Research
Major Canadian research university visits Unisa with a view to collaboration
On 23 May 2025, a delegation from Canada’s Carleton University, represented by Professor Wisdom Tettey, its President and Vice-Chancellor, together with Professor David Hornsby, Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President of Academic, and Professor Rafik Goubran, Vice-President: Research and International, visited Unisa to explore potential areas of collaboration, expertise sharing, student exchange and mutuality. In addition, the two institutions examined opportunities for expansion in Unisa’s highly specialised catalytic niche areas.
Front, from left: Prof David Hornsby, Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President of Academic, Carleton University, Professor Solomon Magano, Vice-Principal: Institutional Development, Unisa, Prof Wisdom Tettey, President and Vice-Chancellor, Carleton University, Prof Rafik Goubran, Vice-President: Research and International, Carleton University, and Dr Maureen Tong, Director: Special Projects in the Office of the Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Unisa
Back, from left (all from Unisa): Ayanda Noma, Director: Directorate of Innovation, Technology Transfer and Commercialisation, Prof Thinandavha Mashao, Deputy Executive Director: College of Human Sciences, Prof Ntanganedzeni Mapholi, Deputy Executive Dean: College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Tebogo Moemise, Chief of Staff in the Office of the Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor MaseTshaba Mantepu, Acting Executive Dean: College of Economic and Management Sciences, Harry Bopape, Director of Research Support, and Prof Les Labuschagne, Executive Director of Research, Innovation and Commercialisation
Located in Ottawa, Canada’s national capital, Carleton University is a research-driven public institution, and its faculty members are recognised internationally for their scholarship and leading research in more than 50 disciplines.
Commonalities
In welcoming the delegation from Carleton University, Professor Solomon Magano, Vice-Principal of Institutional Development, said that Unisa is increasing its scope of international partnerships. “We have a lot of commonalities in terms of the offerings between the two universities, and we believe that this is a necessary potential to collaborate because our quest as a university is to ground ourselves not only locally, but internationally,” he said.
Quid-pro-quo relations
Continuing, Magano explained that there are other international partners the university has collaborated with, “but Carleton University,” he noted, “brings the expertise that we want to grow, particularly in the area of aeronautical studies, climate change, and environmental aspects related to these areas of study focusing on several of our catalytic niche areas. We deem this relationship to be mutually beneficial in terms of Unisa’s resources and what they have on their end. This will be a beautiful quid-pro-quo relationship between Unisa and Carleton University.”
Magano explained that the relationship would provide a wonderful opportunity for staff and student exchange because, he explained, “our quest is to expose our students and staff to other parts of the world beyond the confines of our country. This is very important in inculcating a global view in the education process of our students and academics.”
Unisa’s heads of portfolios, together with the delegation from Carleton University, sharing ideas on teaching and learning practices
Choosing Unisa – the synergy
Tettey said that they came to Unisa because of the significant footprint of its education offering. “As Carleton University,” he said, “we are always open to learning from institutions with a significant record of accomplishment in teaching, learning and research, knowing that there is always an opportunity to learn, particularly as a global institution seeking to partner with another global university. We are looking for partners worldwide with whom we can synergise and create impactful contributions.”
Continuing, Tettey stated that through the conversations that he has had with the university’s management, he has “realised how much we have in common, and how much Unisa brings to the table – we look at partnerships as truly authentic and meaningful collaborations, not as the North coming to the South, and vice-versa.”
Tettey emphasised that during his interactions with Unisa’s management, he gained an understanding of what Unisa is in terms of its mission, vision, and values. “Values,” he said, “are an important aspect of what guides partnerships with institutions. As Carleton University, our expectations have been reinforced by our conversations during our discussions, and we are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead as we envisage working together as partners.”
Concluding, Tettey gave a nod towards a potential partnership with Unisa envisaged to take place soon, adding: “I see a lot of possibilities, and if we put our minds together in a common purpose, there are amazing things that we can do together.”
* Article and photography by Godfrey Madibane, Acting Journalist, Department of Institutional Advancement
Publish date: 2025/05/27
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