The University's origins go back to the School of Mining Engineering over 100 years ago. It was formally inaugurated as a university in 1922. Wits acquired international fame very early in its history when the famous Taung skull was discovered in 1924.

Wits, as one of the largest English-medium universities in the region, has built up an enviable national and international reputation. It has a long tradition of academic excellence and is committed to meeting the challenges that lie ahead. It has programmes in place to serve the needs of the developing African continent and it welcomes the interest of able students and academics from the international community.

The University of the Witwatersrand has long been established in the industrial and commercial heart of South Africa as a centre for education and research of the highest quality. It is the University's mission to maintain and enhance its position as a leading university in South Africa, in the South African Development Community (SADC) region, in Africa and in the world, by sustaining globally competitive standards of excellence in learning, teaching and research. As a world-class university, Wits fosters international research collaboration, staff and student exchanges and has almost a thousand international students on its campus.

Studying at Wits in Johannesburg offers you the opportunity of becoming part of, and being enriched by, an urban campus in its interaction with a dynamic city, undergoing all the changes present in our society.

Wits has 4 campuses, the main campus in Braamfontein occupies over 68 hectares, with the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Management Schools situated in the adjacent suburb of Parktown. Wits has two art galleries open to the public,- the Gertrude Posel Gallery and the Studio Gallery both situated in Senate House. The William Cullen Research Library and the Wartenweiler Library form the two central libraries supported by 15 specialist libraries scattered across the campus. There are 16 museums on campus including the Hunterian Museum in the Department of Anatomy at the University's Medical School, the Bleloch Museum of Geology and the Robert Broom Museum at the Sterkfontein caves. Displays include the Taung skull, irreplaceable collections of dinosaur fossils, books, musical instruments and butterflies. The San Heritage Research Centre has become a highlight for visitors to Wits, housing an impressive collection of San rock art copies. The University is also proud to have the Wits Theatre and the Planetarium as well as extensive sports facilities on its campus.