The University of Eswatini (UNESWA) developed from the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini (UBLS), formerly known as the University of Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Eswatini (UBBS), which had its headquarters in Lesotho between 1964 and 1975. The UBBS had developed from the Pius XII Catholic University College at Roma – itself the product of a long-held desire for an institution of higher learning for Africans, of the Catholic hierarchy in Southern Africa.
From its foundation, Pius XII was a college of the more liberal University of South Africa (UNISA), to prepare students for the Bachelor of Arts degree. Following a special agreement reached with UNISA in 1954, under which courses were taught and examined, Pius XII was allowed to expand its academic horizons to include courses leading to UNISA’s degrees of Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Science, and a post-graduate Diploma in Education. By 1963 there were 180 students, both men and women, and substantial buildings including a science block, refectory, administrative building and workshops.
However, even by the late 1950s the College had begun to experience hardships that threatened its future – principally shortage of income, and deteriorating ties with UNISA, including restrictions on the College’s policy for the admission of students. By June 1963 negotiations were completed between the High Commission Territories and the Roman Catholic authorities responsible for the College and the new university was established.
The UBLS conferred its first degrees in April 1967, after a transitional period during which former Pius XII College students continued to take University of South Africa degrees. UBLS offered its own four year undergraduate degrees and diplomas in Arts, Science and Education; Law courses took five years, two of them spent at the University of Edinburgh. Students seeking specialized degrees such as medicine, engineering, etc, proceeded to other universities after completing Part I studies in Science. From a total of 188 students in 1964 the university grew to 402 students in 1970, of which 145 were from Lesotho and lesser numbers from Eswatini, Botswana, Rhodesia, South Africa and elsewhere. Meanwhile the number of academic staff grew from 31 in 1964 to 78 in 1970.
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Contact Details
University of Eswatini
• Private Bag 4
• Kwaluseni • M201
• Eswatini | Tel: (+268) 2517-0000 | Fax: (+268) 2517-0001