Universities South Africa
Programme News
Intervarsity 2023 winner pledges to give back to the EDHE programme that supported him
There was thunderous applause when a young student farmer from rural Eastern Cape and Studentpreneur of 2023, committed at the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity finals on...
Disability solution seeking turns into an award-winning business for a dyslexic medical student
Nothile Ngema turned her dyslexia and slow speech into a winning business, e-Aggrandizer, that won her the Existing Business: Tech category prize and R20 000....
A DHET chief director applauds six years of entrepreneurial innovation at students’ intervarsity award ceremony
The EDHE programme represents an important contribution to transformation in Higher Education in terms of growing studentpreneurship, developing an entrepreneurial mindset in academics across disciplines...
New French partnership with USAf calls for AI and Blue Ocean Tech researchers
The Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme is going international through the French Embassy in South Africa. These were the introductory words of Dr...
Drug re-invention wins young pharmacist R100 000 and Studentpreneur of 2024 title
“I hate death. I want to save our people.” These words have driven the overall winner of the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2024, 28-year-old Emmanuel Kiyonga,...
The EDHE Intervarsity national finals event draws a prestigious high level crowd
The Director: Entrepreneurship, Universities South Africa (USAf), Dr Edwell Gumbo, began his opening address by naming those on the guestlist that included vice-chancellors, their deputies,...
WiL alumni gathering in 2025: sustaining the momentum
A significant gathering of the Higher Education Leadership and Management’s (HELM’s) Women in Leadership (WiL) alumni is set for early 2025, and is envisioned as...
Growing a movement: Women in Leadership (WiL)
The final session of the 2024 Women in Leadership (WiL) programme on 1 November 2024 began with a seemingly simple but profoundly symbolic activity: a...
A research study highlights key impediments to student women participation in entrepreneurship at SA universities
Low self-esteem is a significant barrier to student women participation in entrepreneurship at universities, according to findings of the study titled Barriers Faced by student...
Universities South Africa’s second Student Affairs and Student Success cohort begins their leadership programme
Wednesday, 14 August saw the Higher Education Leadership and Management (HELM) programme launching its second intake of the Student Affairs and Student Success (SASS) programme,...
SWEEP is a response to South Africa’s national challenges and is therefore justified
According to findings of Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey of 2024, the youth unemployment rate reached 32.9% in the first quarter of 2024....
Behind every successful person there is a story worth drawing from
Paul Ryan once wrote that “behind every business, there’s a story worth knowing.” He was recently proven right through the extensive thought leadership that was...
A financial inclusion enterprise wins Intervarsity 2023 finals in the Tech category
It was a big week for the founder of Libex, a Web3 ecosystem company whose primary aim is to promote financial inclusion and democratise financial...
A plastic waste transforming company wins in new Research Based Business category of Intervarsity 2023
“The plastic pollution crisis is here. But luckily, we have the ultimate solution: Bioplastics: plant-based and biodegradable alternatives to regular plastics. WRONG!” Ms Dominique Rocher, 1st...
An after-school play and learn facility for pupils wins student R10 000
A staggering 250 000 learners drop out of school in South Africa, with 81% of Grade 4 learners proven for not being able to read for...
Biking delivery company clinches first runner-up position at Intervarsity 2023
Mr Colin Mkosi, Founder of a delivery company called Cloudy Deliveries asked the audience at the Intervarsity 2023 finals if they had ever wondered how...
A company striving to reduce food waste wins Entrepreneurship Intervarsity in the Social Impact Category
“One of the biggest reasons for food insecurity is food waste. There is way more food in the value chain than we actually use. A...
Proud Eastern Cape community celebrates Walter Sisulu University student farmer’s R120 000 win
An entire community celebrated after a young student farmer was named the Studentpreneur of 2023 at the 5th EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity finals held in Johannesburg...
Successful businessman inspires at Entrepreneurship Intervarsity Awards event
A giant video screen flashing snippets of media footage illustrated how an entrepreneur turned a fictitious boerewors roll vendor called Vuyo into reality. So began the...
Changes sweep across Entrepreneurship Intervarsity Awards
The fifth Entrepreneurship Intervarsity Awards saw a few firsts and an end to a year-long process on 1 December 2023, as Universities South Africa (USAf) showcased...
What does student success mean, and how can universities contribute to it?
Student success at South African universities should not be reduced to a simplistic, one dimensional measure based on grades and academic accomplishments, according to research...
Supporting the well-being of Student Affairs and Support Staff in higher education
“Who cares for the caregiver?” was a question posed by Dr Thembi Kweyama, Dean of Students at Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT), during one of the...
Inaugural SASS programme is an overwhelming success, with applications set to open during December for 2024
When Professor Sibusiso Chalufu (right) first heard about the launch, this year, of the inaugural HELM (Higher Education and Leadership Management) SASS (Student Affairs and Student...
