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Czech Republic expresses interest in partnering with Unisa on 10 catalytic niche areas
Unisa's ten catalytic niche areas have garnered significant attention, particularly from the Czech Republic, which has expressed a keen interest in partnering with the university across all its specialised fields.
This exciting development emerged from discussions held between Unisa and representatives from the Czech Republic at Unisa's main campus. The first Deputy Minister of the Czech Republic, Jiří Kozák, was on a state visit to South Africa on 4 and 5 March 2024 as part of the Czech Republic's regular political consultations with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).
From left: Vaclav Prasil, Director: sub-Saharan Africa, Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Dr Mmamajaga Magabane, Director of Internationalisation and Partnerships at Unisa; First Deputy Minister of the Czech Republic, Mr Jiří Kozák, Ambassador of the Czech Republic, His Excellency Tomáš Uličný; Prof Solomon Magano, Acting Vice-Principal: Institutional Development, representing the Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Puleng LenkaBula; Prof Sarah Johnston, Head of Research and Graduate Studies, College of Science, Engineering and Technology; Masai Mathole from the VC's Office; Nkhulu Sebothoma, Director at DIRCO; and Anneline Morgan, Department of Science and Innovation.
Part of the state visit included hosting a dialogue on science diplomacy capital for Africa's platform at the CSIR, which was done in partnership with the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI).
Kozák and Prof David Honys, Chair of the Science Academy of the Czech Republic, a research training institution providing applied research training to postgraduate students from Czech universities, engaged in discussions to explore potential partnerships between Unisa and the Science Academy.
Beyond focusing on Unisa's established niche areas, the talks delved into introducing the Science Academy to South Africa, fostering research collaborations, and creating opportunities for student and faculty exchanges between the two countries.
Honys emphasised the importance of joint academic and scientific events and strengthening ties between the institutions, highlighting the potential mutual benefits for both academic communities. He also provided an opportunity to delve into science and innovation initiatives underway in the Czech Republic.
Excited about the initiative, Unisa plans to formalise the partnership by developing a memorandum of understanding and establishing a joint steering committee to explore areas of collaboration further.
"Spearheading this partnership will be Unisa's College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET) representatives who will work with their Czech counterparts to develop a project plan to implement identified collaboration areas. These processes will run parallel," says Dr Mmamajaga Magabane, Director of Internationalisation and Partnerships at Unisa.
Furthermore, Magabane says the groundbreaking partnership holds promise for advancing research, innovation and academic collaboration between Unisa and the Czech Republic, paving the way for impactful contributions in various fields of study.
The visit culminated in a dinner hosted at the Ambassador's residence in Pretoria, attended by various Unisa and Czech Republic dignitaries. Notable attendees included HE Tomáš Uličný; Petra Uličná; Prof Solomon Magano, Acting Vice-Principal: Institutional Development; representing the Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Puleng LenkaBula, was Masai Mathole from the VC's office; Dr Mmamajaga Magabane; and Lloyd Modjadji, Development Officer, Unisa Foundation.
* By Busisiwe Mahlangu, Communication Coordinator, Unisa Foundation and Alumni Relations
Publish date: 2024/03/15
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