An exceptional mobilisation for the “Country Day” South Africa

The “Country Day” South Africa was the first step of a full week dedicated to university cooperation between South Africa and France, marked by a series of bilateral meetings and summits in various cities in France.

The event took place in the new premises of Sciences Po Paris, in the presence of Tebogo Seokolo, South African Ambassador to France, Aurélien Lechevallier, French Ambassador to South Africa, Matthieu Peyraud, Director of University Cooperation and Research at the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Dr Fulufhelo Nelwamondo, CEO of the National Research Foundation and Khaya Sishuba, Director of the Department of Science and Innovation.

South Africa: a unique place in African higher education

With nearly 25% of scientific publications in Africa and a dozen universities among the best on the continent, South Africa occupies a unique position. Although scientific exchanges with France are dense and cover a wide range of disciplines (archaeology, agriculture, social sciences, physics, marine sciences, environment, etc.), there is high potential and room for progress in developing academic cooperation with this English-speaking country. France is the twelfth most popular destination for students from South Africa with 267 students in France in 2020/2021. It still ranks far from the main host countries for South African students: Cuba, the United States and the United Kingdom.

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A day to deepen cooperation with France

The “Country Day” South Africa offered a series of conferences and face-to-face meetings.

Through various conferences drew an overview of the South African higher education landscape and explained the certification system implemented in the country, including to conclude partnerships with other countries. As part of these events, higher education institutions also highlighted successful examples of cooperation such as the French-South African Institute of Technology (F’SATI), a cooperation programme created in 1996 in IT and electrical engineering including the ESIEE Paris, the Paris-Est University and Paris Saclay. And the event was an opportunity to make an important announcement:

• The first South African promotion of a cross-mobility programme launched by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs in October 2021 in Montpellier, during the latest Africa-France Summit;
• The extension of the Hubert Curien (PHC) Protéa partnership, which celebrates 25 years this year;
• The implementation of the new ECO-SWIO cooperation agreement between the Agence Nationale de la Recherche and the National Research Foundation. The three-years programme is focused on the conservation of sea biodiversity and includes institutions from additional countries of the region: Tanzania, Mozambique, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Comoros, and the Seychelles.

A high number of bilateral exchanges between representatives of higher education institutions proved the common determination to improve university and scientific partnerships.

Throughout the day, participants agreed to work for the development of reciprocity in exchanges of students, researchers and teachers.