Career advancement for SASS participants
They are the graduating class of 2023 – the 51 participants in the inaugural SASS (Student Affairs Student Success) programme which was conceptualised by a...
A SASS peer learning group examines the effect of NSFAS funding on student experience of higher education
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has been in the headlines recently with its former CEO fired over “breach of trust”, on-going reports of...
The deadline is today for registering to attend the discussion by Professor Adam Habib and Dr Max Price on student protests
Today marks the deadline for registering to attend a webinar and panel discussion led by Professor Adam Habib and Dr Max Price. At the peak...
Professors Francis Petersen and Rushiella Soncga take over the Universities South Africa’s leadership from 2024
Professor Francis Petersen (left), Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of the Free State, has been elected the new Chairperson of the Board of...
The Universities South Africa Board of Directors endorses the 2024 focus areas of its strategy groups
Funding Strategy Group (FSG) At the ordinary meeting of Universities South Africa’s Board of Directors, the Chairperson of the Funding Strategy Group (FSG), Professor Bismark...
Professor Adam Habib and Dr Max Price to reflect on how they navigated the 2015 to 2016 fallist movements
To look at how student protests of 2015 and 2016 impacted and continue to shape the local and other higher education landscapes today, the University...
Professor Adam Habib and Dr Max Price to reflect on how they navigated the 2015 to 2016 fallist movements
To look at how student protests of 2015 and 2016 impacted and continue to shape the local and other higher education landscapes today, the University...
South Africa is catching up with the globe on Open Access but needs to do more to reach desired goals
Even though South Africa has made significant advances towards achieving Open Access to scholarly publishing, there are hurdles to still overcome that require a concerted national...
Exposure to Switzerland’s innovation and entrepreneurship landscape boosts confidence in a young South African
The founder of one South African student start-up that won a trip to a 10-day residency programme at the University of Basel in Switzerland, in...
A high-level panel explores PhD production and support from various perspectives
A report on the first large-scale national Tracer Study of PhD and Post-doctoral Graduates was released last week creating a platform for experts to debate...
An urgent need for more PhD and post-doctoral graduates emerges from Tracer Study
A comprehensive strategy to massively increase the number of PhD and post-doctoral graduates in South Africa, given the pivotal role they play in the country’s...
USAf explores sustainable energy solutions to mitigate the impact of the energy crisis on institutions
Universities SA (USAf) will host a webinar this Friday, 21 July, to deliberate on feasible and sustainable energy solutions as South Africa continues to grapple...
Universities are submitting very few creative outputs in African languages to DHET for credits
At the recent meeting in June, of Universities South Africa’s Community of Practice for the teaching and learning of African Languages (CoPAL), the Department of...
University leaders speak out on developing entrepreneurial thinking among undergraduates
If universities want to promote innovation at undergraduate level, they too need to be innovative and break away from traditional approaches of teaching and learning....
Strategies for institutionalising entrepreneurship; building an entrepreneurial university
Sound policies, adequate resources and identifying champions became recurring themes as past recipients of the annual Rising Star Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) and DVC of the...
At its core, social entrepreneurship is about driving positive social change
Cognisant that businesses of any kind ought to generate profit, Dr Paul Igwe, Senior Lecturer in Strategy and Enterprise and Programme Leader in the University...
A UCT research programme co-creates knowledge with adjacent communities
The relationship between the university and community engagement takes on a new nuance with the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Knowledge Co-op. Inspired by the...
TUT showcases the rigor of its language policy processes and implementation infrastructure
Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) has added a third indigenous language to its revised policy. This change is part of the institution’s response to the...
Reflect and learn as a leader and change agent at your own institution
The sound of the late Tina Turner’s What’s love got to do with it enveloped the conference room. As the last few individuals took up...
Rationale for the inaugural Student Affairs and Student Success (SASS) capacity development programme
Student success is not coincidental and access without support is not a true opportunity for students in our universities. This was the message from Dr...
Universities’ Student Affairs, Development and Support Staff urged to identify as professionals, practitioners and knowledge workers
Upskill. Stay current. Read. And, most importantly, start seeing yourself as a professional practitioner whose multi-disciplinary expertise makes you as much a scholar as any...
New SASS programme hailed as a forerunner in professionalising universities’ Student Affairs and Support Services
It was with a sense of achievement that Dr Sibusiso Chalufu (right) praised a milestone programme designed to herald in the professionalisation of Student Affairs,...
Professionalising Student Affairs, Development and Support Services is the key to enhancing Student Success in higher education
The professionalisation of Student Affairs, Student Development and Support Services across the South African university sector is critical for improved student and all institutions’ success....
Thuso solutions are potential game changers for emerging academic scholars and researchers
Capacity development of emerging academic scholars and researchers in South Africa’s public universities will take a new turn from Thursday, 18 May 2023, when Universities...
A Transformation Strategy Group study has produced a Framework for a Student-centred Higher Education System in South Africa
The study that Universities South Africa’s (USAf’s) Transformation Strategy Group (TSG) embarked upon from 2020, titled Reshaping Universities to Create a Student-Centred Higher Education System...
