A group of nine students from the Durban University of Technology are jetting off to the United States of America (USA) this evening for a 12 day trip visiting universities in New York and Colorado.
They are accompanied by the Manager of Student Governance and Development at DUT, Malusi Nxumalo and they will return to South Africa on 5 June 2012.
Five students were selected from the Student Representative Council and the other four were selected from the Department of Student Housing. This selection was done via Student Governance and Development, Executive Management as well as the office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Institutional Support.
Nxumalo said this trip forms part of an initiative started by ACUHOH-I (Association of College and University Housing Officers – International) last year with an aim to forge relationships between South African universities and those in the USA. Various institutions around South Africa select students in leadership roles to represent them abroad.
“The purpose of this trip is to expose the selected students to the tertiary environment overseas, looking at how student life and academics are prioritized,” said Nxumalo. This is an equally beneficial activity that will be achieved through interaction and the exchange of ideas.
During the course of the tour, the President of Central Housing Committee at DUT, Sipho Mkhize, will sign a memorandum of understanding on behalf of South African institutions with the president of the National Residence Hall Council at the University of Colorado.
“This will strengthen our relationships with universities in the USA with an interest of building strong leadership skills of students involved in SRCs and housing committees,” said Nxumalo who also toured around the USA universities last year.
A keen Nxumalo said he was excited about his second trip to the USA, saying there is much to be learnt from universities abroad. He said he would like local institutions to instill and promote a strong culture of learning among students as is done by universities in the USA.
– Naledi Hlefane
