Every day, thousands of students arrive at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) carrying more than books and laptops. They arrive with aspirations and dreams to build better futures for themselves, their families and their communities.
For many, a university qualification is more than a personal milestone. It is an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty, become the first graduate in the family, secure meaningful employment, start a business or contribute solutions to challenges facing society. Behind every adaptive graduate is a family whose hopes are invested in the promise that education can transform lives.
This belief lies at the heart of the DUT’s mission. It is also one of the reasons the University has been recognised among the Top 60 universities globally for Sustainable Development Goal 1: No Poverty, in the 2026 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.
Unlike traditional university rankings that focus primarily on academic reputation or research output, the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings measure how universities contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through their teaching, research, innovation, community engagement and institutional practices. For SDG 1, universities are assessed on how they expand access to education, support vulnerable students, generate research that addresses poverty, work alongside communities and create opportunities that improve livelihoods.
For South Africa, where poverty, unemployment and inequality remain among the country’s most pressing challenges, this recognition carries particular significance. Universities are increasingly expected to do more than educate graduates. They are called upon to generate knowledge that informs public policy, develop innovations that stimulate economic growth, strengthen communities and contribute to building a more inclusive society.
At DUT, these responsibilities are not viewed as separate from the University’s academic mission. They are embedded in the way the institution teaches, conducts research, collaborates with industry and government, and engages with communities. Every faculty, every research centre and every support division contributes to a shared commitment to creating meaningful societal impact.
That impact begins in the classroom.
Thousands of students from diverse backgrounds enrol at DUT each year with the ambition of changing their lives through higher education. Many are the first in their families to attend university. Through its academic programmes and General Education curriculum, the University equips students not only with technical knowledge and professional skills, but also with the values of ethical leadership, responsible citizenship and community engagement. The aim is to graduate professionals who understand that success is measured not only by individual achievement, but by the positive difference they make in society.
Beyond the classroom, ideas are transformed into innovations that create opportunity.
Through the Technology Transfer and Innovation unit, innobiz DUT Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the Centre for Social Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubator, students, researchers and entrepreneurs receive support to develop technologies, businesses and social enterprises that respond to real societal challenges. These initiatives strengthen entrepreneurship, stimulate local economic development and contribute to creating sustainable livelihoods.
The University’s growing leadership in entrepreneurship has also been recognised nationally. Earlier this year, Universities South Africa appointed DUT to lead the development of a national entrepreneurship policy framework for the country’s 26 public universities. The appointment reflects confidence in DUT’s contribution towards developing entrepreneurial graduates and strengthening innovation across the higher education sector.
Innovation is most powerful when it changes lives.
One example is DUT innovator Thokozani Buthelezi, whose award-winning enterprise, Myco Feeds, converts agricultural waste into mushroom-growing material. By applying research to address food security and sustainable agriculture, the innovation demonstrates how university knowledge can generate economic opportunity while supporting more resilient communities.
Research at DUT is equally focused on addressing challenges that affect everyday life.
Across disciplines, researchers are developing practical solutions in areas such as smart agriculture, food security, health innovation, sustainable cities, engineering, artificial intelligence and clean energy. Increasingly, this research is undertaken in partnership with communities, government and industry to ensure that new knowledge is translated into tangible benefits for society.
A recent example is the University’s flood preparedness initiative, where researchers worked alongside vulnerable communities to develop practical safety booklets and emergency “One Go Bags”. Rather than remaining within academic journals, the research was translated into practical tools that help communities prepare for disasters, demonstrating how research can directly improve resilience and protect livelihoods. The University’s contribution extends well beyond research and innovation.
Every year, staff and students participate in community engagement initiatives that address local priorities through service learning, outreach and collaborative partnerships. These projects reflect the understanding that lasting development is achieved not by working for communities, but by working with them. Through these partnerships, knowledge flows in both directions, creating solutions that are relevant, sustainable and responsive to local needs.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement, Professor Fulufhelo Nemavhola, said; “This recognition affirms that DUT is advancing the aspirations of ENVISION2030, while reminding us that recognition is not a destination but a call to deepen our contribution to society. It reflects what I call ‘impactivity’, the ability to translate knowledge, research and innovation into measurable and meaningful improvements in people’s lives. This achievement belongs to our students, staff and executive leadership, whose collective contributions through research, innovation, adaptive graduates and community partnerships demonstrate that higher education can be a powerful force for sustainable social and economic transformation. As we move forward, we remain committed to creating opportunities, strengthening communities and improving livelihoods.”
The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings provide international recognition of institutional impact. However, for DUT, the true measure of success is found elsewhere. It is found in the first-generation adaptive graduate who returns home with a qualification that changes the future of a family. It is found in the entrepreneur who transforms an idea into a business that creates employment. It is found in the researcher whose work helps communities become safer, healthier and more resilient. And it is found in every partnership that demonstrates the power of higher education to restore dignity, expand opportunity and help build a future where no one is left behind.
These are the stories that earned the Durban University of Technology its place among the world’s Top 60 universities for SDG 1: No Poverty. More importantly, they are the stories that continue to shape a better future for South Africa and beyond.
Pictured: Professor Fulufhelo Nemavhola, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement at DUT.
Tiyani Mboweni
