The Durban University of Technology had the pleasure of hosting Minister Jean-Claude Marcourt, the Minister of Higher Education in Belgium, as well as the Belgium ministerial and academic delegation during a meeting which took place at the Hotel School Conference Centre, Ritson Campus on Monday (October 22, 2013).
Organised by the International Education and Partnerships (IEP) Office, the meeting was centred on discussing a possible partnership between DUT and Belgium institutions in the area of student mobility. It was attended by DUT Council Chairperson Dr Jeraim Reddy, members of the University’s executive management as well as DUT academics.
Professor Ahmed Bawa, DUT’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal, spoke on behalf of the University, giving the Belgian visitors a warm welcome. He said, “We are greatly honoured by your visit and are pleased that you could stop here so that we can begin to cement some linkages with you.” Just last year, Prof Bawa visited Belgium seeking to forge a relationship with the country in the areas of maritime and logistics. He said he is looking forward to seeing the latter become a reality.
Giving the delegation an overview of the University, the Vice-Chancellor highlighted some of the University’s successes in terms of academics, sports and research. “DUT is a university that tries to be embedded in the local context. We work with the local industry and local government. We have strong links with communities as well. We also see ourselves as a University that generates knowledge,” Prof Bawa said.
Minister Marcourt said since 2011, academic institutions in Belgium have been an essential part of the delegation of the economic missions led by Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid of Belgium. “We all agree that if these missions open doors for our enterprises, they also offer many opportunities for our universities to identify new partners and conclude strategic agreements. The internationalisation of our institutions is our main priority,” he added.
According to the minister, it is important for academics to have relationships and Belgium has a few of these with South African universities. The mission now, he said, is to improve and reinforce the cooperation.
Other speakers in the meeting were Dr Lavern Samuels, IEP Director and President of the International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA), and Sandrine Yodts, the Project Officer for Wallonia-Brussels Campus, the counterpart of IEASA. Dr Samuels highlighted the University’s successful student-exchange programmes with international institutions while Yodts gave a brief overview of higher education institutions in the French-speaking communities of Belgium.
– Naledi Hlefane
Pictured from left: Dr Lavern Samuels, Director of International Education and Partnerships at DUT and President of the International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA); Minister Jean-Claude Marcourt, Minister of Higher Education in Belgium; Professor Ahmed Bawa, DUT Vice-Chancellor and Principal and Sandrine Yodts, Project Officer for Wallonia-Brussels Campus.
