Scores of new students and their parents are set to descend on Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University’s (NMMU) Indoor Sports Centre on Saturday 21 January 2017, to kick-start the annual first-year orientation programme.
The programme kicks off with the Welcoming Ceremony at 9am, where about 6500 first year students will be welcomed to NMMU by Vice-Chancellor Prof Derrick Swartz.
Prof Swartz will share information of value to incoming students, including contextualising the funding issues within higher education, and spell out the exciting projects in store for NMMU going forward.
“We look forward to welcoming our new students and families, and making them part of the NMMU family,” Prof Swartz says.
“There is probably nothing more exciting than one’s first year at university, and we hope our new students can share in discovering some of the amazing things being done by our scholars and students in the natural and social sciences and humanities in the search for a better tomorrow for all.”
For logistical reasons, students and their parents are advised to arrive early and be seated by 9am. This time can be used to enjoy stalls, like the Alumni Association’s that will be selling NMMU branded goods.
The Faculty Meet & Greet sessions, where students are grouped according to their respective faculties and introduced to their lecturers by the Dean of the faculty, will follow Prof Swartz’s address. Here, lecturers will give students information about their programmes and studies.
The How2@NMMU initiative helps first year students acquaint themselves with the University and all its facilities and enables them to easily navigate their way through their initial year of tertiary study.
With the move from high school to university being a huge transitional step – particularly with the #FeesMustFall movement issues affecting universities lately – the orientation programme aims to integrate new students into NMMU’s academic and social culture.
Orientation is viewed as an ongoing process aimed at developing and promoting the well-being of new students in all aspects of their lives – physical, intellectual, spiritual, social and emotional.
Parents are also encouraged to attend Saturday’s event as they offer great insight in terms of academic expectations and, in particular, registration.
The beginning of the academic year is always a busy and exciting time on the University calendar as staff and students gear up for the start of lectures.
First year students start moving into residences on Friday, January 20, ahead of the Welcoming Ceremony and the commencement of their registration on January 23.
Online registration for senior students began on Monday, 16 January 2017. Senior students can register as soon as they have received their results and applicable down-payments have been paid.
Students who wrote the bulk of their exams in the November/December period and have received those results can also start registering, unless the outstanding exam modules are prerequisites of those being registered for.
Lectures are due to start on 6 February.
Alan Straton
Latest posts by Alan Straton (see all)
- South African Artist MARTHINUS Releases Debut Single - 6 November 2026
- MARTHINUS Releases Heartfelt Debut ‘i miss us not trying’ - 6 November 2026
- LaserWeeder Hire Runs Laser Units for SA Vegetable Growers - 6 November 2026
- HandPrinter Art Runs Linocut Workshops and Beginner Kits - 6 November 2026
- Feature Equipment Adds AM.CO.ZA Tooling and Laser Spares Shelf - 6 November 2026
