CPUT will participate in a multi-million rand capacity building programme over the next three years.
The University is one of several South Africa universities that have managed to impress decision makers running the European Union funded Erasmus+ Programme.
Director of the Office of International Affairs, Merle Hodges, who oversees the programme at CPUT, says up to now, the Erasmus Mundus programme has largely focused on mobility programmes, which has provided staff and students with the opportunity to complete a Masters, PhD and Post Doc programme with affiliate universities in Europe.
However, the organization has now turned its attention to capacity development in the higher education sector and recently put out an international call for proposals, to which CPUT responded to.
“CPUT has been successful in three capacity building programmes,” says Hodges.
The value of the programmes are approximately R35 million.
The capacity programmes include the following: Entrepreneurship, Modernisation and Innovation in South Africa (EMISHA ) ; Internationalisation and Modernisation Programme for Academics, Leaders and Administrators (IMPALA ); and The International Learning Network on Sustainability (LenSin ).
EMISHA aims to enhance innovation capacities by training students, researchers and staff, while IMPALA will focus on internationalization at the four historic disadvantaged institutions, which includes CPUT, the University of Forth Hare, University of Venda and the University of Limpopo.
“This project aspires to develop clear and viable internationalisation strategies within the South African universities to bring them up to par and give them a much needed head start for future international cooperation initiatives,” says Hodges.
As part of the IMPALA programme, South African university staff will be trained in the areas identified.
The LenSin project looks at internationalization, intercultural cross-fertilization and accessibility of higher education by consolidating and empowering a global network called the Learning Network on Sustainability.
CPUT is the Principal partner and Joint Coordinator of IMPALA.
Hodges says all the projects are joint initiatives, which will see South African institutions colloborate, with each project coordinated by a European University.
The projects are set to get underway later this year.
Image courtesy of anankkml at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
