The Durban University of Technology (DUT) and DHBW Ravensburg in Germany recently celebrated a significant milestone as the two institutions marked 20 years of academic collaboration during the International Staff Week held in Ravensburg from 4 – 8 May 2026.
The long-standing partnership, which formally began in 2007 following a visit by former DUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Roy du Pré and Dr Lavern Samuels, has grown into a globally recognised collaboration focused on student mobility, research development, academic exchange, and institutional cooperation. An informal partnership with Professor Thomas Dobbelstein had already been established a year earlier.
Over the past two decades, the collaboration has produced remarkable achievements, including the exchange of more than 300 students, over 35 lecturer exchange visits, multiple institutional delegations between South Africa and Germany, and approximately 30 joint academic publications.
The partnership has also created opportunities for postgraduate development, with one DUT PhD student securing a three-year contract in Germany, while two current DUT PhD students are supervised by Prof. Dr Thomas Dobbelstein.
Beyond academic collaboration, the partnership has strengthened institutional leadership and innovation initiatives. Prof. Dr Thomas Dobbelstein currently serves as Chairperson of the Advisory Board of the DUT Business School and as a Board Member of the Innobiz DUT Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
A highlight of the International Staff Week was a celebratory dinner where Dr Lavern Samuels, Director of the International Education and Partnerships Office at DUT, was honoured for his strategic leadership and commitment to sustaining the partnership over the past 20 years.
In recognition of his contribution, the President of DHBW Ravensburg, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Robert Watty, presented Dr Samuels with a special certificate acknowledging his visionary leadership, dedication, and impact in advancing international collaboration between the two institutions. The award is seldom bestowed and recognises exceptional leadership demonstrated over an extended period.
Through mutual respect, shared vision, and sustained cooperation, DUT and DHBW Ravensburg have built a partnership that continues to enrich both institutions and contribute meaningfully to global academic engagement.
As the collaboration enters its third decade, both universities remain committed to expanding opportunities for research, innovation, and internationalisation within an evolving higher education landscape.
Pictured from left to right: Prof. Dr Thomas Dobbelstein (International Strategic Development at DHBW and Honorary Research Professor at DUT); Dr Lavern Samuels, Director of the International Education and Partnerships Office at DUT; Prof. Dr.-Ing. Robert Watty, President of DHBW Ravensburg; and Thomas Schieber, Director of the International Office at DHBW.
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