The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University said it would implement its name change later this year.
No date was given but according to a statement on the NMMU website, the name will be officially changed to Nelson Mandela University.
Outgoing Vice Chancellor, Dr Derek Swartz, said they're humbled by the honour of upholding Nelson Mandela’s legacy and tremendously excited by the opportunities that await them as a new generation university.
“Universities … are charged by society with safekeeping the fount of knowledge gained by generations past, while ever exploring new horizons of science and learning. As individual institutions, the great universities are those built on a solid record of achievement and custom, while constantly exploring, creating and adapting to the new," he wrote.
He says various initiatives are already underway in the form of meetings, conversations and interviews to explore the meaning of the university's new name in line with Nelson Mandela’s legacy.
Swartz says this process will be expanded to enable staff and students to share what the new name can and should mean for the NMMU community, "this process will be expanded to enable staff and students to share what the new name can and should mean for us."
"We are confident that embracing our name change offers a unique opportunity for us to re-invigorate our purpose to be more relevant to those we serve – our staff, our students and the greater community – in an ever-changing world," Swartz added.
Swartz concluded by saying that the institution is looking forward to receiving ideas and support as they move towards the launch.
