# Rand Afrikaans University

> former South African university (1967-2004), now incorporated into University of Johannesburg

**Wikidata**: [Q2285622](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2285622)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rand_Afrikaans_University)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/rand-afrikaans-university

## Summary
The Rand Afrikaans University was a South African higher education institution that operated from 1967 until 2004. It is historically significant as a predecessor entity that was incorporated into the present-day University of Johannesburg.

## Key Facts
- **Entity Type:** University (Academic institution for further education).
- **Location:** South Africa (Coordinates: -26.18333333, 27.99888889).
- **Operational Dates:** 1967–2004. The institution officially commenced on February 28, 1968.
- **Successor:** Incorporated into the University of Johannesburg.
- **Primary Name:** Rand Afrikaans University (Afrikaans: *Randse Afrikaanse Universiteit*).
- **Website:** http://www.uj.ac.za/ (Redirects to the successor institution).
- **Standard Identifiers:** GRID ID: grid.412663.4; ISNI: 0000000121101837; VIAF ID: 134207708.
- **Library of Congress Authority ID:** n79056271.

## FAQs
### Q: Is Rand Afrikaans University still open?
A: No, the university is a former institution. It operated from 1967 until 2004, after which it was incorporated into the University of Johannesburg.

### Q: What happened to Rand Afrikaans University?
A: The entity was dissolved and merged into the University of Johannesburg. Its digital presence, including its website and social media accounts, now reflects the successor institution.

### Q: Where was Rand Afrikaans University located?
A: The university was located in South Africa, specifically at the coordinates 26°11′00″S 27°59′56″E.

## Why It Matters
The Rand Afrikaans University serves as a critical historical node in the network of South African higher education. During its 37 years of operation, it functioned as a major academic institution in the region. Its primary significance today lies in its structural legacy; it is one of the foundational bodies that amalgamated to form the University of Johannesburg, a major modern university. The transition represents a key moment in the reorganization of post-apartheid education, consolidating resources and identities into larger, more inclusive institutions. The persistence of its identifiers (such as GRID and ISNI) and its extensive library authority records demonstrate its lasting impact on academic indexing and scholarly history.

## Notable For
- **Structural Precedent:** Serving as the foundational predecessor to the University of Johannesburg.
- **Historical Scope:** Operating as a distinct Afrikaans-language university during a transformative period in South African history (1967–2004).
- **Naming Variations:** Being recognized under multiple linguistic variants, including *Randse Afrikaanse Universiteit* and *Rand Afrikaanse University*.
- **Global Cataloging:** Possessing a wide array of international authority control identifiers (including GND, FAST, and Library of Congress), indicating significant global academic recognition during its operation.

## Body

### Operational Timeline
The Rand Afrikaans University was established as an academic institution for further education. While the general operational period is cited as 1967 to 2004, official records indicate a specific inception date of **February 28, 1968**. The institution ceased to exist as an independent entity in 2004 following its incorporation.

### Geographic and Location Data
The institution was situated in **South Africa**. Precise geospatial data places the university at the following coordinates:
- **Latitude:** -26.18333333
- **Longitude:** 27.99888889

### Succession and Current Status
The university is currently classified as a "former" institution. It has been fully incorporated into the **University of Johannesburg**. Consequently, the former entity's web presence (http://www.uj.ac.za/) and social media channels (e.g., Twitter handle `go2uj`) now serve the successor institution.

### Nomenclature and Aliases
The entity is known by several names across different languages and databases:
- **Primary English:** Rand Afrikaans University
- **Primary Afrikaans:** Randse Afrikaanse Universiteit
- **Variants:** Rand Afrikaanse University, 蘭德南非荷蘭語大學.

### Authority Control and Identifiers
The institution is indexed in numerous global databases under the following identifiers:
- **GND ID:** 1010697-2 (active 1967–2004).
- **FAST ID:** 532939.
- **Library of Congress Authority ID:** n79056271.
- **VIAF ID:** 134207708.
- **GRID ID:** grid.412663.4.
- **ISNI:** 0000000121101837.

## References

1. Library of Congress Name Authority File
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. Google Knowledge Graph
4. Czech National Authority Database
5. [Source](http://www.uj.ac.za/)
6. GRID Release 2015-12-14
7. Quora
8. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File