In a groundbreaking ceremony held at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) main campus in Pretoria West on Thursday, the institution's leadership and the National School of Government sealed a collaborative deal to revolutionise the landscape of public sector education and training in South Africa.
The memorandum of understanding-signing ceremony was attended by esteemed guests, including representatives from both entities and industry stakeholders.
TUT's Executive Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Professor Mashupye Maserumule, and the National School of Government's Director-General, Professor Busani Ngcaweni, inked the agreement, solidifying their commitment to this strategic partnership.
This collaboration aims to align, accredit, register, and deliver a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Affairs and African Governance, marking a significant milestone for education and governance on the African continent.
The newly established postgraduate diploma programme is the first of its kind in Africa. It also seeks to bridge the gap between undergraduate and postgraduate education opportunities, offering a regionally recognised qualification.
By professionalising public servants across partner countries, the programme also aims to strengthen governance and enhance expertise in public affairs.
Ngcaweni said the signing of this memorandum of understanding did not come easy for TUT.
“It took a lot of competition, but they thrived,” he said.
Ngcaweni said this initiative aims to enhance interaction among African public servants beyond formal high-level meetings, which will bring together cohorts of students from across the continent, encouraging a trans-disciplinary approach to governance challenges
The agreement paves the way for the development of innovative training programmes, research initiatives, and knowledge-sharing platforms.
As the two institutions embark on this exciting journey, they reaffirm their dedication to shaping the future of public sector governance and contributing to a brighter future for all South Africans.
Maseremule said the Postgraduate Diploma in African Governance is the first of its kind, designed to enhance the capacity of African public administration.
“TUT was chosen among various universities in Africa to design the programme, which is the initiative of the African Management Development Institute Network, an association of schools of government in the African continent,” he said.
Maseremule said this programme allows them as a university to contribute, in the most direct way, towards building state capacity on the African continent.
“We have been doing the same in the country through the National School of Government. And this was to the extent of training more than 8,000 public servants in the last 10 years since we partnered with the National School of Government in this important effort to build a capable and developmental state,” he said.
He further said the university is honoured to have been given an opportunity to replicate this at the continental level.
“All this gives meaning to our existential essence of being a people’s university that makes knowledge work,” he added.
The Star