The School of Government

The School of Government was established by the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in 1993 as part of a broader initiative to meet the education and training challenges of a post-apartheid society as well as a means of supporting the process of social, political and economic transformation in South Africa and the African region. It provides professional and academic training for the public sector at national, provincial and local levels, for NGOs, trade unions and other related organisations, and also engages in research, consultancy and policy advice.  

Through its experienced and cosmopolitan staff, the School provides professional and academic training of personnel for the public sector at national, provincial and local levels, as well as for NGOs, trade unions, academic institutions and other related organisations. It also engages in research, consultancy and policy advice, and has contributed to a number of White Papers and other key policy documents at the national, provincial and local government levels.

Through its core staff, constituent units, and its links with African and international tertiary institutions, the School offers a range of inter-disciplinary courses at the certificate, undergraduate and postgraduate levels, to both full-time and part-time students, in areas such as governance and public management, public policy, development studies, citizenship and democracy,  land and agrarian studies.

About Us

The postgraduate programmes are delivered in teaching blocks, thereby catering to the needs of both full-time and part-time students. As the course offerings are quite broad and the programme quite demanding, it is important that you make the choices that meet your needs and pace yourself accordingly. The following online orientation programme provides information that can guide you in this regard, so please read it carefully.

The School of Government was established in 1993 as part of a broader initiative to meet the education and training challenges of a post-apartheid society as well as a means of supporting the process of social, political and economic transformation in South Africa. It provides professional and academic training for the public sector at national, provincial and local levels, for NGOs, trade unions and other related organisations, and also engages in research, consultancy and policy advice.

While stressing the development of basic professional skills and competencies, the School also emphasises the promotion of a democratic ethos and more people-centred forms of governance. Originally conceived as a School of Public Administration, it was renamed the School of Government to reflect its focus on a broader vision of governance, informed by disciplines including public administration and management, political science, economics, international relations and development studies.

It is committed to supporting the training and research needs of community-based organisations, non-governmental organisations, trade unions and other institutions of the wider South African society, to help the development of balance between the state and civil society. As a constituent party of the Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences, the School is committed to the following:

• ​​​​committed to education,
• concern for local, national and global issues,
• lifelong learning to enhance the quality of life and development of people,
• participation and co-determination,
• programmes based on research-generated knowledge, and
• equal opportunities for employment and advancement in society.