The students, six from the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment and two from the Faculty of Management Sciences, will travel to Paris, France, to enrol for the new semester commencing from September 2022 to January 2023.
In addition to the postgraduate students’ selection to the programme, TUT has been selected as the only UoT in South Africa and one out of four universities from Sénégal, Côte d’Ivoire and South Africa, to participate in the programme.
The programme that emanated from an Africa-France Summit held in Montpellier, France on 8 October 2021, was launched by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Government of France who handle France's foreign relations. The event aimed at addressing new challenges in collaboration between Africa and France and to arrive at a new perspective on the relationship between Africa and France.
The programme allows for the exchange of South African postgraduate students to spend up to one semester in France to pursue a credit-bearing postgraduate programme. The domains identified include Civil Engineering; Electrical and Electronic Engineering; and Project Management. Furthermore, the programme provides support for travel, accommodation and a monthly allowance.
The TUT students selected to participate in the programme are: Khuzani Setshedi, Mirriam Makwea, Caroline Mokoena, Makungu Masia (Civil Engineering), Tiaan Du Plessis, Ryan Van Gruenen (F’SATI MSc), Brenda Mashamaite and Sindisiwe Nzimande (Project Management).
Congratulating the students, Dr Vathiswa Papu-Zamxaka, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Engagement said: “We are extremely proud of our students. The University Gustave Eiffel (UGE) in France is known for its strengths in both Engineering and Management Sciences, hence it is expected that the students will broaden their educational knowledge through the experience they gain. We are resolute in taking our University from good to great and this is yet another opportunity for the University to live the dream of producing future ready graduates.”
Dr Moncef Meddeb, Attaché for Science and Technology at the French Embassy, thanked TUT management for its tremendous support and commitment towards student development, adding that from the total of 17 students selected in South Africa, eight are from TUT.
Speaking of behalf of the scholarship recipients, Khuzani Setshedi said the students are grateful to TUT for its diligence in enabling opportunities of this nature. “We have been allocated to a university with a diverse set of students from different countries, including French students. This will provide us with a rich cultural experience, in addition to gaining academic skills,” said Setshedi.