Dr Thandi Mgwebi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, Innovation and Engagement (far right) speaking at the recent Australia-Africa Universities Network (AAUN) (http://aaun.edu.au/) conference where it announced that TUT has successfully secured seed funding for research development in the last round of competitive grants.
Explaining the importance of TUT’s membership, Dr Thandi Mgwebi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, Innovation and Engagement, who participated in the conference with the theme Local and Global: From Small Island States to the World, said the AAUN is a group of leading universities in Australia and Africa that connect researchers and academics through institutional partnerships. The aim is to address challenges facing both continents. The Africa-wing currently comprises twelve member universities, including: TUT; Makerere University Uganda; UCT and UP, both from South Africa; University of Ghana; University of Mauritius; University of Malawi; University of Zambia; University of Nairobi, Kenya; University of Botswana; and Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.
TUT joined the consortium in 2018.
Dr Mgwebi, who committed the University and herself to enhance scholarship and build capacity in, and for Africa, in collaboration with the world, has also been invited as keynote speaker for the Australia branch conference of the AAUN from 4 to 6 September. This conference is linked to the Africa-Down Under conference in Perth (https://www.africadownunderconference.com/).
- The ADU was introduced in 2003 to raise awareness of Australia’s interests in African mining and energy, but has since grown to become the largest African-focused mining event held outside the continent itself. Since the inaugural conference, ADU has assembled the best success stories from across Africa, and continues to demystify the notion that doing business in Africa is “too hard”. ADU has since become the MUST ATTEND event for those planning to invest in projects in Africa, who already have projects in Africa; or those interested in doing business in Africa.