Universities South Africa’s Student-centredness Framework sparks questions regarding study respondents, operationalisation and measurement
In 2020 the Transformation Strategy Group (TSG) of Universities South Africa (USAf) initiated a research study to create a deeper understanding on how institutional cultures...
USAf’s new Director: Operations and Sector Support has always been passionate about the transformation of education
Since assuming the position of Director of Operations and Sector Support at Universities South Africa (USAf) from 1 April, Mr Mahlubi “Chief” Mabizela has stepped...
USAf’s Teaching and Learning of Mathematics Community of Practice must innovate in collaboration with other groups
The first meeting in 2023, of the Community of Practice (CoP) for the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics (TLM CoP), underscored the urgent need to...
Universities South Africa’s Board of Directors officially welcomes three new members
The Chairperson of Universities South Africa (USAf), Professor Sibongile Muthwa, kicked off USAf’s first meeting of the Board of Directors for 2023 on 17 March...
Emboldening women’s leadership in the university: WiL Certification Ceremony
Opening with a live and rousing version of “Celebration” performed by the Two Tone band, The Women in Leadership (WiL) Programme certification ceremony took place...
Professor Sibongile Muthwa of Nelson Mandela University is set to address the Future of Higher Education Dialogue hosted from Tokyo, Japan, today
Professor Sibongile Muthwa, Vice-Chancellor and Principal at Nelson Mandela University and the Chair of Universities SA, will address the fourth seminar of the on-going The...
The sector-wide language resources audit is designed to aid the implementation of multilingualism
Delegates at the Vice-Chancellors’ Language Colloquium held at the University of Pretoria from 1 to 2 December were treated to preliminary findings of a report...
Embracing HELM’s Women in Leadership programme became a defining moment for alumni
With less than three years in operation and now in its third cohort, the Women in Leadership (WiL), a flagship of the Higher Education Leadership...
African, Asian, and Australian deans’ standpoints on research impact seem to converge
The recent Higher Education Leadership and Management (HELM) Summit 2022 included a session where three universities’ deans from three different time zones discussed the challenges...
Organisational development in universities; A case study on CUT’s repositioning of its Welkom campus provides invaluable lessons
The Central University of Technology (CUT) in the Free State is changing the perceived stepchild status of its Welkom campus to an integral part of...
Good, rather than skilled human beings make better university leaders, Professor André Keet says
When good people get into executive leadership positions in universities, it erodes their goodness and their capacity for self-awareness flies out the window. ...
Global university leaders exchange leadership attributes, challenges and opportunities
How can universities be a driving force for change in broader society and what role should their leaders play in our ever developing world? These...
Leadership in higher education is often about reaching out and listening to people
Professor Jonathan Jansen says one important lesson he has learnt from his leadership experience at all levels in higher education – is that you have...
How to develop and nurture academic leaders at our universities
Academic leadership is one of the most important foundations for success in our universities. However, leadership and management in academia presents its own challenges with...
University leaders could benefit from a global perspective
It is imperative that leaders in higher education have a global perspective beyond their national borders and building networks and communities of leaders is one...
Successful students do more than graduate: they are equipped to be responsible citizens
Defining student success is more than just attaining a university degree. It is about preparing young adults for responsible and responsive global citizenship. Professor Jonathan...
The gap universities have to fill regarding student mental health issues
Student mental health issues in South Africa are escalating; but who should be providing the necessary care and treatment – universities or government – and...
Challenges facing the world’s universities
The underfunding of higher education and the resulting lack of capacity; universities becoming more reluctant to collaborate due to geopolitical shifts and the imbalance between...
HELM Summit 2022 explores innovative leadership development for Higher Education in complexity and global change
Shifting global parameters and heightened uncertainties highlight our universally shared vulnerability and point to how interconnected we are as a society: economically, socially, politically, and...
HELM Summit 2022 to Focus on Leadership Development and Organisational Sustainability
The 2022 HELM (Higher Education Leadership and Management) Summit, which commences today, will be dedicated to Leadership Development in the context of disruption, complexity, change...
Universities South Africa’s fundraising project to help pay for students’ historical debts and other needs surpassed the R1 billion mark!
In the face of mounting student debt at universities across the country, in August 2020, Universities South Africa (USAf) pledged to raise R1 billion in...
Coaching is essential in higher education leadership
Coaching is an integral component of the Higher Education Leadership and Management (HELM) leadership development approach. The final ENGAGE session for the year – facilitated...
Understanding just what coaching is and the different forms it takes
There are many misconceptions about what coaching is and the various forms it can take. The field of coaching is diverse and covers many different...
How coaching helps people to ‘do human better’
“Doing Human Better” is what Dr Paddy Pampallis believes coaching can achieve as well as supporting massive social change. Her mission is to help people...
