List of all institutes

Dullah Omar Institute for Constitutional Law, Governance and Human Rights

The Dullah Omar Institute is a unit of the Faculty of Law. It conducts research and advocacy and offers postgraduate programmes in constitutional law, governance and human rights.

Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics

The Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics is headed by Professor Marla Trindade as Director. Recognised as one of the leading research units at UWC, IMBM forms part of the Department of Biotechnology. IMBM is dedicated to excellence in research and in the training of future research leaders. In addition, it contributes to the Department’s undergraduate teaching activities.

Institute for Post-School Studies

The Institute for Post-School Studies (IPSS) was established in the Faculty of Education in 2013. This was in line with the UWC Institutional Operating Plan and with the Faculty of Education decision to build a niche research area in the area of post-school studies.

Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS)

PLAAS does research, policy engagement, teaching and training about the dynamics of chronic poverty and structural inequality in Southern Africa, with a particular emphasis on the key role of restructuring and contesting land holding and agro-food systems in the subcontinent and beyond.

Institute for Social Development

The Institute for Social Development (ISD) is a research and post-graduate centre providing teaching and research work in development studies. The Institute offers four degree programmes: structured course-work Honours and Masters in Development Studies, Masters by thesis in Development Studies and PhD by thesis.

Institute for Social Development

Institute for Water Studies

The Institute for Water Studies (IWS) at the University of the Western Cape was formed in 2009 with the goal of promoting research, postgraduate training, and outreach on water related issues through the collaborative efforts of UWC staff. The Institute for Water Studies aims to increase the understanding of surface water, groundwater, and ecosystems linkages and how water users are affected and affect these linkages.

South African Institute for Advanced Materials Chemistry

South African Institute for Advanced Materials Chemistry (SAIAMC) at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), established in 2004, comprises three distinct and closely interrelated programmes: Hydrogen South Africa Systems Integration Competence Centre (HySA Systems), PetroSA Synthetic Fuels Innovation Centre (PSFIC) and Energy Storage and Fluid Treatment Centre (ESFTC)

South African National Bioinformatics Institute

Bioinformatics is a specialist discipline straddling the fields of biology, mathematics and computer science and it is integral to modern biological research. The South African National Bioinformatics Institute (SANBI) is a research institute reporting through the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in Cape Town.

Our primary focus is the development and implementation of computational methodologies which allow researchers to accelerate their genomics data analyses. SANBI aims to heighten awareness of bioinformatics in South Africa and to assist the country in making optimal use of bioinformatics tools.

The Inter-university Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy

The Inter-university Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy is a partnership of three South African universities, the Universities of Cape Town, of the Western Cape and of Pretoria. IDIA also has an industry partner in SAP.