Professor Nokuthula Sibiya, Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) Vice-Chancellor and Principal, has commended Mbali Mkhize, Senior Director, Marketing and Communications, who is leading the South Africa–Sweden University Forum (SASUF) at MUT and Zama Sishi, Director, Stakeholder Engagement, for achieving a remarkable milestone, for MUT having been selected as one of only six South African universities to co-lead a Work Package in the prestigious Plus (SASUF+) initiative. This initiative places MUT firmly on a global academic track.
MUT will lead Work Package 5: Communication and Dissemination, in partnership with the University of the Witwatersrand. The Work Package is led by Zama Sishi from MUT and Professor Aletta Millen from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University).
The selection came after an intensely competitive application process, adjudicated by panels in both Sweden and South Africa. These panels comprised internationally recognised leaders, researchers, and academics who assessed proposals based on strategic vision, potential for impact, and capacity for leadership in global academic collaboration.
SASUF+ is a three-year initiative (2025–2028), involving 37 universities from South Africa and Sweden, to strengthen collaboration in research, education, and innovation. This round of the SASUF programme was launched on Monday, 22 September 2025, to more than 600 participants and well-wishers from Sweden and South Africa. Through strategic communication and engagement, WP5 will amplify MUT’s research voice, contributing to increased research output, global collaborations, and policy influence.
“This isn’t just a communication role—it’s a leadership role in shaping how South Africa and Sweden tell their shared story of academic impact to the world,” said Mkhize, adding that “Sishi’s Master’s degree in Strategic Communications is an asset to the University. This achievement is not just a feather in MUT’s cap; it is a defining moment in the university’s trajectory toward becoming a research-driven, globally engaged institution. To be selected among highly competitive peers, in a process led by global experts, is a clear indication that MUT is ready to take its place at the international table,” said a university spokesperson. “We are proud to represent South Africa in this way, and excited for the opportunities that lie ahead.” This is not the first time that both Mkhize and Sishi have received global recognition. Their grant award by DAAD through the Dialogue on Innovative Higher Education Strategies (DIES) is also set to have an impact on building the capacity of Historically Disadvantaged Institutions (HDIs).