Monash South Africa
Encyclopedia
Monash University
's South Africa campus was opened in 2001. It was first foreign university established in South Africa
. It is located on a 100 hectare site in Ruimsig in north-west Johannesburg
, in the province of Gauteng
. It has been described by one high-ranking Australian official as Australia
's most significant partnership with Africa
in any sphere.
The student mix at Monash South Africa is diverse. In addition to domestic (South African) students, the campus is also home to many students from other African states who are funded by government bursaries. For example, a large number of students from Botswana
attend the university. Furthermore, the number of students on exchange from Monash's Australian and Malaysian campuses makes it one of the most ethnically diverse universities in Africa. Many students live in the on-campus accommodation.
The campus is wholly owned by Monash University. The current Pro Vice-Chancellor of the South Africa campus is Professor Tyrone Pretorius, a psychologist who has previously held research and administrative positions at the University of the Western Cape
and Yale University
.
The plan was initially opposed by some of the staff at Monash's Australian campuses, who were concerned that millions was being poured into overseas ventures, while staff were being made redundant in Australia.
The campus has expanded rapidly since its establishment in 2001. In its first intake, Monash South Africa took on just over 100 students. By 2008, there were over 2200 students, and the University is rapidly expanding the campus to keep up with a demand for places which is increasing by 35% per year. A new library and learning commons were opened in 2007. Initially, the campus taught only a limited range of undergraduate degrees. In 2006, honours programs were introduced, to be followed by Masters and PhD programs in 2008.
The University is also developing the campus' research capacity, developing research nodes in water, injury prevention and global movements. Its research output (various projects and scholarly publications) is increasing, with the ambition of becoming one of the most research-intensive universities in Africa.
Many student volunteers at the Campus also run Saturday classes for children in the local Zandspruit settlement.
. It is a purpose-built, greenfield
, 100 hectare campus, which contains among the most modern and state of the art technologies of any Monash University campus. The campus also has extensive sporting facilities, including basketball and volleyball courts, and a field for rugby, soccer and hockey.
The establishment of the campus has led to significant development in the local area, with several shopping centres, sporting and leisure facilities opening since 2001. The local area also contains substantial accommodation for those students who do not live on-campus.
incorporated under an Act of the Parliament of Victoria
. Monash South Africa itself is registered with the South African Department of Education as a private higher education provider, and an incorporated, not-for-gain association.
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
's South Africa campus was opened in 2001. It was first foreign university established in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. It is located on a 100 hectare site in Ruimsig in north-west Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, in the province of Gauteng
Gauteng
Gauteng is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa's first all-race elections on 27 April 1994...
. It has been described by one high-ranking Australian official as Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's most significant partnership with Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
in any sphere.
The student mix at Monash South Africa is diverse. In addition to domestic (South African) students, the campus is also home to many students from other African states who are funded by government bursaries. For example, a large number of students from Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
attend the university. Furthermore, the number of students on exchange from Monash's Australian and Malaysian campuses makes it one of the most ethnically diverse universities in Africa. Many students live in the on-campus accommodation.
The campus is wholly owned by Monash University. The current Pro Vice-Chancellor of the South Africa campus is Professor Tyrone Pretorius, a psychologist who has previously held research and administrative positions at the University of the Western Cape
University of the Western Cape
The University of the Western Cape is a public university located in the Bellville suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. It was established in 1960 by the South African government as a university for Coloured people only...
and Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
.
History
Beginning in the 1990s, Monash University began an extensive internationalisation program. Vice-Chancellor at the time, David Robinson, aspired for Monash to have campuses on every continent. The University's Malaysia Campus was the first of these, with plans for an African campus developing in the late 1990s. In 2001, it became the first international university to gain registration to operate in South Africa.The plan was initially opposed by some of the staff at Monash's Australian campuses, who were concerned that millions was being poured into overseas ventures, while staff were being made redundant in Australia.
The campus has expanded rapidly since its establishment in 2001. In its first intake, Monash South Africa took on just over 100 students. By 2008, there were over 2200 students, and the University is rapidly expanding the campus to keep up with a demand for places which is increasing by 35% per year. A new library and learning commons were opened in 2007. Initially, the campus taught only a limited range of undergraduate degrees. In 2006, honours programs were introduced, to be followed by Masters and PhD programs in 2008.
The University is also developing the campus' research capacity, developing research nodes in water, injury prevention and global movements. Its research output (various projects and scholarly publications) is increasing, with the ambition of becoming one of the most research-intensive universities in Africa.
Ranking
Courses
Monash University South Africa offers undergraduate courses in three faculties. In 2008, Masters and PhD programs were introduced. Currently, the faculties at Monash South Africa are:- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Business and Economics
- Faculty of Information Technology
- Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health SciencesMonash University Faculty of MedicineThe Monash University Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences is one of Australia's leading medical schools, and offers the broadest range of undergraduate and postgraduate medicine-related programs of any Australian university...
Many student volunteers at the Campus also run Saturday classes for children in the local Zandspruit settlement.
Location
The campus is located in Ruimsig, which is 25 km north-west of central JohannesburgJohannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
. It is a purpose-built, greenfield
Greenfield project
In many disciplines a greenfield is a project that lacks any constraints imposed by prior work. The analogy is to that of construction on greenfield land where there is no need to remodel or demolish an existing structure...
, 100 hectare campus, which contains among the most modern and state of the art technologies of any Monash University campus. The campus also has extensive sporting facilities, including basketball and volleyball courts, and a field for rugby, soccer and hockey.
The establishment of the campus has led to significant development in the local area, with several shopping centres, sporting and leisure facilities opening since 2001. The local area also contains substantial accommodation for those students who do not live on-campus.
Governance and Administration
Monash South Africa is wholly owned by Monash University Australia, which is a public universityPublic university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
incorporated under an Act of the Parliament of Victoria
Parliament of Victoria
The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria. It follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system and consists of The Queen, represented by the Governor of Victoria; the Legislative Council ; and the Legislative Assembly...
. Monash South Africa itself is registered with the South African Department of Education as a private higher education provider, and an incorporated, not-for-gain association.