Mandela University’s Mandela Month celebrations
Planting trees, nurturing gardens, cleaning the environment, supporting others and ultimately building relations towards addressing many challenges are all part of the institution’s efforts during Mandela Month.
The key focus this year in living the legacy of Mandela in partnership with Nelson Mandela Foundation and many others is a series of “transect walk dialogues” (TWDs). These walks, led by the respective communities and followed by conversations, are aimed at understanding challenges and seeking solutions together.
In addition, many staff and students participated in specific Mandela Day events, like organised labour NTEU, whose members visited two life-changing organisations in Gqeberha ̶ the Isithembiso Babies’ Home and the EP Child and Youth Centre to support them in their work.
Student entrepreneurs encouraged to #movetomarket
As the 6th annual Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Lekgotla commenced last week, Nelson Mandela University’s Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor André Keet, highlighted the importance of the conference in creating a space in the world of business where transformative solutions to pressing challenges confronting the marginalized groups in our society can be addressed.
Hosted by Nelson Mandela University, the theme for this year’s Lekgotla is #movetomarket. It is informed by the importance of commercialising research, as well as the significance of positioning student entrepreneurs for active participation in the economy by entering the market with their products and services.
Best speaker award for chemistry lecturer Dr Tywabi-Ngeva
Lecturer in Chemistry at Mandela University, Dr Zikhona Tywabi-Ngeva, has won the best, in-person speaker award at the 14th Green Chemistry Postgraduate Summer School (GCPSS) in Venice, Italy.
The Summer School, held earlier this month, was organised by the Green Sciences for Sustainable Development Foundation in collaboration with the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry and Università CA’ Foscari Venezia.
Scientists from a number of international universities participated in the five-day programme to network and engage about diverse global research efforts directed towards achieving the UN’s sustainable development goals.
Mandela University and Foundation kicked off Mandela Month activities
Nelson Mandela University, in support of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, kickstarted the series of activities in commemoration of the birth month of the man after whom both institutions are named recently.
Recognising the intersection between food security and climate change, the institutions’ Mandela Month commemorations have seen them collaborate on a series of community events that are anchored by the tagline “do what you can, with what you have, where you are”. These focus on three sub-themes: fruit and indigenous tree planting, community and backyard gardens, and positive climate action.
Read more here: Nelson Mandela University News
Mandela and Sussex universities pursue strategic partnership
A delegation from the University of Sussex, which is in South Africa to continue talks around a national programme of collaboration around research, capacity building and joint Masters and PhDs programmes, visited Nelson Mandela University to explore areas of mutual interest.
The UK-based institution’s visit to Mandela University recently included discussion with executive management towards a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on areas including physical and social sciences, research and scholarships. The delegation also enjoyed a tour of Mandela campuses such as South Campus, which houses some of the university’s public art pieces, and Missionvale, where the Medical School is based.
Read more here: Nelson Mandela University News
Marine Spatial Planning research making waves with ocean health and management
Marine Spatial Planning research at Nelson Mandela University is continuing to make waves with new research including the impacts of the pandemic on coastal tourism.
Post-doctoral fellow with the South African Research Chair in Marine Spatial Planning (under Professor Amanda Lombard), Dr Estee Miltz (née Vermeulen) is currently researching the impacts of COVID-19 on coastal tourism to inform recovery strategies in Nelson Mandela Bay. She will presented this research at the International System Dynamics Conference in Frankfurt, Germany, in July.
Estee, who graduated with her PhD in Oceanography in December 2021, was the 2021 winner of the Global Challenges University Alliance Award 2030 with her PhD research entitled “Applying a Systems Analysis Approach to Support Integrated Ocean Management and Marine Spatial Planning in Algoa Bay, South Africa”, with Prof Lombard as promoter. She received the award during a general assembly meeting in Uppsala, Sweden earlier this year.
Read more here: Nelson Mandela University News
Mandela University to hosted National Student Entrepreneurship Lekgotla
Nelson Mandela University hosted this year’s Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Lekgotla, which is an annual gathering of leaders in the entrepreneurial space in the Higher Education (HE) sector.
The Annual EDHE Lekgotla, now in its sixth year, came to the Eastern Cape for the first time from 19 to 22 July 2022, at the Boardwalk Convention Centre. The Lekgotla is an annual gathering of leaders, academics and support professionals in entrepreneurship at universities, and is the flagship event of the EDHE Programme.
Read more here: Nelson Mandela University News
Mandela University’s new part-time PGCE programmes to boost teacher capacity
Nelson Mandela University launched its part-time offering of its Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) programmes recently – a move that has been welcomed as boding well with continuing efforts to boost teaching capacity.
Mandela University Physics expands its impressive research facilities
Nelson Mandela University’s Physics Department recently expanded its already comprehensive range of world-class facilities for semiconductor research and development. From synthesis to characterisation and limited device processing and testing, these facilities are unique in the country and Africa.
Read more here: Nelson Mandela University News
Master’s degree in Maritime Management for a new generation of maritime leaders
The MMM degree is designed to empower a new generation of maritime leaders with management skills to grow the maritime sector in the African region and navigate the challenges of the ever-growing global maritime business industry.
Benchmarking against the best in the world, the cutting-edge degree - which commences in 2023 - is designed to provide strategic business skills and knowledge for current maritime professionals working in the maritime sector and related supply chain industries, including offshore and land-based activities. The Nelson Mandela University Business School is proud to launch its new Master of Maritime Management (MMM) postgraduate degree.
Read more here: Nelson Mandela University News
Societal impact ranking accolade for Mandela University
Nelson Mandela University’s growing reputation as a leading Ocean Sciences hub was recently recognised with a top place nationally in the Life Below Water category in the international 2022 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.
Mandela University also fared well in four other categories in the rankings, which assesses the global performance of institutions against the various United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
These agreed-upon SDGs measure progress in an attempt to document the evidence of universities’ impact on society, rather than just research and teaching performance. Each SDG has several targets.
Read more here: Nelson Mandela University News
Mandela IT Profs receive national recognition by the IITPSA
Two Mandela University professors have been recognised by the Institute of Information Technology Professionals of South Africa (IITPSA).
Mandela University’s FishFORCE signs MOU with Open University of Mauritius
Nelson Mandela University and the Open University of Mauritius signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on establishing a Fisheries Law Enforcement Academy as part of FishFORCE’s expansion to cover much of the Western Indian Ocean.
Read more here: Nelson Mandela University News