The National University of Lesotho, the main and oldest university in Lesotho,[5] is located in Roma, 34 km (21 mi) southeast of Maseru, the capital of Lesotho.[6] The Roma valley is broad and is surrounded by a barrier of rugged mountains which provides magnificent scenery. The university enjoys a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. The governing body of the university is the council and academic policy is in the hands of Senate, both Council and Senate being established by the Act.[1]
Association of Eastern and Southern African Universities
History
Pius XII Catholic University College
View to the National University of Lesotho (center)
The origins of the National University of Lesotho (NUL)[9] date to April 8, 1945, when a Catholic University College was founded at Roma by the Roman Catholic Hierarchy of Southern Africa. The establishment of this college was a realisation of a decision taken in 1938 by the Synod of Catholic Bishops in South Africa to provide African Catholic students with post-matriculation and religious guidance. The Catholic University College was founded in an isolated valley 34 km (21 mi) from Maseru in a temporary primary school building at Roma Mission.[1]
University of Basutoland, Bechuanaland Protectorate and Swaziland
On January 1, 1964, Pius XII University College was replaced by the independent, non-denominational University of Basutoland, Bechuanaland Protectorate, and Swaziland with its own charter granted by Queen Elizabeth II. By virtue of the same charter, the Oblate Fathers kept a close relationship with the U.B.B.S. through serving on the Council and teaching, as well as in the physical presence of Pius XII College House, a residence for the Oblate community.[1]
University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland
To be in line with the names chosen after independence in 1966, U.B.B.S. became the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland.[1]
National University of Lesotho
The decision to establish the National University of Lesotho on the Lesotho (Roma) campus site of the former U.B.L.S. was taken on October 20, 1975, by the National Assembly through Act No. 13 of 1975. NUL is the proud heir of Pius XII University College and U.B.L.S. It occupies the same site, grounds, and buildings as its predecessors, as well as additional ones.[1]
Academic performance
The university in ranked 121st in Africa and 6,045th in the world.[10]
There were 9,263 students at the university in 2018; 9,460 in 2017; 9,560 in 2016 and 9,239 in 2015.[5]
There were 2,017 graduates at the university in 2020; 2,120 graduates in 2019 and 2,266 graduates in 2018.[11]
There were 1,387 new enrolled students at the university in 2019 and 2,700 enrolled students in 2018.[12]
The university offers 70 accredited study programmes.[13]
In June 2011, the Lesotho Times reported that half of the students in three of the seven faculties at the university failed their examinations.[14] This "unprecedented failure rate" was in the law, health sciences and science and technology faculties.
Library
The National University of Lesotho supports open access in Lesotho and has signed the Budapest Open Access Initiative. In 2011, the National University of Lesotho has established the first institutional repository in the country. The National University of Lesotho Institutional Repository (NULIR) is the institutional repository and provides access to the research output of staff and students.[15]
