“I honestly feel that my experience here is a total game changer; not only for me but for the DUT School of Education and all students who dare to dream,” said an excited Nkosinathi Phungula, fourth year Bachelor of Education student and former DUT SRC Deputy President, who is currently on a semester course in Madrid’s prestigious international King Juan Carlos University for a six month learning stint.

Phungula was the first DUT student to be afforded the opportunity to study for a semester programme at the international university as a result of an existing exchange programme between DUT and King Juan Carlos University.

King Juan Carlos University is a top Spanish public research University. Established in 1996, it is the second biggest public University in the Community of Madrid

Besides sightseeing and enjoying his academic study period in Madrid, Phungula has been using his spare time in Spain trying to raise funds to help students in financial need back at DUT. He has begun networking at the Spanish University and has met South Africa’s Ambassador to Spain, Smuts Ngonyama. Phungula was at the forefront of a self-help project at the DUT Midlands Centre while serving in the SRC last year (2015). The project was called the Ubuntu Fund and was aimed at fundraising for financially needy students who had outstanding tituion fees.

“Every year, we (students) ‎find ourselves in the same situation where there is a shortage of funding. I have decided that since I have been afforded the chance to be here in Spain, maybe I can try and meet with a few people and make them understand our situation. The first door I knocked on was the South African Embassy here in Spain. The ambassador really liked the idea and he has promised to work with me and also inform relevant people about this idea. So far the project is doing well but we (DUT) are still waiting for potential funders to respond,” he said.

The second project Phungula is working on is to build relationships between Spanish universities and DUT.

“This project aims to forge a close relationship where DUT students can visit one of the Spanish universities and share knowledge about that university and as well as students from here (Spain) visit DUT and other universities in South Africa. This will help students to forge international relations between the two countries. I have had some engagements with students of Complutense Universidad de Madrid and really enjoyed the idea and they are keen to visit South Africa,” he added.

For Phungula, his journey of experience has become a journey for all DUT students and he has vowed to continue looking at ways to help students back at home financially.

– Waheeda Peters

Pictured: Nkosinathi Phungula, fourth year Bachelor of Education student and former DUT SRC Deputy President, at Madrid’s prestigious international King Juan Carlos University.