Universities South Africa chooses to allow due processes to proceed to conclusion at UCT
Although Universities South Africa (USAf) subscribes to principles of sound governance, transparency, and integrity in the administration of its member institutions, the representative body of...
The tripartite partnership between USAf, the CJC and EWSETA is only a beginning — principals declare
A tripartite partnership was launched on Monday, 10 October, between Universities South Africa’s Higher Education Leadership and Management (HELM) Programme, the Central Johannesburg TVET College...
USAf’s new CEO aims to uphold the organisation’s reputation and respect as she takes it forward
The newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of Universities South Africa (USAf) says she is delighted to be a part of what she calls a “well-respected,...
Universities South Africa welcomes Dr Phethiwe Matutu as the new Chief Executive Officer
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Universities South Africa (USAf), Professor Sibongile Muthwa, USAf’s Chairperson, has welcomed Dr Phethiwe Matutu as the new...
Universities South Africa’s long-serving Chief Executive Officer hangs up his hat today
After serving Universities South Africa (USAf) for close to seven years in the Chief Executive Officer capacity, Professor Ahmed Cassim Bawa hangs up his hat...
Universities South Africa welcomes Dr Phethiwe Matutu as the new Chief Executive Officer
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Universities South Africa (USAf), Professor Sibongile Muthwa, USAf’s Chairperson, has welcomed Dr Phethiwe Matutu as the new...
The USAf Board hails Professor Ahmed Bawa as a solid leader, great achiever, conciliator and steady sound board
The Special Board meeting of 9 September proved to be a solemn moment as the Board of Directors came to terms with the final departure...
A giant leader leaves a trail of achievements in his path at Universities South Africa
Change is an important and necessary constant; it allows organisations to re-imagine themselves from time to time in the context of shifting environments, and Universities...
Questions posed at the USAf-DHET webinars showed stakeholders had engaged deeply with the new draft policy for HE education institutional types
The Department of Higher Education and Training’s new Draft Policy for the Recognition of South African Higher Education Institutional Types might well be republished for another...
DHET-USAf webinars provided fresh insights into the new draft policy on types of higher education institutions
Around 900 people attended the three online public webinars presented last week to clarify the new Draft Policy for the Recognition of South African Higher Education Institutional Types....
Public webinars get underway this week to clarify the new draft policy for higher education institutions
The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) in collaboration with Universities South Africa (USAf) will host a series of webinars this week, to explain the...
The Draft Policy for the Recognition of South African Higher Education Institutional Types is not as disruptive as some perceive it to be
The state believes that its new higher education draft policy, which will lead to all South African institutions of higher learning being classified into three...
Academic advising is a critical determinant of student success
Academic advising plays a critical role in improving the success rate of students, and in advancing social justice. This was the message from...
The valuable lessons learnt during South Africa’s Academic Advising journey
Students want to be empowered to drive their success towards achieving their own academic and career goals. This is where academic advising is critical. ...
South Africa-France Research Week opens possibilities for stronger research collaboration between the two nations
The recently concluded France-South Africa Higher Education and Research Week yielded promising outcomes, given the high level of interest from both participating countries, the packed...
Universities need a solid policy framework for equitable implementation of entrepreneurship across the SA ecosystem
One of the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme’s mandates is to develop a national policy framework for entrepreneurship at South Africa’s universities. “But,...
Standard Bank’s universities’ partnership helps build a new generation of entrepreneurs
Standard Bank’s investment in the Universities South Africa (USAf) Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme has led to the establishment of Economic Activation Offices...
New-style social entrepreneurship requires new thinking — EDHE Lekgotla 2022 delegates are told in Gqeberha
Developing entrepreneurs and encouraging entrepreneurial thinking has to be the cornerstone of reforming a society characterised by socio-economic imbalances. This was stressed by two senior...
CoViD-19 has induced shifts in higher education that necessitate new thinking for the future
At the recent Higher Education Leadership and Management (HELM) ENGAGE #8 event, blended learning, critical thinking and leadership attributes received dedicated focus. This event was the eighth webinar in...
Blended teaching and learning post-CoVID requires different strategic, space and technological planning, academic experts advise
Embracing the “new normal” of blended teaching and learning in higher education will need an integrated approach to strategic planning. This will have to include capacity planning, space planning norms and...
Public universities face tough financial decisions in normalising blended teaching post-CoVID
South Africa’s cash-strapped higher education system adapting to a post-pandemic blended teaching and learning model needs to rethink funding modalities. When factoring in costs for...
Student and staff surveys chart a way for implementing blended teaching and learning at public universities
A blended teaching and learning environment cannot succeed if students and staff do not all have access to reliable devices, network, internet connectivity and adequate...
Audience reactions to the survey findings; comments, questions and answers
Following a presentation on findings of two studies, Students’ Access to and Use of Learning Materials (SAULM) and Staff Experiences of, and Perspectives on Teaching and Learning and...
