The Ministry of Sport & Recreation South Africa (SRSA) and the South African Sport Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) agreed that, due to the unique nature of student sport universally, University Sport South Africa (USSA) should be administered independently. Constituted on 16 April 1994, USSA is considered the official unified national umbrella sports structure for the regulation, organization and coordination of student sports activities at regional, provincial and national levels in the tertiary education sector of South Africa. USSA was founded within the tertiary education sector in order to represent and protect the sporting interests of all students at member institutions based on the principles of unity, accountability, non-racialism, non-sexism and democracy. USSA's core business is to maximize student participation and encourage sporting practice in harmony with and complementary to the academic character and values of tertiary education institutions. USSA’s programmes are structured in such a way to facilitate and improve opportunities for all students to acquire the necessary sporting skills to compete at all levels. USSA's membership is open to all SAQA (South African Qualifications Authority) accredited institutions of higher education (universities and colleges).