NYAMEKA MBETE
The University of Pretoria is seeking to expand the number of students it can accommodate in its veterinary science degree.
On 22 February, the University of Pretoria officially opened a new residence on the Onderstepoort campus. This is the first step of the university’s plan to expand the Faculty of Veterinary Science.
The residence consists of 18 units, each with eight single rooms, shared bathrooms, a lounge and a fully equipped kitchen for undergraduate students. There are also six units for graduate students, each with eight single rooms, a common lounge and a fully equipped kitchen. The residence also boasts three cluster houses for guests, a fully equipped centre for post-graduate students, a study area, a kiosk (complete with farm-fresh food), a gym and ablution facilities for the sports fields.
The project also included the upgrading and refurbishment of existing facilities, such as the dining hall, club house, staff quarters, roads and security. The construction of the new accommodation began in May 2010 and amounted to approximately R 90 million. The new accommodation is part of a project to expand and upgrade the BVSc programme in a bid to address the current shortage of veterinarians in South Africa. The university seeks to increase the students in the department by a third by 2013.
