# University of South Africa

> public university in South Africa

**Wikidata**: [Q677993](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q677993)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_South_Africa)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/university-of-south-africa

## Summary
The University of South Africa (UNISA) is a public university in South Africa, founded in 1873. It is the largest university in Africa by student enrollment, with over 420,000 students as of 2019. UNISA is known for its distance education model, offering flexible learning opportunities to students across the country.

## Key Facts
- Founded in 1873 as the University of the Cape of Good Hope, later renamed the University of South Africa in 1916.
- Located in Pretoria, South Africa.
- Enrolls over 420,000 students, making it the largest university in Africa.
- Operates as a distance education institution, providing flexible learning opportunities.
- Affiliated with organizations such as the Association of Commonwealth Universities and the International Association of Universities.
- Uses English as its primary language of instruction.
- Has multiple aliases, including UNISA, unisa.ac.za, and Universidad de Sudafrica.
- Member of ORCID, Inc., as of 2023-10-00.
- Has a significant presence on social media, with over 205,000 Twitter followers as of 2023-02-05.

## FAQs
### Q: What is the University of South Africa known for?
A: The University of South Africa is known for being the largest university in Africa by student enrollment and for its distance education model, which allows students to study from anywhere in South Africa.

### Q: How many students does UNISA have?
A: As of 2019, UNISA enrolls over 420,000 students, making it the largest university in Africa.

### Q: Where is the University of South Africa located?
A: The University of South Africa is located in Pretoria, South Africa.

### Q: What is the official name of UNISA?
A: The official name of the University of South Africa is University of South Africa, Universiteit van Suid-Afrika, and Yunivesithi ya Afurika Tshipembe.

### Q: What organizations is UNISA affiliated with?
A: UNISA is affiliated with organizations such as the Association of Commonwealth Universities, the International Association of Universities, and ORCID, Inc.

## Why It Matters
The University of South Africa plays a crucial role in South Africa's education system by providing accessible higher education to a diverse student population. As the largest university in Africa, UNISA has a significant impact on the country's academic landscape and contributes to the development of a skilled workforce. Its distance education model ensures that students from various backgrounds and locations can pursue higher education without the constraints of traditional on-campus attendance. UNISA's commitment to open education and its role in advancing knowledge and innovation make it a vital institution in South Africa and beyond.

## Notable For
- Being the largest university in Africa by student enrollment.
- Pioneering distance education in South Africa.
- Offering flexible learning opportunities to students across the country.
- Affiliated with prestigious international organizations.
- Providing higher education access to diverse populations.

## Body
### History and Founding
The University of South Africa was founded in 1873 as the University of the Cape of Good Hope. It underwent a name change in 1916 and is now known as the University of South Africa.

### Location and Infrastructure
UNISA is located in Pretoria, South Africa. It operates as a distance education institution, providing flexible learning opportunities to students across the country.

### Student Enrollment
As of 2019, UNISA enrolls over 420,000 students, making it the largest university in Africa. This large student body reflects its commitment to providing accessible higher education to a diverse population.

### Affiliations and Memberships
UNISA is affiliated with organizations such as the Association of Commonwealth Universities, the International Association of Universities, and ORCID, Inc. These affiliations enhance its credibility and global reach.

### Language and Communication
UNISA uses English as its primary language of instruction. This ensures clarity and accessibility for students from various linguistic backgrounds.

### Social Media Presence
UNISA has a significant presence on social media, with over 205,000 Twitter followers as of 2023-02-05. This active online presence helps engage with students and the broader community.

### Notable Alumni and Faculty
UNISA has notable alumni and faculty members, including Gorretti Byomire, Tshilidzi Marwala, Laurette Pretorius, and Fulufhelo Nelwamondo. These individuals have made significant contributions to their fields and continue to shape the institution's academic community.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "EducationalOrganization",
  "name": "University of South Africa",
  "description": "The largest university in Africa by student enrollment, known for its distance education model.",
  "url": "https://www.unisa.ac.za/",
  "sameAs": ["https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q15241312", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_South_Africa"],
  "foundingDate": "1873-06-26",
  "location": {
    "@type": "Place",
    "address": {
      "@type": "PostalAddress",
      "addressLocality": "Pretoria",
      "addressCountry": "South Africa"
    }
  },
  "numberOfStudents": "420000",
  "alumni": ["Gorretti Byomire", "Tshilidzi Marwala", "Laurette Pretorius", "Fulufhelo Nelwamondo"],
  "memberOf": ["Association of Commonwealth Universities", "International Association of Universities", "ORCID, Inc."]
}

## References

1. GRID Release 2017-01-10
2. BnF authorities
3. Virtual International Authority File
4. [Source](https://orcid.org/members/001G000001TebL9IAJ-university-of-south-africa-unisa)
5. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20231020113811/https://orcid.org/members)
6. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20230905131850/https://sanlic.org.za/about/)
7. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20230905151954/https://db.aflia.net/)
8. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20230322221352/https://www.oeglobal.org/about-us/members-list/)
9. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20240407191925/https://www.icde.org/members-community/)
10. [Source](https://www.aau.org/subs/membership/)
11. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
12. [Source](http://www.unisa.ac.za/)
13. [Source](http://heda.unisa.ac.za/indicatordashboard/default.aspx)
14. GRID Release 2015-12-14
15. GRID Release 2016-12-06
16. Quora
17. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
18. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph