AfricaSETi is an intercontinental collaboration between academic institutions and industry partners in sub-Saharan Africa and the UK. This project is funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Higher Education Partnerships in sub-Saharan Africa (HEP SSA) program.
Partner overview
| Hub university | University of Cape Town |
| Spoke universities | University of Johannesburg University of Botswana Namibia University of Science and Technology |
| Industry partners | Mintek Engineering Council of South Africa Chartered Institute of Building |
| Partner universities UK | University of the West of England, Bristol Cardiff University |
Partner profiles
Cardiff University
Cardiff University is a top-ten university in terms of research power, with ambitious targets for growing international cooperation to enhance its global impact. The School of Geography and Planning plays an interdisciplinary and internationally significant role in research and academic inquiry on the development, management and sustainability of cities, regions and rural spaces.
Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)
We are the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). We stand for the science, ethics, and practice of built environments across the world. Everything we do is to improve the quality of life for those creating and using the built environment.
We are the leading international professional body for those working in and leading the construction industry. Established in 1834, we offer a range of services, including membership, professional development, qualifications, and resources to support individuals and organisations in shaping the future of the built environment, driving innovation, sustainability, and ethical practices.
Our educational initiatives also advance the skills and knowledge of construction professionals, while our advocacy calls for the highest standards in public policy, enhancing the quality and integrity of construction projects globally.
Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA)
The Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) is a statutory body established in terms of the Engineering Profession Act (EPA), 46 of 2000. The ECSA’s primary role is the regulation of the engineering profession in terms of this Act. Its core functions are the accreditation of engineering programmes, registration of persons as professionals in specified categories, and the regulation of the practice of registered persons.
Consequently, the ECSA is the only body in South Africa that is authorised to register engineering professionals and bestow the use of engineering titles, such as Pr Eng, Pr Tech Eng, Pr Techni Eng and Pr Cert Eng, on persons who have met the requisite professional registration criteria.
Mintek
Mintek is South Africa’s national mineral research organisation and one of the world’s leading technology organisations. The mandate of Mintek is to serve the national interest through research and development, technology transfer, promotion of mineral technology, and encouragement of the establishment and expansion of industries in the field of minerals and products derived therefrom. Mintek is committed to improving the sustainability performance of the African engineering and mining sectors. Mintek’s integrated programme of continual improvement in quality, environment, safety and health is driven by these standards, and international auditors monitor its performance. Mintek’s mandate is to serve the national interest through research, development, and technology transfer, promote mineral technology and foster the establishment and expansion of industries in the minerals and products derived from that place. Mintek’s vision is to be a global leader in mineral and metallurgical innovation.
Mintek’s offerings include a full range of process development services, from preliminary bench-scale investigations to large-scale piloting and integrated flowsheet development, in support of bankable feasibility studies. Its activities include providing essential services (information, consulting and experimental); increasing the competitiveness of the industry by developing effective technology (to cut costs and improve recoveries); developing ‘breakthrough’ process technologies and novel uses for metals and their products; marketing its commercial products and technologies to the industry; establishing strategic partnerships and joint ventures; participating in regional development initiatives and Southern African Development Community activities and projects; maintaining and expanding international scientific links; and developing the human resources potential of the region through educational and training activities.
Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST)
NUST is at the forefront of higher education in Namibia. The university offers various Certificates (under- and post-graduate), Diplomas, Bachelor, Bachelor Honours, Master’s and Doctoral degrees in more than 60 programmes. NUST is the first Namibian higher education institution to have established a dedicated Quality Assurance Unit; its programmes are accredited by, among others, the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) and the Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA). The university enjoys a cherished partnership with industry, the public sector and civic society through various initiatives such as curriculum advisory boards, work-integrated learning and joint research.
Students are equipped with a blend of contemporary knowledge, skills and competence acquired in classrooms, simulation laboratories, through field work and job attachments, to drive competitiveness in the knowledge economy. NUST graduates are sought after in the Namibian labour market and beyond and are accepted for further studies in other universities internationally. There are four faculties, namely Computing and Informatics, Commerce, Human Sciences and Education, Health, Natural Resources and Applied Sciences and Engineering and the Built Environment, that make up 16 academic departments delivering 175 qualifications. The current student enrolment stands at 17,197, with a staff complement of 526. The total number of graduates of the institution stands at 7,527 graduates.