The symposium programme on student and staff experiences during the CoVID-19 pandemic is packed
Today’s higher education symposium set to unpack policy implications of student and staff experiences during the Co-VID-19 pandemic for Funding, funding, and quality assurance, is...
The EDHE Studentpreneurs Indaba 2022 seeks to cultivate leadership competencies in students
The upcoming EDHE Studentpreneurs Indaba 2022 will focus on building leadership capacity in students with existing start-ups or small businesses. The event, taking place on...
Student and staff experiences during the CoVID-19 pandemic: Implications for planning, funding and quality assurance
Findings of two studies undertaken in higher education on Students’ Access to and Use of Learning Materials (SAULM) in 2020 and Staff Experiences of, and Perspectives on Teaching and...
The Transformation Strategy Group’s study seeking to inform student-centred institutions is at data analysis stage
Universities South Africa’s Transformation Strategy Group (TSG) initiated a research study in 2020 to determine how institutional cultures could be reshaped to create a student-centred higher...
The EDHE Lekgotla 2022 Registrations are now open!
Registrations for the upcoming 6th annual EDHE Lekgotla – the annual gathering of leaders in entrepreneurship in Higher Education, from 19 to 22 July 2022, are open!TheEntrepreneurship...
Universities must think more creatively about the employability of their graduates
The Dean of Science at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), Professor Nithaya Chetty (right), says although it is laudable that the South African higher education produces...
The University of the Witwatersrand injects entrepreneurial thinking into doctoral training
The University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) is introducing a training programme in which doctoral students will, while pursuing their core programme, also undergo rigorous...
The Research and Innovation Strategy Group endorses an action plan drawn from the Higher Education Conference of 2021
Universities South Africa’s Research and Innovation Strategy Group has endorsed a list of actions and initiatives to focus on in 2022 and beyond, stemming from the...
Co-branding on social media to promote a social enterprise
At the recent Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme (SWEEP) webinar, Ms Cwenga Koyana, a Postgraduate student in Film and Television at the University of Cape Town,...
Your personal story matters on social media
Ms Nqobile Tembe (left), a qualified communication management specialist and currently a Communication Consultant at Universities South Africa, addressed the SWEEP members on using...
Utilising social media to market oneself or one’s business
It was the last session in a series of Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme (SWEEP) webinars that the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Programme has...
Coaching will be integral to empowerment in WIL 3
The opportunity of one-on-one interaction and coaching by a professional coach will be a significant component in the Women in Leadership 3 (WiL 3) programme in...
Women in Leadership programme — 2022 edition kicks off
The start of the 2022 Women in Leadership (WiL) programme, designed to embolden senior academic women leaders, inspired a new cohort of participants with confidence that...
EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2022 advances to internal rounds
The Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2022 is gearing up for the second phase of the contest — internal rounds where student entrepreneurs...
Conference Announcement – The 5th South African-Japan University (SAJU) Forum (28-29 July 2022)
Background The South Africa-Japan University (SAJU) Forum is a platform with the aim of providing a structured framework for collaboration between the higher education institutions of...
Reigniting the Internationalisation of Higher Education in South Africa
While the CoVID-19 pandemic prevented students from going overseas to study because of travel bans, it did create opportunities for South African universities to think creatively around internationalisation in education. In fact,...
An advocacy for global learning for all and internationalisation in an African context
Internationalisation in higher education is entering a new and critical phase in which it has to become more inclusive and sustainable. There is a shift...
Towards improving the mental health of students at South African universities
Findings of one of the largest student mental health surveys ever undertaken in the world – which was initiated by Universities South Africa (USAf) and...
A focus on the mental health of staff at SA universities
Not enough attention has been paid to staff at South Africa’s universities when it comes to their mental health. However, in examining this phenomenon and finding possible...
What kind of society have we become – says the USAf CEO, in condemning arson at UFS
If students can watch their peers burn down teaching and learning facilities at their university and, instead of reporting this unruly behaviour, choose to take...
Maintaining independence and dignity under pressure; Linda Meyer counsels aspiring women entrepreneurs
I am proud to be difficult, different, to have a voice that is mine and know who I am. It comes with years of experience,...
How EDHE is enabling the entrepreneurship ecosystem within South Africa’s universities
The Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme – which was established in 2016 “with humble beginnings” – is broadening its scope from creating business in its...
A Namibian-born scholar is taking Coventry University, in the UK, to new entrepreneurial heights
Professor Gideon Maas has implemented a module titled Contemporary Issues in Entrepreneurship at Coventry University in the United Kingdom, which has no predetermined content. “There...
EDHE’s bumper programme for 2022 includes a new video campaign
At the recent Executive Leadership Workshop of Universities South Africa’s Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme, EDHE’s Project Manager, Ms Zana Boshoff, outlined their busy programme for...
There is no clearcut answer about which skills are needed to commercialise research
Professor Keolebogile Shirley Motaung did not have to rattle off a list to illustrate The skill set required for commercialisation, which was the title of the...
