Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) is on the verge of a significant international breakthrough following a visit from Lesotho’s Agritech Institute. The meeting, held on 3 March 2026, between the Lesotho TEVT and MUT’s Faculty of Applied and Health Sciences, has paved the way for a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that promises to bolster agricultural research and student mobility across borders.
The partnership originated from a recent outreach mission by MUT’s Department of Marketing and Communications to Lesotho. During the trip, led by Mbali Mkhize, senior director, Marketing and Communications, staff identified the Agritech Institute of Lesotho, in Leribe, as a prime candidate for collaboration. Given the Institute’s specialised focus, the conversation naturally turned to MUT’s Faculty of Applied and Health Sciences, which includes a Department of Agriculture. The team then invited the Agritech Institute leadership to schedule a visit to MUT.
Following a tour of the MUT main campus, representatives and students from the Agritech Institute met with the Dean of the Faculty, Professor Alfred Msomi. According to Professor Msomi, the talks centred on three “strategic pillars” designed to benefit both institutions:
- Student Exchange Programmes: Creating a pipeline where Lesotho students can integrate into MUT’s academic environment, while MUT students travel to Lesotho to gain practical, hands-on experience in different agricultural climates.
- Joint Research Initiatives: Collaborative projects that involve both lecturers and students, focusing on solving regional agricultural challenges.
- Staff Development: A co-supervision model where MUT faculty members provide guidance to TVET staff pursuing senior qualifications.
“There is a possibility of us having students from Agritech Institute joining us. Also, our students may go to the Agritech Institute to learn what they are doing,” said Professor Msomi, emphasising the mutual nature of the deal.
For MUT, this is not just a local agreement, it is a key piece of a much larger puzzle. Mbali Mkhize, Senior Director of the Department of Marketing and Communications, noted that the SADC (Southern African Development Community) region is a primary focus for the University’s “internationalisation project.” “We went to Lesotho with a plan to make connections that will benefit MUT and our neighbour,” Mkhize commented. “We did not expect that our visit would have such an immediate impact.”
As the University prepares to formalise the MOU, the potential for shared knowledge and regional food security through improved agricultural education remains a top priority.