Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has hailed his recent visit to Ireland as a milestone in strengthening cooperation between South Africa and Ireland in education, research, and innovation. The visit, he said, marks a key step in aligning the two nations’ education and innovation ecosystems toward shared global development goals.
Minister Manamela returned to South Africa last week after accompanying President Cyril Ramaphosa on an official state visit to Ireland. The visit reaffirmed the long-standing partnership between the two countries, particularly in areas such as science and innovation, higher education, skills development, trade, and investment.
Before the start of the official visit, Manamela and International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola visited Dogpatch Labs — one of Ireland’s top innovation and start-up hubs. The visit showcased the Irish Tech Challenge South Africa, an initiative by the Embassy of Ireland that supports high-potential South African tech entrepreneurs whose work aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“This initiative demonstrates how collaboration in technology and innovation can empower young African innovators and advance our shared commitment to inclusive development,” said Minister Manamela.
Expanding Academic and Skills Collaboration
During his visit, Minister Manamela met with Ireland’s Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Niall Lawless. The two Ministers discussed opportunities to deepen cooperation in several key areas, including:
- STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education and research,
- Lecturer development and academic exchange programmes,
- Joint research on Ireland’s role during South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement, and
- The development of a Memorandum of Intent to formalise collaboration in higher education, innovation, and research.
The Ministers also spoke about Ireland’s participation in the upcoming G20 Education Working Group, which South Africa will host in Mpumalanga next week. Manamela further used the opportunity to engage with Irish businesses operating in South Africa, exploring Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) and skills development partnerships, especially in manufacturing, agro-processing, and high-technology sectors.
Building Academic Partnerships
Manamela also met with more than 20 academics and researchers at Trinity College Dublin, where the late Professor Kader Asmal once taught law before serving as South Africa’s Minister of Education. Discussions focused on strengthening collaboration between Trinity College and South African universities, including the University of Johannesburg, Wits University, the University of the Western Cape, and Sefako Makgatho University.
These partnerships aim to expand joint research and postgraduate programmes in fields such as immunology, creative arts, economics, and history, building on the intellectual and moral ties shared between the two nations.
The visit also reviewed the success of the Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme, which has enabled over 130 South African graduates to pursue postgraduate studies in Ireland since its launch in 2013.
“This partnership goes beyond symbolism. It embodies the spirit of solidarity that Ireland extended during the anti-apartheid struggle, now renewed through shared investment in science, technology, and education.
“We are building a bridge between our histories of solidarity and our futures of shared innovation. The work ahead, through the proposed Memorandum of Intent, will deepen cooperation in science, technology, innovation, and human development for the mutual benefit of both our nations,” said Manamela.
Additional reporting from SANews.gov.za
