Wits secures the most important partnership in its historical past, to drive digital transformation in Africa. The Afretec community has made 20 M obtainable to members
JOHANNESBURG, GAUTENG, SOUTH AFRICA, November 2, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University) has secured the most important partnership in the historical past of the college, which is able to drive digital transformation in Africa. It made this announcement because it celebrates its a hundredth anniversary in 2022.
Wits turns into a member of the African Engineering and Technology Network (Afretec), a pan-African collaboration of technology-focused universities from throughout the African continent. The community, led by Carnegie Mellon University Africa (CMU-Africa), has over 20 million US {dollars} obtainable for community members to interact in collaborative exercise that drives inclusive digital transformation in Africa by means of engineering and know-how. The community is generously supported by a lately introduced funding from the Mastercard Foundation in CMU-Africa.
The Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic at Wits University, Professor Ruksana Osman says, “It is an absolute privilege for Wits to have been selected as a member of this prestigious network, especially as we celebrate 100 years of excellence in 2022. We look forward to working with members of the Afretec Network to expand, educate, and empower the next generation of African technology leaders. We want to co-create opportunities and drive the inclusive digital transformation and growth of Africa, one of Wits’ centenary goals.”
The 2022 Afretec Conference will happen in Kigali, Rwanda from 6-8 November and can concentrate on the inclusive digital transformation of Africa. A plan of motion will probably be developed to make sure the realisation of the objectives and goals of the community in advancing digital transformation, data creation and entrepreneurship in Africa.
Professor Nithaya Chetty, Dean of the Faculty of Science at Wits University provides, “Some of the collaborative activities may include the establishment of joint capacity building programme; the exchange and sharing of best practices; the delivery of faculty enrichment and exchange programmes to promote teaching excellence; programmes to better prepare students for postgraduate programs in engineering and technology; the organisation of social leadership activities; and student and staff exchanges to advance research with a focus on job creation. We could also look at developing new certificate and degree programmes, online short courses and work across sectors and disciplinary and geographic boundaries to bring our best talent and resources to bear to solve 21st century challenges.”
The Afretec Network seeks to:
• Promote and share efficient approaches and finest practices to engineering, know-how, entrepreneurship, schooling, and data creation actions to affect and form apply and coverage;
• Advance the digital improvement of Africa by growing expert educators, engineers, and technologists;
• Encourage and help deep multidisciplinary analysis collaborations, to improve analysis capability and to develop centered engineering and/or know-how analysis on African issues;
• Identify and create pathways to alternative for engineering and know-how college students by means of entrepreneurial improvement and alternatives;
• Leverage the collective engineering and know-how schooling, analysis and entrepreneurial strengths of members of the community and trade companions; and
• Maintain a constant dedication to social impression, range, inclusion, and sustainability in addition to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (2015-2030) and the Africa Agenda (2015-2063).
Driving digital transformation is a precedence space for Wits University and types a key part of its Centenary Campaign. The Centenary Campaign seeks to elevate R3 billion to help Wits’ eight precedence areas: driving digital transformation; catalysing innovation and entrepreneurship; making certain higher well being for all; fixing international challenges; advancing society, governance and justice; future-proofing our nationwide treasures; growing the following era of leaders; and energising broad-based alumni help, and this partnership matches squarely with these priorities.
“We are deeply grateful to CMU-Africa, to the Mastercard Foundation, to members of the Afretec Network, and to Professor Osman for leading, enabling and stewarding this important partnership at Wits, with her colleagues. May it grow from strength to strength and drive digital transformation in Africa,” concludes Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits University.
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