Page 17 - DUT 2025 Engagement Report Q2

DUT signs an MOU with IBN Tofail University: From left: Prof. Mohamed Kerkeb. Professor Fulufhelo Nemavhola, Dr Nomcebo Mthombeni and Dr Lavern Samuels
Nishan World Centre for Confucian Studies: In a landmark development, DUT launched Africa’s first branch of the Nishan World Centre for Confucian Studies in June 2025.The inauguration, attended by the Deputy Director of the Nishan Centre and Vice- Chair of the China Confucius Foundation, marks a significant milestone in DUT’s strategic goal to foster deeper intellectual and cultural exchange between China and Africa. DUT has committed to establish a Confucius Culture Exhibition Centre and co-host major international academic conferences.
Expanding Partnerships in China: The Confucius Institute is actively exploring further opportunities for academic and cultural partnerships in China. Discussions are underway regarding virtual conference hosting, joint research, and staff and student exchange programs with institutions such as Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the Center for Language Education and Cooperation. At FUTCM, collaboration focused on integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine with modern rehabilitation methods, including a joint proposal for a China-Africa Joint Laboratory Project in Artificial Healthcare and Big Data.The President of FUTCM, Dr. Zeng, extended an invitation for DUT Health Sciences staff and students to participate in a short- term exchange program. At CLEC in Beijing, the CI met with the Chief Director of the Asia and Africa Division to discuss expanding the “Chinese+” vocational skills program across Southern Africa. A CLEC delegation is scheduled to visit DUT in August 2025, during which DUT will co-host the South African Chinese Language Education Symposium and the inaugural China-Africa “Chinese+” Vocational Skills Training Conference.
UNESCO Chair of Education for Peace and Transformative Solidarity:The International Centre of Nonviolence (ICON) serves as co-chair of the UNESCO Gandhi Montessori Luthuli Chair of Education for Peace and Transformative Solidarity. Co-hosted by
Stellenbosch University and St. Edmund’s College, Cambridge, the chair will, from 2025 to 2029, promote education for peace, human rights, social and environmental justice, and transformative solidarity. ICON continues to play a vital role in shaping peace education across Africa’s Great Lakes Region and also maintains a strong partnership with the University of Seychelles, offering academic support for its Master’s program in Peace and Conflict Resolution, including the delivery of modules such as MPCR104: Research Methods for Peace Studies.
Times Higher Education Global Sustainable Development Congress: DUT actively participated in the Times Higher Education 2025 Global Sustainable Development Congress, held in Istanbul,Turkey, in June 2025.This high-profile event provided DUT with a strategic platform to advance its sustainability agenda in alignment with the university’s ENVISION2030 strategy, which places sustainable development, innovation, and entrepreneurship at its core. The DUT delegation participated in leadership forums, research panels, and partnership development sessions, benchmarking DUT against global best practices and aligning efforts with Africa’s Agenda 2063.
Memoranda of Understanding:During the congress, DUT formalized Memoranda of Understanding with five international universities: Ibn Tofail University, Universidad Tecnológica Empresarial de Guayaquil, Karadeniz Technical University, Gedik University, and Gebze Teknik Universitesi. These MOUs will enable academic and research cooperation, staff and student mobility programmes, collaborative online international learning projects, joint research seminars, and the internationalization of programme advisory boards. The DUT delegation also visited partner universities in Istanbul, including KOC University, to explore targeted research and mobility collaborations.
Return on Investment: The total cost of DUT’s exhibition at
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