A British Council-supported programme aims to enhance SA’s innovation success
The British Council’s flagship sub-Saharan Africa higher education programme, Innovation for African Universities (IAU), is ready to move to the all-important implementation phase. During...
Nobody sets out to do irrelevant research, argues one of SA’s heavyweights in commercialising academic research
Professor Bavesh Kana (left), Head of the Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), spoke up in...
Profit-sharing from IP commercialisation ignites a debate among university leaders
Three things hampering effective commercialisation of intellectual property at South Africa’s universities were mentioned as animosity between universities, misconceptions around royalties and the lack of...
Diversifying capital is essential for effecting change in South Africa
To promote a diversity of views, you need diversity in capital. That means that you need to give money to people who have never had...
Universities can build relationships with industry by inviting people to networking events
The first session of the two-day Executive Leadership Workshop (ELW) on Commercialisation of Research, held in Cape Town last week – featured two speakers from...
From pills to snazzy suitcases – a university in Belgium earns hundreds of millions from academic research
KU Leuven in Belgium is such a pinnacle of entrepreneurial success that it topped the Reuters list of Europe’s most innovative universities for four years...
From a South African laboratory to global gamechange; the Gene Xpert test
The development in a South Africa laboratory of accurate controls to help in the battle against tuberculosis and the corona virus is a global success story. It...
Commercialising university research often starts with existing relationships
The AstraZeneca vaccine for CoVID-19 is a prime example to illustrate the process it takes, and the value that lies in commercialising university research. This...
What it means to be an entrepreneurial institution
Nearly R800 million rand – which has benefited more than 22 000 students and helped 6 000 postgraduate students pay their tuition fees – was...
Intellectual Property creators at universities get to share in the benefits
Sixty per cent of South African universities reported that they were not empowered to commercialise their Intellectual Property (IP) through spinoffs, start-ups or incubators. This...
Commercialisation in the nano-biotechnology field
Dr. Anita Goel has an impressive pedigree when it comes to merging science and research with being a global entrepreneur. She’s an award-winning world-renowned expert...
Taking a research lab discovery into the marketplace; the Entiro story
Stick to one field and focus if you want to be successful. This was the message from Professor Leon Dicks, Distinguished Professor in Microbiology at Stellenbosch...
Commercialising research requires universities to think differently
“It will not be long before institutions are chosen by students because of the innovative and entrepreneurial environments and cultures that they create,” Dr Norah...
Capacitating Student Affairs practitioners to accelerate student success
A National Training Needs Assessment (TNA) survey commenced in November 2021 to investigate the need in public universities to support the capacitation of professionals working...
Being mindful of the words we speak over ourselves to cultivate resilience and sustainability
When members of the Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme (SWEEP) gathered online on 23 February 2022 to unpack the topic of resilience...
Registration for the popular Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2022 opens
A call to entry for the most prestigious Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2022 kicked off with a resounding roar last Thursday, 24 February....
2021 Entrepreneurship Intervarsity winners give new entrants tips for success
Advice, encouragement and warnings on potential pitfalls were shared by last year’s winners at the launch of the fourth Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Entrepreneurship...
Corporate partners supporting the Entrepreneurship Intervarsity share their hopes for 2022
You are important to the economy. We are rooting for you. We are here to help. That was the predominant sentiment of partners of the...
A British Council-supported training intervention leaves a Programme Manager feeling fulfilled
Completion of the two-day Innovation Ecosystems and Academic Entrepreneurship workshop of 16 to 17 February gave a sense of fulfilment to Ms Meekness Lunga-Ayidu, Programme...
Bringing knowledge exchange solutions to the market
Universities and higher learning institutions need the correct strategies, policies and networks in place in order to promote a successful culture of knowledge exchange. ...
Sleep Science takes UCT research outcomes into the marketplace
The vision of Sleep Science – a spin-off company from the University of Cape Town (UCT) – is to optimise the health, well-being and performance of South Africans through evidence-based, best-practice sleep research,...
Academics discuss entrepreneurship challenges they encounter, and explore possible solutions
At last week’s Innovation Systems and Academic Entrepreneurship workshop that was hosted by Universities South Africa’s Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme, academics exchanged thought-provoking perspectives...
USAf’s Partnership with the SETAs produced close to R800 million to support 22 104 students
In 2020, Universities South Africa (USAf) pledged to raise R1 billion in 24 months to assist students in need of support; are enrolled in undergraduate...
Moving to an impact paradigm
The main benefits of knowledge exchange and commercialisation activities are the societal impact they make from research, and not about the revenue they may generate....
Connecting communities and changing lives; the story of Zenzeleni Community Networks
South Africa’s first cooperative-owned Internet Service Provider (ISP) began operating in the Eastern Cape in 2012. Zenzeleni Community Networks started when a group of University of the Western...
Creating companies is not all there is to innovation ecosystems and entrepreneurship
There is far more to having a functional innovation ecosystem than just supporting the creation of business ventures, Ms Jaci Barnett, an expert from the Oxentia...
