The Premier of the South African province of Eastern Cape, Phumulo Masualle, has visited the University of Oldenburg. There has been a partnership with Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth for almost 20 years. The universities want to further expand their co-operation - especially on the topic of entrepreneurship.
University President Prof Dr Dr Hans Michael Piper and the Vice President for Young Academics and International Affairs, Prof Dr Esther Ruigendijk, welcomed the South African guest, who was accompanied by a high-ranking delegation of government representatives and business promoters. The centre of the visit was the further expansion of the intensive co-operation between the University of Oldenburg and the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) in Port Elizabeth, which has existed for 18 years - particularly on the subject of entrepreneurship.
"The University of Oldenburg has been one of the best start-up universities in Germany for years. Its commitment and expertise in this field are known far beyond Lower Saxony," emphasised Piper on the occasion of the visit from South Africa. He was delighted to be able to further expand the already proven and fruitful co-operation with the NMMU in the fields of teacher training and sustainability to include entrepreneurship.
The two universities are already working together in this regard: the joint project "ICET - International Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Technology" aims to support and advise companies that are founded on the basis of university research and take social commitment into account. The main focus is on stabilising the energy supply in South African townships and helping the residents to improve their education.
Prof Dr Stephanie Birkner, Junior Professor for Female Entrepreneurship, explained to the guests which formats the University of Oldenburg uses to encourage its own students and employees to think and act entrepreneurially. Two start-up teams also presented their ideas. Birkner cited the "interACTION Entrepreneurship Summer School", which took place at the NMMU this summer, as an example of how Oldenburg's entrepreneurial spirit is already spreading as far as South Africa. Inspired by the start-up courses on offer in Oldenburg, a former Oldenburg student organised this seminar for students and lecturers from South Africa and Europe.
The University of Oldenburg has maintained a partnership with Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University since 1998. Ten major projects have been successfully implemented since then, primarily in the fields of teacher training and sustainability. In Oldenburg, the Institute of Educational Sciences, the Department of Economics and Law, the Department of Computing Science and the Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences are involved. Both universities exchange academics and students as part of several externally funded partnership projects, conduct joint research and are involved in cooperation with industry and civil society in South Africa.
The Eastern Cape Province was created in 1994 as part of the federal organisation of the Republic of South Africa. Since 1995, the state of Lower Saxony has maintained co-operation with the region, which focuses on scientific cooperation, youth exchanges, renewable energies and agriculture. The delegation's visit to Oldenburg was part of a tour of Lower Saxony lasting several days.
