The Faculty of Accounting and Informatics (FAI) at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) welcomed the MICT SETA Board and Management for an engagement aimed at strengthening the partnership between the two organisations while showcasing the impact of technology-driven learning, research and innovation.
The visit provided MICT SETA representatives with an opportunity to engage directly with DUT students, academics and faculty management, while gaining insight into projects being developed through the Faculty’s Engineering Practice Innovation Project (EPIP) approach.
Opening the programme, FAI Technician and Faculty Engagement Officer Ms Ugeshni Moodley reflected on the partnership, which was established in 2021, highlighting the importance of building a mutually beneficial relationship between industry, government and academia. She said the engagement provided an opportunity to reflect on the progress made over the past five years while looking towards the renewal and continued growth of the partnership.
FAI Executive Dean and MICT SETA Research Chair, Professor Oludayo Olugbara, welcomed the delegation and emphasised that meaningful partnerships are essential to driving innovation and preparing students for a rapidly changing technological environment.
Prof Olugbara said the partnership is mutually beneficial, creating opportunities for innovation, skills development and broader societal impact. He also highlighted the Faculty’s shift from conventional approaches to learning towards the Engineering Practice Innovation Project model, which places greater emphasis on people, services, practical experience and innovation.
The visit also placed students at the centre of the engagement. Introducing the MICT SETA delegation, Ms Emma Mphahlele recognised the students whose work and participation have helped give meaning to the partnership. She commended them for moving beyond simply learning about technology and taking an active role in developing solutions.
“What I do admire about you is that you did not just learn about data or the technology itself, but you contributed to building it,” she said, encouraging the students to continue taking ownership of the challenges facing South Africa and the continent.
MICT SETA ICT Committee Chairperson Ms Nomonde Gongxeka also highlighted the importance of ensuring that students are equipped for a global digital economy. She noted that technological developments are continuously changing the skills required by industry, making it important for education and training to evolve alongside these changes.
She encouraged students to recognise that their future opportunities extend beyond local boundaries, saying they are competing and collaborating in an increasingly global environment where digital skills are becoming essential across industries.
The engagement also provided an opportunity to showcase the progress of the MICT SETA-supported data lakehouse project. Acting Head of the Department of Information Systems, Professor Nalen Naicker, who has been managing the project alongside Prof Olugbara, reflected on the journey since 2021 and the opportunities that have emerged from the partnership.
Prof Naicker explained that the project brings together data from traditional systems through data pipelines and cloud-based technologies before restructuring the information into a format that can support users and decision-making. He said the work has grown beyond the original project and has contributed to discussions around broader data infrastructure initiatives.
According to Prof Naicker, the work undertaken through the partnership has also created opportunities for DUT students to gain practical experience while contributing to projects with potential applications beyond the University.
The MICT SETA delegation subsequently engaged with students who presented their work and shared insights into the projects they have been developing. The presentations demonstrated how students are applying their knowledge to practical technology challenges while gaining experience in areas aligned with the needs of the digital economy.
The programme concluded with a tour of the Faculty’s specialist laboratories, including the MICT SETA 4IR Centre, where the delegation witnessed how technology-enabled learning environments are giving students opportunities to develop practical skills and work on solutions with real-world applications.
The engagement reaffirmed the shared commitment of DUT and MICT SETA to strengthening partnerships that connect education, research, technology and skills development. As the organisations reflect on the partnership established in 2021, the visit also opened discussions around opportunities for its continued growth and renewed collaboration, with students remaining at the heart of its impact.
Photographer: Mandisi Mvunelo
Caption: Stakeholders from MICT SETA, DUT staff members, and students in attendance at the event.
Sinamile Sithole