Challenges and risks in innovation
The reality is that there will be conflicts of interest when academics engage in entrepreneurship and commercialisation. What is important is to put policies and...
Harnessing and commercialising the power of social sciences, humanities and the arts
While the commercialisation of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) studies is well-established, research within the non-STEM disciplines such as social sciences, humanities and the arts is...
Listening, continuous learning and openness to new ideas are paying dividends for the Maths Whartels inventor
At the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Programme Kick-off 2022 event of last week, Dr Janine Chantson (left), Chief Director: Technology Transfer Office...
It is about time, says Professor Ahmed Bawa
The two-day Innovation Systems and Academic Entrepreneurship workshop that ended yesterday carried high value for South Africa’s universities — given the huge chasm between research, innovation and...
What is academic entrepreneurship and why do we do it?
He fired the first shot in the Innovation Systems and Academic Entrepreneurship workshop that kicked off on Wednesday for academics and staff involved in entrepreneurship...
EDHE enlists the Oxford University Innovation expertise at its Innovation Ecosystems workshop
The Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Programme’s Kick-off event for 2022, starting today, takes the form of a workshop on Innovation Systems and Academic...
Women entrepreneurs are contributing significantly to the global economy, but SWEEP needs to do more to stimulate local activity
Recent data shows that there has been a slow shift in the entrepreneurial landscape and that more women are prepared to put in the hours...
Introducing SWEEP chapters at public universities
The recent three-day Economic Activation workshop of the Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme (SWEEP) climaxed when EDHE leaders introduced SWEEP University Chapters intended for all...
How to build a positive self-image for success in business
While personality is imperative in human relations, appearance tends to be the primary impression maker on any person, or brand. Therefore, Universities South Africa’s Entrepreneurship...
Dealing with trauma and hardship requires personal resilience skills
Resilience is about thriving and growing despite the hardship or challenge that has engulfed us. That was the message of Dr Norah Clarke, Director: Entrepreneurship...
Birds and Lemons: Use what you have; convert your disadvantages to advantage
Notwithstanding that people often perceive impediments as dream killers, during last week’s SWEEP Economic Activation Workshop, Professor Simon Gifford, Co-Founder and CEO of Mashauri, advised...
Asset-Based Community Development — If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together
Entrepreneurship in its current form is predominantly inward-looking and needs-based. Yet, the most significant opportunities lie in problem-based solutions. These include social problems found within...
Continuous learning, courage and perseverance led a fine artist to start and grow a thriving business
How often do you hear of parents doubting the viability of their child’s career choice? That is what Ms Lindy Scott had to contend with,...
Women need to upskill to join the digital transformation revolution
She grew up in Limpopo, in a township called Namakgale, but her parents never let her forget that “home” was the village. It is why Dr...
Nudging entrepreneurial women towards creating viable enterprises
When Ms Leonie Greyling asked women attending an entrepreneurship workshop what came to mind when they heard “innovation”, a few sprang to respond, and their...
Transforming one’s thoughts is the key to problem solving
Declaring herself an advocate for an entrepreneurial mindset, Ms Gail Mothlaudi – Lecturer and Coordinator: Centre of Entrepreneurship, Sol Plaatje University – urged her audience...
How-To Tips for Aspiring Student Women Entrepreneurs
Making a success of one’s business enterprise was the focus of Day Two of the inaugural Economic Activation Workshop of The Student...
How patriarchy and apartheid practices shaped a white woman into a feisty entrepreneur
She was raised on a farm in rural KwaZulu-Natal by strong, brave, and tenacious women who gathered firewood. Watching her own mother being downtrodden by...
Courage, Confidence, Resilience and Professionalism: Essential skills for budding businesswomen
Two speakers at the inaugural Economic Activation Workshop of The Student Women Economic Empowerment Project (SWEEP), identified resilience and courage as the key qualities necessary...
Session One of the SWEEP Economic Activation Workshop focuses on mentorship and goal-setting
The Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme (SWEEP) – the brainchild of Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE), kicked off its inaugural Economic Activation Workshop with...
Simon Gifford to grace EDHE’s Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme Economic Activation Workshop as speaker
A much-admired and respected entrepreneur, Mr Simon Gifford, will be sharing entrepreneurship insights with members of the Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme (SWEEP) during the...
South Africa has lost a human rights and social justice giant
As South Africa contemplates a future without Archbishop Desmond Tutu, it must be with an understanding that she has lost another giant, a lodestone, an...
EDHE recognises the contributions, and outcomes, of the entrepreneurship communities of practice
At the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2021 last Friday, Dr Norah Clarke, Director: Entrepreneurship at Universities South Africa (USAf), affirmed the leadership of the five communities...
A hard-hatted construction boss designs PPE for women
Ms Kholeka Mtshali, a 23-year-old University of Free State Bachelor of Divinity student, puts on a hard hat and runs a business called Opulence Construction...
