Page 38 - Transformation Indaba Report

internAtionAlisAtion; PostgrAduAte ACCess And suCCess; reseArCh

PArtnershiPs; CAPACity develoPment oPPortunities

dAy 1, breAkAwAy room 3 │ Facilitated by DVC RII Dr Thandi Mqwebi

Questions for contextualising breakaway discussion:
1) Knowledge production and knowledge transfer: We do understand that universities must stay at the forefront of
knowledge production and transfer but we also realise that we need to prepare students for an ever-changing future.
2) Curricula focus: global knowledge and competencies: Curricula must focus on global knowledge and competencies but
also making sure there’s local relevance while remaining global.
3) Internationalisation: How do we utilise opportunities presented by Internationalisation to change curricula, to have global
knowledge and competencies transferred to the students,
4) How to enable transformation, how to build inclusivity,
5) How should HE develop competencies so that students recognise themselves in the narratives of this interconnectedness/
interconnected world and local realities. This speaks to capacity-building using internationalisation opportunities for
inclusiveness and contextualisation.
6) How to be inclusive – meaning diverse knowledge systems, pedagogies, frameworks of thinking, new approaches, online
learning?
7) Capacity-development: Different roles for funders, institutions, and individuals (pros and cons of the various partnerships).

Using internationalisation for transformation: How can Inter- South Africans or Africans or all English-speaking people
nationalisation be enabling transformation? In terms of using in the world? That could lead to funds for transformation,
internationalisation for transformation - is Mandela University through charging them international rates. We can use the
globally recognised and accredited? Decision: There is funds to support the previously disadvantaged student.
accreditation, but we aren’t ready to become a powerhouse How can we use our links to other universities to drive
yet. Mandela University is accredited as an institution. Are transformation? Transformation has mostly been driven
we ready to use this accreditation to become globally by the global North. Mandela University started looking at
competitive? The pandemic has led to online universities such its own initiatives. Moving away from developmental systems
as Duke University which provides an Ivy League education but still lacking in resources to launch our approach to inter-
to anyone everywhere in the world. With the name Man- nationalisation. Internationalisation for transformation, and
dela, we have a large market. There are more than 1 billion not for the sake of internationalisation. (M Penkler)
English-speakers in the world. Are we marketing to only

We are accredited as an institution, but we lack competitive- curriculum and internationally relevant. Our systems from
ness of our programmes and offerings. Level of transform- national, sectoral and institutional level are not ready to
ation hasn’t been translated into the relevant and marketable compete at global level. We are doing catch-up. De-
pedagogies. The University hasn’t yet started to embark on acceleration of regulatory mechanisms and various process-
a programme of internationalisation of curriculum. We’re es at Mandela University. (Beata)
decolonising curriculum but not looking at innovative

How can we use and leverage our partnerships and collaborations with other universities on the African continent? (Edgar)

NelsoN MaNdela UNiversity • traNsforMatioN iNdaba • 2022 32