UKZN Confirms Leading Role in International Higher Education

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UKZN reaffirmed its leadership position in international Higher Education at the 27th Annual International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA) Conference in Stellenbosch.

Led by Executive Director of UKZN’s Corporate Relations Division and President of IEASA, Ms Normah Zondo, the UKZN delegation played a visible and influential role in shaping dialogue at this year’s gathering.

The conference, themed: ‘Bridging Borders, Inspiring Solutions: Internationalisation for a Resilient and Inclusive Future’, brought together Higher Education leaders, academics, and internationalisation practitioners from across South Africa and abroad to exchange ideas, share best practices and forge new partnerships.

As IEASA President, Zondo guided the programme with opening and closing plenary addresses and offered powerful reflections on the challenges and opportunities facing the sector.

“Internationalisation is about people - creating opportunities, expanding horizons and ensuring our institutions are both globally engaged and socially just,” she said.

Zondo presented a paper titled: ‘International Student Mobility as a Catalyst for Resilience: Lessons from South Africa’s Role in Global Higher Education’, in which she explored the transformative role of student mobility in building resilience within Higher Education and underscored South Africa’s strategic position in shaping global Higher Education futures.

A standout moment of the conference was the launch of the 22nd edition of Study South Africa (StudySA), IEASA’s flagship publication. Zondo highlighted its refreshed African identity, featuring a bold colour palette, destination marketing elements and, for the first time, authentic international student voices.

“This edition shares why international students choose South Africa as their study destination of choice,” she explained, while acknowledging the contributions of Editor and Creative Director at Ga-Rankuwa’s Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Dr Carlien Jooste; IEASA Project Manager, Ms Tohiera Bagus, and sponsors CompCare, Momentum, and Simeka Health.

The UKZN delegation also included Global Engagement Coordinator, Ms Nozipho Khumalo; Student Exchange/Study Abroad Coordinator, Ms Preshantha Reddy, and Head: International Student Support, Ms Nombuso Mtshali. Together with colleagues from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and MANCOSA, they co-facilitated a dynamic workshop.

The session offered diverse institutional perspectives, including those of a university of technology, and created space for participants to share challenges and innovations in internationalisation.

The breadth of participation at the conference, with delegates from across South Africa, Africa, Europe and beyond, underscored the growing global importance of South Africa’s internationalisation agenda. Contributions from the European Association for International Education (EAIE) and the African Network for Internationalisation of Education (ANIE) further highlighted the potential for deeper cross-continental collaboration.

Study South Africa will be distributed worldwide through South African diplomatic missions, with the digital edition already available online, further amplifying the reach of South African Higher Education to the global stage.

Words: Nombuso Dlamini

Photographs: Supplied