The signing of the Protocol between DUT and the Camões Institute for Co-operation and Language on June 2, 2015 seeks to promote the offering of Portuguese language courses at DUT, as well as students and staff exchanges between DUT and universities in Portugal.

The partnership will also foster research collaborations among DUT and Portuguese academics and researchers.

Earlier this year the Faculty of Arts and Design held its first certificate presentation to students who had successfully completed the pilot Introductory Portuguese General Education (Gen Ed) module.

In preparation for the implementation of Gen Ed at DUT, the Faculty – in collaboration with the Instituto Camões – ran a pilot programme of the Introductory Portuguese module.

The Introductory Portuguese module forms part of a pool of language electives that the Faculty has designed as part of their General Education curriculum. These semester-long electives include Portuguese, isiZulu, French and Mandarin, all aimed at introducing students to a new language and culture.

The Camões Institute is a public organisation with a mission to (amongst others) promote and implement the Portuguese co-operation policy, disseminate the Portuguese language and culture in foreign universities and manage the foreign Portuguese teaching network.

DUT Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Ahmed Bawa, thanked the Portuguese Consul General and his office for bringing this collaboration to fruition.

“I think it would be great fun to expand on this collaboration as soon as possible. It will also be a good opportunity to see if we could link with other universities in Mozambique and Maputo,” he said.

His Excellency, Dr António Ricoca Freire, the Ambassador of Portugal in South Africa, said: “I am proud to be here and this is the beginning of a fruitful partnership with the Camões Institute and DUT.”

He added that the partnership was due to the demand for teaching Portuguese in South Africa.

– Andile Dube