# University of Port Elizabeth

> former university in South Africa (1964-2004)

**Wikidata**: [Q2680908](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2680908)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Port_Elizabeth)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/university-of-port-elizabeth

## Summary
The University of Port Elizabeth (UPE) was a university in South Africa, founded on 31 January 1964 and dissolved in 2004. It was located in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) and is recorded as having been replaced by Nelson Mandela University.

## Key Facts
- Founded (inception): 31 January 1964.  
- Dissolved / abolished: 2004.  
- Located in: Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), South Africa; coordinates: latitude −34.0084, longitude 25.6706.  
- Replaced by: Nelson Mandela University.  
- Short name / common abbreviation: UPE.  
- Instance of: university (academic institution for further education).  
- Common aliases: Universiteit van Port Elizabeth; Port Elizabeth University; iNyuvesi yaseBhayi; université de Port Elizabeth; université Port Elizabeth; Universität der Port Elizabeth.  
- International identifiers: ISNI 0000 0001 2191 3608; VIAF 131940472; GND 13812-5; FAST ID 533000; Freebase /m/07vzsq.  
- Online/reference entries: wikipedia_title "University of Port Elizabeth"; Wikipedia language editions include ar, arz, en, ha, nl.

## FAQs
### Q: Does the University of Port Elizabeth still exist?
A: No. The University of Port Elizabeth was dissolved in 2004 and is recorded as having been replaced by Nelson Mandela University.

### Q: When was the University of Port Elizabeth founded?
A: The university's recorded inception date is 31 January 1964.

### Q: Where was the University of Port Elizabeth located?
A: It was located in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), South Africa. The campus coordinates are approximately −34.0084 latitude, 25.6706 longitude.

### Q: What was the common short name for the University of Port Elizabeth?
A: The university was commonly known by the short name or abbreviation "UPE."

## Why It Matters
The University of Port Elizabeth represents a distinct institutional chapter in South African higher education between 1964 and 2004. As an established regional university located in Gqeberha, it functioned as an identified academic institution during that forty-year period and is part of the documented lineage of universities in the Eastern Cape. Its formal replacement by Nelson Mandela University marks institutional succession and continuity in the region's tertiary education provision. For researchers, historians, librarians, and information professionals, UPE is notable through multiple international authority records and identifiers (ISNI, VIAF, GND, FAST), which preserve its bibliographic and organizational identity. The range of language editions on Wikipedia and presence in library authority files reflects the university's recorded footprint in public reference sources and archival systems.

## Notable For
- Operating as a higher-education institution from 31 January 1964 until its dissolution in 2004.  
- Being officially replaced by Nelson Mandela University, indicating institutional succession.  
- Commonly known by the short name UPE and a range of multilingual aliases.  
- Presence in multiple international authority and library identifier systems (ISNI, VIAF, GND, FAST).  
- Geolocated campus in Gqeberha with precise coordinates: −34.0084, 25.6706.

## Body

### Overview
- The University of Port Elizabeth (UPE) is recorded as a former university in South Africa.  
- It is categorized as an instance of "university" (an academic institution for further education).

### Dates and status
- Inception (founding) date: 1964-01-31.  
- Dissolved / abolished: 2004.  
- After dissolution, the entity is recorded as having been replaced by Nelson Mandela University.

### Location
- Country: South Africa.  
- City / locality: Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth).  
- Coordinates: latitude −34.0084, longitude 25.6706.

### Names and aliases
- Official / common name: University of Port Elizabeth.  
- Short name: UPE.  
- Alternative names and translations: Universiteit van Port Elizabeth; Port Elizabeth University; iNyuvesi yaseBhayi; université de Port Elizabeth; université Port Elizabeth; Universität der Port Elizabeth.

### Classification and identifiers
- Instance of: university.  
- ISNI: 0000 0001 2191 3608 (recorded with label "University of Port Elizabeth").  
- VIAF: 131940472.  
- GND: 13812-5 (associated with the University of Port Elizabeth).  
- FAST ID: 533000.  
- Freebase ID: /m/07vzsq.  
- Other identifiers: kallías KS00067418; union list of artist names ID 500311435; Library of Congress Authority ID n79056828; National Library of Israel ID 987007266786205171; Microsoft Academic (discontinued) 869476944; Relationship Science organization ID university-of-port-elizabeth-690198.

### Succession
- The University of Port Elizabeth is recorded as having been replaced by Nelson Mandela University (formal successor as given in the available records).

### Online and bibliographic presence
- Wikipedia title: "University of Port Elizabeth".  
- Wikipedia language editions noted: Arabic (ar), Egyptian Arabic (arz), English (en), Hausa (ha), Dutch (nl).  
- Sitelink count in the referenced dataset: 5.  
- Recorded in library and authority datasets (e.g., Libraries Australia, National Library authority files).

### References and archival notes
- The provided structured data includes multiple bibliographic and authority references and dates used to assert inception, identifiers, and replacement status.

## References

1. Union List of Artist Names
2. Integrated Authority File
3. [Source](https://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/university-port-elizabeth-founded)
4. Virtual International Authority File
5. Library of Congress Name Authority File
6. [Trove](http://nla.gov.au/anbd.aut-an35804479)
7. [Trove](http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1095016)
8. [Quora](https://www.quora.com/topic/University-of-Port-Elizabeth?merged_tid=1095124)
9. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File