Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina’s address to the University of Zululand’s 4th International education week on Tuesday 5 August 2025
Vice Chancellor, Prof Mtose.
Academic Senate
Academic leadership.
Academic Staff
International Guests
Student leadership.
And students.
Ladies and Gentlemen.
It is my pleasure to join the Celebration of the 4th International Education Week (IEW) today at this esteemed university, which boasts a rich history and legacy in our higher education and training landscape. This event is held under the theme, "Building an African University through Collaborations and Partnerships". This theme is instructive in that whilst universities are objectively compelled, more than ever before, to collaborate across borders internationally, they must, at the same time, resist losing their identity as African universities.
And I may as well add that universities must not lose their regional identities, which are connected to the communities they serve. This is to say, in a world that is fast-moving due to the 4th Industrial Revolution, including the disruptive effects of artificial intelligence, universities like Zululand must put internationalisation at their core for collaborations, to create value and achieve global competitiveness. Still, their regional identity must never be diluted in the process. This is a delicate balance to strike.
I want to emphasise the importance of international partnerships by this university, especially as the world has entered a new paradigm of the gig economy and digitisation. This is an era of new skills for the future. More intellectual collaboration work by scholars across borders and continents, as well as between the North and South hemispheres and regional blocs, is essential.
Professor Feridun Hamdullahpur, from the University of Waterloo, Canada, captured this issue very perfectly in his paper Global Citizens for the Twenty-First Century: The Role of International Partnerships in University Education:
"The scale of disruption that our world faces from geopolitical to socioeconomic perspectives is vast. No single researcher, university or nation can achieve a breakthrough solution alone. The challenges are too complex, and finding success is only possible when we work together as a global community of educators, researchers and influencers"
He further expanded on this issue in light of the unfolding challenges the world is facing, and the urgent need for more collaborations in our universities:
"At the heart of this is the need to collaborate across borders, languages, industries and disciplines. The challenges and opportunities in our increasingly complex and disruptive world are becoming more pronounced due to the rapid advancement of new technologies. An ageing population in the West, an increasingly turbulent geopolitical landscape and more"
Increasing partnerships with industry is the lifeblood of universities, and it must, now more than ever, be central to the overall strategy of the university. Our dedicated office responsible for this must upscale its engagements more than before. This partnership and collaboration have positive results, such as the following:
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Enhancing Student Employability and Skills.
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Driving Research and Innovation.
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Access to Resources.
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Economic Growth and Development.
In an era marked by withdrawals from global partnerships, the rise of protectionism through tariffs, nationalism, and government interference in universities' academic freedom —core to institutional autonomy —we must insist that universities stand firm and not shrink or submit.
In this regard, the importance of building African universities that are globally connected and deeply rooted in African epistemologies can't be overstated.
Many universities have moved more quickly to build capacities in artificial intelligence research and development. Their technology transfer offices (TTOs) are guiding the development of AI model prototypes by researchers and students alike to solve problems. What role is this university playing through its R&D capabilities in solving industry problems in the industrial hub of Richards Bay companies? If this institution is not yet grappling with these challenges, including society problems, then a fresh start is needed.
A few months ago, I was in Tanzania for a conference on AI in Africa, where the role of the continent in developing its own AI models and feeding AI with its African content and languages was discussed. Data sovereignty is a crucial issue. Universities, science councils, and the entire innovation ecosystem in Africa must lead the way in this regard. I expect this university to collaborate with other provincial universities on Generative AI language models to feed isiZulu language data. UniZulu must invest in its capacity and acquire leading researchers and innovators to enter this new age of exciting innovation, collaborating with other cross-border institutions.
It is this university that must lead on Zulu cultural data sets for AI to feed on, so that no one from Silicon Valley, in California, distorts our cultures in AI and misleads the world and future generations of KwaZulu-Natal. We need robotics that can be fed our content and teach our children in our languages, before someone in India or China does it for us. You are a custodian and a premier university to lead in this area of meaningful work. We must be prepared to set aside budget for this critical work for the region.
Ladies and gentlemen, at the recent BRICS Ministerial meeting in June, held in Brazil, we agreed as Science, Technology, and Innovation Ministers on joint cutting-edge research, development, and innovation in strategic areas of advancement, including joint funding. Our Science Councils and Universities will be critical in this regard, as they will be tasked with seizing these opportunities to leverage their R&D. This will be unpacked in due course by our teams in the Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation.
Esteem guests, as you all know, South Africa occupies the Presidency of the G20 under the theme 'Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability.' There have been numerous ministerial meetings unfolding since the beginning of the year, which are critical to the Heads of State Summit. This is a significant year for South Africa and the continent. I hope that this university participates, like other universities, in forging partnerships with many G20 member universities on critical areas of importance.
The position of the University of Zululand as a premier university in the northern part of KwaZulu-Natal, and a typical African university in its epistemic features and academic thought, offers a critical foundation that must be an essential leverage. It is this foundation that its internationalisation work through collaborations must proceed from.
This IEW serves as a call to co-create a new academic future that is decolonised, inclusive and anchored in African identity and innovation.
In this regard, I hope to see bold steps from this university in positioning itself as relevant and attractive in the era of massive changes, where technology rules. Those institutions that conduct their business as they did five years ago are effectively becoming irrelevant. Today, for example, online teaching in both undergraduate and postgraduate learning is growing rapidly, offering increased flexibility. A university that has not adapted to this is digging its own grave.
Strategic partnerships and collaborations are no longer a luxury but a necessity for universities. But as you do so, don't lose yourself. Collaborations and partnerships are a powerful way to ensure that institutions remain relevant, innovative, and competitive while fulfilling their core missions of education, research, and contributing to society.
Breaking free from old ways of doing business must be retired and accepting the new ways that the world has pivoted, especially among universities across the globe. Relevance is a cornerstone of survival and growth.
In this regard, I would like to congratulate you on this IEW celebration and wish this university, my alma mater, continued growth and energy to break into new frontiers!
Thank you
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