The University of Pretoria (UP) has launched its first-ever fully online undergraduate programme, giving a new cohort of students access to its quality programmes. 

By introducing a fully online Higher Certificate in Sports Sciences, the University is giving students the opportunity to pursue a qualification from UP in a flexible and accessible manner, from wherever they are. The certificate is part of UP’s Comprehensive Online Education Services’ (COES) high-quality UPOnline programmes. These include a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health and a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management. The Higher Certificate in Sports Sciences is designed for students who are passionate about sports and want to advance their knowledge in the field of sports sciences.

From left: Nicholas Kendall, Chief Executive Officer of HEPSA; Prof Carolina Koornhof, Executive Director (Finance and Business Activities at  UP); Prof Loretta Feris, Vice-Principal: Academic; Prof Linda van Ryneveld, Director of Comprehensive Online Education Services; and Prof Johan Wassermann, Head of the Department Humanities Education.

Providing access to students beyond the borders of SA

Speaking at the launch event of the new qualification at the Hatfield Campus on 18 August 2023, Professor Loretta Feris, Vice-Principal: Academic at UP, said the new online programme is a significant step towards broadening the University’s reach and providing access to students beyond the borders of South Africa.

“We are a country where there is a high demand for higher education and as a contact university, we are limited in how many students we can actually host in a contact mode –  but the online space provides an opportunity to broaden that. It allows us to expand beyond South Africa as we enrol a number of international students, particularly on the continent, and that really helps us to be truthful when we say we are a global African university.”

Prof Feris further highlighted the benefits of flexible learning, saying it provides a unique opportunity for the University to bring mature and working students on board, giving them the ability to study at a top university.

Promoting online education

The launch event brought together representatives from various UP departments and external partners such as Higher Ed Partners and South Africa (HEPSA), who contributed to the development of the current UPOnline programmes. Addressing guests during the event, Nicholas Kendall, Chief Executive Officer of HEPSA, said  UP is well-positioned for the future. “We are proud and grateful to be working with the University of Pretoria. In a short time, UP has really positioned itself in the online market.”

Kendall also noted the significance of launching a Higher Certificate in Sports Sciences “during a very sporty time for the country”, referring to the recent FIFA Women's World Cup, the Netball World Cup and upcoming Rugby World Cup.

Professor Linda van Ryneveld, Director of COES at UP, thanked stakeholders for contributing to a “programme that is well curriculated”. She said the systems behind the scenes are set up and polished for the first intake in August.

The Higher Certificate in Sports Sciences is housed in the Department of Humanities Education, headed by Prof Johan Wassermann, in the Faculty of Education. The programme coordinators include Leepile Motlhaolwa, lecturer and sports practical coordinator at UP. He will be joined by former Olympic athlete and UP lecturer Louis Jacobus van Zyl who represented South Africa at three Olympic Games in the 400 metre hurdles.