A medicine delivery app promises help for struggling NGOs
Overburdened healthcare workers at non-governmental organisations across Cape Town spurred a 4th year Bachelor of Pharmacy student at the University of the Western Cape, into...
A Nelson Mandela University student cycles to success
I believe in pedal power! Those were the words a Nelson Mandela University student, Mr Charles Mbhele, began with, as he showcased his bicycle company...
A studentpreneur wants her business to eradicate hunger
Ms Ntombizonke Mdletshe, a student at the University of Zululand, has an idea that she hopes will help relieve the devastating effects of poverty-related hunger....
Women sweep the board at the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2021
The EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2021 event, organised by Universities South Africa’s Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme, was a women-dominated event. In an unprecedented...
A very personal entrepreneurship journey inspires studentpreneurs
If it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a village to create an entrepreneurial eco-system for studentpreneurs to succeed. So said...
A winning formula at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University
Professor Eunice Seekoe is a Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC): Teaching, Learning and Community Engagement at the Sefako Makgatho University of Health Sciences (SMU). Chosen from...
All universities must strive to reach the pinnacle of the annual EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity
A total of 18 of South Africa’s 26 public universities were represented at the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2021 finals last week – and the address...
Crowdsource funding business wins UCT medical student entrepreneur R120 000
GoShare, the winning business in the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2021, will not just be financially viable: it will change lives. That is what fifth-year University...
Making a difference: meet the owners of businesses that have huge social impact
The winners in the social impact category of the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2021– which showcased successful student enterprises from 18 of South Africa’s universities –...
Drones as a security back-up idea wins Entrepreneurship Intervarsity award
Sickened by the increasing number of farm attacks and wanting to give farmers an early warning system sparked an award-winning business idea in drone technology....
Allergy Foundation approved skin care products win studentpreneur R20 000
When Ms Mashoto Mphahlele (left), final year media studies student at the University of Limpopo, walked onto stage to present her thriving cosmetics business,...
Winning online language academy promotes the learning of African Languages
Turning the teaching and learning of a language into a business has won studentpreneur, Ms Chido Dzinotyiwei, R20 000. As important is the desire of...
Public universities deploy their 28 enterprising best in the 2021 Entrepreneurship Intervarsity finals
When Friday, 19 November comes to an end, budding student entrepreneurs in South Africa’s public university system will know who the best in entrepreneurial practice...
Four universities make it to the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity finals for the first time
Four of Universities South Africa’s 26 member institutions will be participating in the 2021 EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity finals for the first time since the competition...
Perspectives on commercialisation and technology transfer in the SA university ecosystem
Professor Kyle Farmbry of Rutgers University in Newark in the United States (US) made an announcement at the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Lekgotla that...
The Challenges and Opportunities facing Higher Education Institutions in the Digital Era
Three leading South African academics shared a virtual platform to discuss High Tech Innovation in Africa at the annual Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Lekgotla...
Smart farming technologies present solutions to farming challenges
New-entry farmers stand a better chance of succeeding in their farming ventures when they adopt smart technology applications. Ms Mbali Nwoko, Chief Executive Farmer at Green...
Science, discipline and firm business acumen birthed CapeBio Technologies (Pty) Ltd
She threw her full weight behind her studies and, in the process, obtained her BSc in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering with no fewer than 24 distinctions...
How the Durban University of Technology supports the growth of student startup businesses
The question posed to Ms Dineo Lioma (on Monday, 14 September) regarding: Where do you locate South African universities in this space (offering technical skills, exposure...
Universities hold the key to South Africa’s economic recovery – speakers at the opening of EDHE Lekgotla 2020 concede
The first two speakers at the opening session of the 4th annual national Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Lekgotla were such a hit that the...
African child: problems of this continent are your opportunities to innovate and profit…
Although the African continent is plagued by many challenges, such as basic healthcare, food and water security as well as exponentially high unemployment rates, massive opportunities...
All systems go for the EDHE Lekgotla 2020
The 4th Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Lekgotla, starts today. This event is being anchored from USAf’s offices in Hatfield and freely live-streamed on the...
EDHE Shining a Spotlight on Studentpreneurs across South Africa
The Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme will be launching the second iteration of the national Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2020 competition on 21 January 2020 at...
“You are not alone,” academic leaders learned at last week’s HELM event in Pretoria
They had come from all four cardinal points of South Africa: the north, south, east and west -- and also the centre. Each individual brought with...
USAf Board welcomes the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Programme
The Board of Directors also welcomed absorption into USAf, of the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Programme, which was established in the Department of Higher...
USAf Programme Updates
A. Higher Education Leadership Programme The Board heard that HELM got off to a good start in 2018, thanks to funding secured from the Department of...
Initiatives in Higher Education to drive the development of Entrepreneurship among South African graduates
In this article, an independent author, Camilla Pennington, takes a look at initiatives in Higher Education to drive the development of entrepreneurship among South African graduates....