The spirit of being a sister university to MUT was affirmed by the University of KwaZulu-Natal when it gave a free access to 10 MUT researchers and administrative staff members to attend Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress 2024. “We would like to invite MUT to be a part of this global congress and to prepare itself for the huge summit that it is planning from 1-4 July 2024”, said Professor Betty Mubangizi, SARChI Chair in Sustainable and Rural Livelihoods from UKZN at a meeting with Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nokuthula Sibiya. It was because of this intervention that MUT found itself a part of the delegation to this congress that took place at Elangeni Hotel in Durban, from 21-24 May 2024. The congress was planned by the Future Earth Africa Hub, supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF). The MUT delegation attending the congress are a part of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the EnergyWaterFoodClimate nexus summit.
The SRI Africa satellite event had cross-cutting plenary sessions, parallel thematic sessions, and live discussion tables with parallel thematic sessions focusing on the following areas:
- Green Transitions
- Transforming Technologies and the Future of Work
- Towards Climate Justice for the Most Vulnerable Communities
- Powering the World
- African Sustainability Science and Innovation
Mbali Mkhize, Senior Director at the Department of Marketing and Communications, said, “This congress provided members of the EnergyWaterFoodClimate Nexus Summit with an opportunity to engage career researchers, established researchers, research managers, policymakers, and industry experts as well as to invite them to attend MUT and FAMU’s (Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University) planned summit. We are hopeful that we will deliver a top-notch congress for Durban, South Africa, and the world.”