilometers southeast of the capital Maseru .

history

Roma was founded in 1860 as a Roman Catholic mission . Since then, the place has been expanded into a center of Catholicism in what was then Basutoland, alongside the capital Maseru .

In 1945 the Catholic Pius XII College was founded in Roma . The academic degrees were awarded by the University of South Africa (UNISA). In 1964 the college became the state University of Basutoland, Bechuanaland Protectorate and Swaziland . The eponymous countries were about to become self-employed. Consequently, the university was renamed the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland (UBLS) in 1966 . In 1967 the university itself awarded the degrees for the first time.

After branches of the UBLS were founded in Botswana and Swaziland in 1975, the association was dissolved. The University of Botswana and Swaziland existed until 1982 when the University of Botswana (UB) and the University of Swaziland (UNISWA) became independent. The university in Roma has been called the National University of Lesotho since 1975 .

By the end of the apartheid era , South African students made up around a third of the approximately 1,500 students. Many of them were affiliated with the African National Congress (ANC). Since 1991 the proportion of foreign students has decreased significantly. Nevertheless, the number of those enrolled at the NUL rose to around 7,000 (2006). The increase is due in part to the conversion of the Lesotho Agricultural College at Maseru into a faculty of the university.

The lecturers come from numerous countries around the world. In the 1980s all continents were represented. It was, however, the aim of the country and the responsible development aid organizations to help more and more locals get jobs in the academic field. This goal has been achieved to some extent. However, it happens again and again that trained academics leave the country to fill higher-paid positions elsewhere ( talent drain ).

Local academics play an important role in the country's politics. In the university there were always groups of lecturers and students who were in opposition to the government. This applies in particular to the period of the military government from 1986 to 1993, when all party political activity was forbidden. The National University of Lesotho Academic Staff Association (NULASA) then offered a forum for such activities. The end of the apartheid era in South Africa and the large number of South African students at the NUL also contributed to the call for democracy and human rights emanating from the university.

In 2019, plans were presented to set up a School of Engineering , which is to offer degrees in engineering sciences through to doctorates. It should be on the main campus in Roma.

Structure of the university

The National University of Lesotho is centered on a campus in the small town of Roma. Most of the faculties, the student residences and the lecturers' apartments are located here . Together with administration rooms, library, kindergarten, schools, a cafeteria, chapels, restaurants and sports facilities, they form the campus , which is surrounded by a fence and thus largely isolated from the surrounding villages.

There are several faculties ( Faculties ), which in turn in departments ( Department split). Each faculty is of a Dean ( Dean passed). The highest body is the Senate ( Senate ) and the Council ( Council ). The Senate determines the academic guidelines, while the Council acts like a board of directors . For example, he is responsible for the selection of management personnel. The Vice-Chancellor is the actual head of the university. From January 1, 2007, the Nigerian Adelani Ogunrinade held this office. In 2011, Professor Sharon Siverts became the first female Vice Chancellor in NUL history. From March 2015, Mosotho Nqosa Mahao was Vice Chancellor. In June 2019 he was temporarily replaced by Manthotho H. Lephoto. The chancellor ( Chancellor ), who is the respective king of Lesotho, formally forms the representative head of the university. The office is currently held by Letsie III.

The following faculties are represented:

The language of instruction in almost all faculties - with the exception of a few philological departments such as the French Department - is English. Almost 10,000 students attended the university in 2015/2016, including IEMS. Less than 0.5 percent of the students came from abroad.

Well-known lecturers at the university

Well-known alumni

Others

The NUL's motto is ' Nete ke thebe , knowledge is a shield.

Web links

Commons : National University of Lesotho  - Collection of Images

Individual evidence

  1. ^ List of IAU Members. In: iau-aiu.net. International Association of Universities, accessed August 6, 2019 .
  2. ^ Lesotho builds University of Lesotho School of Engineering. africandailyvoice.com, March 25, 2019, accessed March 26, 2019
  3. ↑ NUL Vice-Chancellor holds meeting with LUTARU ( Memento from December 19, 2012 in the web archive archive.today ) Report of the Transformation Resource Center from May 13, 2011, accessed on December 28, 2015
  4. ↑ Profile at sadcbiz.com ( Memento from April 8, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) (English)
  5. ↑ Massive restructuring at NUL. lestimes.com of May 27, 2016, accessed June 3, 2016