Nelson Mandela University
(NMU)
About
NMMU brings together the best traditions of technikon and university education, and draws on more than a century of quality higher education, in a new kind of university that offers a wide range of academic, professional and technological programmes at varying entrance and exit levels.NMMU has approximately 27 000 students and approximately 2 500 staff members, based on six campuses in the Nelson...
NMMU brings together the best traditions of technikon and university education, and draws on more than a century of quality higher education, in a new kind of university that offers a wide range of academic, professional and technological programmes at varying entrance and exit levels.NMMU has approximately 27 000 students and approximately 2 500 staff members, based on six campuses in the Nelson Mandela Metropole and George. The sites are the North Campus (former PE Technikon), South Campus (former UPE), Second Avenue Campus (former PE Technikon College Campus) Missionvale Campus (former Vista), Bird Street Campus and the George Campus at Saasveld.The first Chancellor of NMMU was Chief Justice Pius Langa, and Justice Ronnie Pillay the first Chairperson of Council. Dr Rolf Stumpf was the first Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of NMMU, succeeded on 1 January 2008 by Prof Derrick Swartz.The first step in the merger came with the incorporation of Vista PE by UPE on 2 January 2004, followed by the merger of PE Technikon and UPE on 1 January 2005.
Ranking Overview
Ranked Top 1201 worldwide across 3 major ranking systems
Ranked in 14 subject rankings
QS World University Rankings
Academic Ranking of World Universities
U.S. News Best Global Universities Rankings
Key Facts
- Students
- 24,272
- Student-Staff Ratio
- 34.8 : 1
- Int'l Students
- 2%
- Female : Male
- 60 : 40
- Staff
- 2,500
Historical Trend
Longitudinal View
QS
US News
Top Subjects
Best-performing areasSubject Rankings
Detailed breakdownUS News
3 subjects|
Subject
|
Rank
|
Score
|
Year
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecology | 228 | 36.0 | 2026 |
| Environment/Ecology | =317 | 36.0 | 2026 |
| Plant and Animal Science | 464 | 36.0 | 2026 |
ARWU
2 subjects|
Subject
|
Rank
|
Score
|
Year
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecology | 301-400 | - | 2025 |
| Earth & Marine Sciences | 401-500 | - | 2022 |
THE
8 subjects|
Subject
|
Rank
|
Score
|
Year
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Education & Training | 401–500 | 32.7 | 2026 |
| Life Sciences | 601–800 | 29.3 | 2026 |
| Social Sciences | 601–800 | 26.6 | 2026 |
| Arts & Humanities | 601–800 | 16.8 | 2026 |
| Engineering & Technology | 1001–1250 | 21.4 | 2026 |
| Clinical & Health | 1001+ | 11.2 | 2026 |
| Physical Sciences | 1001–1250 | 20.9 | 2026 |
| Business & Economics | 1001+ | 14.7 | 2026 |
QS
1 subjects|
Subject
|
Rank
|
Score
|
Year
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & Forestry | 401-475 | - | 2026 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ranking of Nelson Mandela University?
Nelson Mandela University's performance in the latest university rankings: QS Rank 1401-1500, THE Rank 1201–1500, US News Rank =1,259.
When was Nelson Mandela University founded?
Nelson Mandela University was founded in 2005.
What are the top subjects at Nelson Mandela University?
Top subjects at Nelson Mandela University include: Ecology, Ecology, Environment/Ecology, Education & Training, Earth & Marine Sciences.
Where is Nelson Mandela University located?
Nelson Mandela University is located in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.