Royal Academy of Engineering
The Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE): Harnessing the power of engineering and technology to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone.
The RAE’s Higher Education Partnerships in sub-Saharan Africa (HEP SSA) programme aims to ensure that the higher education system in sub-Saharan Africa produces engineers with the skills and knowledge required to meet the needs of industry and tackle local and global challenges.
University of Cape Town (UCT): S+Cube
The University of Cape Town (UCT) is an inclusive and engaged research-intensive African university that inspires creativity through outstanding achievements in learning, discovery and citizenship; enhancing the lives of its students and staff, advancing a more equitable and sustainable social order and influencing the global higher education landscape.
UCT is committed to engaging with the key issues of our natural and social worlds through outstanding teaching, research and scholarship. UCT seeks to advance the status and distinctiveness of scholarship in Africa by building strategic partnerships across the continent, the Global South, and the rest of the world. UCT provides a vibrant and supportive intellectual environment that attracts and connects people from all over the world.
UCT is currently ranked 167th in the World University Rankings published by Times Higher Education (THE) and the top-ranked university in Africa. Recently, UCT launched its “University of the Future” project, which is aligned with its Vision 2030 transformation initiative, to create an environment that will enable the unleashing of human potential for a fair and just society.
S+CUBE – the Sustainability Oriented Cyber Research Unit in Built Environment – located within the UCT Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment’s (EBE) Department of Construction Economics and Management. S+CUBE seeks integrated solutions to the modern problems associated with the technical, social, environmental, and economic challenges of the EBE in Africa through adopting innovative knowledge and technologies.
S+CUBE’s objectives include:
- Researching and teaching the interrelationship of sustainable development (SD) and technology innovation (TI) in the engineering and built environment (EBE) sector in Africa
- Helping to shape the future working world of EBE students and professionals by equipping them to meet the challenges of SD and TIs
- Developing links with industry and other educational institutions worldwide to showcase the potential impact of SD and TIs on the EBE
- Exposing African students and emerging researchers to a high level of international collaborative research and emerging next generation of African researchers, innovators and collaborative problem solvers.
- Researching and developing new approaches to improve the sustainability of the EBE sector, projects, and services infrastructure delivery and management through innovative technology.
University of Botswana
The University of Botswana is a world-class institution that has established and developed a range of learning, social, cultural and recreational opportunities that will facilitate the full realisation of your potential for academic and personal growth. Our student-centred, intellectually stimulating and technologically advanced teaching, learning and research environment will ensure positive academic and social experiences throughout your study.
University of Johannesburg: SMaCT
Sustainable Materials and Construction (SMaCT) is located at the Department of Civil Engineering Technology at the University of Johannesburg’s Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment. The strategic goal of the centre is therefore to support Government initiatives on the implementation of sustainable social infrastructure, including clinics, hospitals, schools, and human settlements, using modular, innovative building technologies (IBTs), materials and processes.
University of the West of England (UWE), Bristol
The University of the West of England, Bristol, is a public research university located in and around Bristol, England, UK. With more than 40,000 students and 4,300 staff. It is the largest provider of higher education in the South West of England.
At UWE Bristol, we are focused on solving future global challenges through outstanding learning, world-leading research and a culture of enterprise.
Our ambitious 2030 strategy is focused on transforming futures. From powering the future workforce and helping local economies thrive, to shaping the health and sustainability of our communities and creating solutions to solve global challenges.
We are helping to build a more sustainable future for everyone by working towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals – with the aim to be carbon neutral by 2030, from establishing our campuses as clean air and smoke-free zones to eliminating single-use plastics.
- We’re not afraid to shape, challenge and tackle the big issues to take the initiative and pave the way.
- We make UWE Bristol a supportive and inspiring place to learn and work – somewhere where diversity of experience and perspective is encouraged and learning and research are shared and accessible.
- We create new opportunities for the people who work and study with us. We embrace different ideas and pioneer new and sustainable ways of doing things.
- We have strong connections locally and globally. We help people and organisations be the best they can, building trust throughout our university community and beyond.
- We instil a thirst for new knowledge, its creation and application, empowering our students and staff to demonstrate a creative questioning approach, a ‘can-do’ confidence and ability to navigate uncertainty.
