TUT’s IFOW engages Midlands Universities to explore global partnerships 


10 May 2023

During the week 24th to 29th April 2023, universities around the Midlands welcomed a delegation from the Tshwane University of Technology’s Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW). The 4 -day intensive programme, organised by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), included visits to Coventry, Wolverhampton, Aston and Birmingham universities. 

The visit comprised guided tours, meetings and presentation exchange with some of our region’s leading academics on subjects ranging from Cyber and AI to Engineering and Physical Science.

The Midlands plays an important role in the International Education space. The region was specifically chosen due to its impressive international education offering and its universities strong track record of collaborating regionally, nationally and globally, on topics including Research, Innovation, Tailored Skills Provision and Training. 

Through this engagement programme TUT delegates were able to explore best possible ways to partner with the different universities and research institutions on specific areas such as benchmarking, research and innovation. Their objective is to develop the global framework, the Institute of Future Work, through which the university seek to close the gap between the industry and academia. They believe that through the partnership with the industry they will be able to better understand their needs and be able to strategically align.

In the short term the programme has provided the University with the opportunity to engage with Midlands Universities with whom they haven’t engaged before.  In the longer-term outcome, it is anticipated that MOU agreements will be put in place for research and student exchange programmes resulting in commercial wins.

Yusuff Kaffo, Associate Director International Recruitment (Global Opportunities) said: “The Global opportunities Office at The University of Wolverhampton were privileged to host a delegation from the Tshwane University of Technology. We hope the ongoing discussion will bring new perspectives, insights and innovations that will positively impact our communities and this mark a significant step towards fostering international collaboration and global knowledge exchange between our two organisations.”

Tseliso Mohlomi, Senior Director for the Institute for the Future of Work, TUT said, “The visit to the universities in the Midlands was quite an eye-opener, especially on how the academia and the industry work together to tackle the challenges presented by the 4th Industrial Revolution. Through the different engagements, we are hoping to solidify collaboration in high-impact research, staff and student exchange programs and leveraging the different industry partnerships to support TUT’s vision of producing future ready graduates.”

Liz Roberts, DBT, International Trade Adviser, West Midlands said: It has been a pleasure to welcome and host the delegation from Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) to the West Midlands, showcasing what our universities have to offer to international markets.

 

For more information on the Tshwane University of Technology, please contact Phaphama Tshisikhawe, Corporate Affairs and Marketing.
Tel: +27 12 382 4711  Email: tshisikhawerpt@tut.ac.za