SA universities’ visit to Hungary culminates in the signing of a formal collaboration agreement
Thursday, 3rd April 2025, marks the last day in the official programme of Universities South Africa’s (USAf’s) delegation to Hungary, in eastern Europe. The 26-strong South African group is being hosted by the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference (HRC), a USAf equivalent organisation representing the interests of Hungary’s 63 higher education institutions.
The purpose of the visit is to foster a relationship initiated in 2019, rekindled post-COVID in 2023, and now being solidified into an envisioned collaboration and knowledge exchange between universities in the two countries.
Led by Professor Francis Petersen, the USAf Chairperson and Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria, the USAf delegation from 14 public universities, comprises eight vice-chancellors; senior directors of universities’ research and internationalisation portfolios; one DVC: Research; one Chief Operations Officer; the Executive Leadership of the National Research Foundation (NRF); and two USAf officials including the Director: Operations and Sector Support, Mr Mahlubi Mabizela.
From left (back row): Professor Bismark Tyobeka, Vice-Chancellor of the North-West university; Professor Tinyiko Maluleke, Vice-Chancellor of the Tshwane University of Technology; Professor Francis Petersen, Chairperson of USAf and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Pretoria; H.E. Mr Gangumzi Mattias Tsengiwe, South Africa’s Ambassador to Hungary; Professor Andrew Crouch, Vice-Chancellor of Sol Plaatje University; and Professor Nicola Smit, Acting Chief Operations Officer at Stellenbosch University.
Front row (from left): Mr Chief M Mabizela, Director: Operations and Sector Support at USAf; Dr Linda Mtwisha, Executive Director: Research Office at the University of Cape Town; Professor Rushiella Songca, Vice-Chairperson of USAf and Vice-Chancellor of Walter Sisulu University; Professor Nokuthula Sibiya, Vice-Chancellor of the Mangosuthu University of Technology; Professor Puleng LenkaBula, Vice-Chancellor of the University of South Africa; Professor Jose Frantz, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation at the University of the Western Cape; and Ms Petra Pérényi, an official at the HRC Secretariat.
Their first official activity was a courtesy call to South Africa’s Embassy to Hungary in Budapest on Monday. Here, they were welcomed by His Excellency, Ambassador Gangumzi Mattias Tsengiwe. Professor Petersen presented the delegation and explained the purpose of this visit.
Other activities on the delegation’s itinerary were study tours from Tuesday to seven Hungarian universities, representing the broad spectrum of university types. The Hungarian Rectors’ Conference is an assembly of state-run, church-run, private sector-owned universities, and those operated by public interest trusts.
The Tuesday, 1 April programme saw the delegation tour one HRC member university before assembling at Semmelweis University, the HRC Secretariat, where the SA-Hungary Rectors’ Forum was formally launched.
Mr Mahlubi Mabizela describes South Africa’s higher education landscape and the existing Hungarian-South African university partnerships.
This is where rich information exchange took place about each country’s university system; South African and Hungarian foreign policies of open collaboration and the role of universities; the two countries’ priorities and goals in internationalisation; their perspectives on digital technological transformation in teaching and learning, and their standpoints on research and innovation. Two South African postgraduate students studying in Hungary addressed the gathering about their higher education experience in that country, whereas the HRC and USAf officials spoke about existing Hungarian-South African university partnerships. Another session was dedicated to the sustainability of higher education in the context of dwindling state subsidies.
The deliberations on Tuesday culminated in signing a Memorandum of Understanding to formalise the HRC-USAf relationship. The MoU is essentially a framework for general cooperation between the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference and USAf, aimed at fostering collaboration between universities in both countries and their respective academic communities. Both parties acknowledge the significance of higher education and research in driving innovation and contributing to the socio-economic development of their respective nations, institutions, and communities.
A glimpse of Budapest, courtesy of Ms Janet Van Rhyn, Project Manager: Sector Support at USAf. She is one of the delegates to Hungary, supporting SA universities’ research and innovation enterprise.
Yesterday, the South African guests were treated to a tour of the House of Parliament in Budapest. Today, they will go sightseeing and wine-tasting in the countryside town of Eger, with more sightseeing planned for tomorrow (Friday, 4 April), outside of the capital, Budapest.
The delegation will leave Hungary on Friday night, after a five-day visit.
‘Mateboho Green is Universities South Africa’s Manager: Corporate Communications.
