Staff Reporter
The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) is preparing a sector-wide workshop on international relations as it moves to finalise an international relations strategy meant to better align global academic partnerships with national skills needs and research priorities, deputy minister Nomusa Dube-Ncube said on Sunday.
The process is aimed at strengthening coherence and strategic alignment across the post-school education and training sector.
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Dube-Ncube made the announcement while speaking at the South African Students in China Association’s (SASCA) third virtual national conference.
She said the gathering was a platform to deepen engagement on South Africa–China relations and the role of students in that relationship.
Through trade, investment, infrastructure development, and technological collaboration, China had strengthened strategic alliances on a bilateral level, she said.
On multilateral platforms such as the United Nations, G20 and BRICS, China had played an increasingly prominent role in advancing collective action, South-South cooperation, and a more inclusive and multipolar global order.
She said China was widely expected to play a leading role in advancing the BRICS agenda, leveraging its economic strength and global reach to deepen cooperation among member states.
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She said the department’s planned engagement would help steer a more coordinated approach to international education and research at a time when South Africa is reassessing how the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) system can respond to priorities including economic recovery, skills development and innovation.
Dube-Ncube said students were the “end-product of this developmental partnership”.
She said cooperation with China in higher education and training — particularly through the People-to-People Exchange Mechanism — remained “timely and strategic”.
A key element of the collaboration, she said, was expanding scholarship opportunities and short-term training programmes.
“These initiatives are essential to equipping South African students and professionals with advanced skills, global exposure and specialised training in priority areas aligned to South Africa’s development needs. They also contribute to building a cadre of globally competent graduates, who are well-positioned to contribute to the economy and public service upon their return.”
She said internationalisation had become essential to innovation, competitiveness and high-quality research.
“Alliances with foreign organisations offer opportunities for collaborative research, jointly supervised postgraduate education, innovation hubs and information sharing, especially in developing nations.”
She said the department’s sector-wide engagement would also feed into the final strategy document.
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“[The IRS strategy] will provide a clear policy framework to guide South Africa’s international cooperation in higher education and training. This strategy will serve as a critical instrument in aligning global partnerships with national skills needs, research priorities, and South Africa’s broader development agenda,” she said.
She said that while international partnerships were important, they needed to be guided by clear national priorities, mutual benefit and long-term capacity building.
She told SASCA members to act as “a bridge of unity, learning, and cultural exchange” and encouraged students to embrace challenges.
“Let us carry the spirit of South Africa wherever we go, inspiring others through our actions, our culture, and our commitment to excellence,” she said.
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