“I started the office in 1993, and I turned 65 last week,” Robert Kotzé told the room. “So frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn. I will be gone with the wind soon. But before I disappear, I want us to think seriously about who we are as internationalisation practitioners and facilitators.”

Stellenbosch University’s senior director for the International Office’s candid and humorous introduction also set a challenge for the week ahead. Over the next five days, it unfolded through a week of reflection, exchange, and learning among colleagues from Africa and Europe.

Stellenbosch University International (SUI) hosted the first of its two annual Staff Internationalisation Training Weeks from 13 to 17 April 2026. The next training week will take place from 9 to 11 September 2026. 

The event brought together a group of 22 professional, administrative, and academic support staff (PASS) from countries such as Slovenia, Türkiye, Latvia, the Netherlands, Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy, Poland, Belgium, Germany, Lithuania and Lesotho, under the theme Strengthening Internationalisation Practice in a Data-Informed and AI-Supported University. 

For Stellenbosch University staff, the programme also created a unique opportunity to experience internationalisation without leaving campus. As Kotzé said, the week “brings the world to Stellenbosch”, letting staff connect with global peers and perspectives in their daily work environment. SU participants worked alongside colleagues from many backgrounds, including a lecturer from a military university in SU’s Saldanha’s office, a financial officer from the University’s finance division, and teaching and learning specialists, partnership managers, and research support staff from institutions across Europe and Africa. This mix of roles and experiences made the discussions richer and showed how internationalisation works in different settings and roles.

A shared space for learning and experimentation

Programme Manager for Staff Internationalisation, Lidia du Plessis, welcomed participants to the historic Old Main Building with enthusiasm and set an open, collaborative tone. As the programme's designer and coordinator, she described the training as “a shared space for collaboration and experimentation: a place to test ideas, tools, and practices that participants could take back to their institutions in responsible and realistic ways.”

Next, Moses Pieterse, SU’s brand new Senior Programme Manager for Partnerships, gave an overview of Stellenbosch University. He described it as a research-intensive university “rooted in Africa with a global reach.” His introduction helped participants understand the university’s scale, complexity, and ongoing transformation within the South African context.

A “promise of value”

Kotzé’s session on professional identity set the intellectual tone for the week. “Wherever you work,” he said, “think about yourself as someone with a promise of value. What do you bring to the workplace? Why do people come to you to solve a problem?”

He encouraged participants to view their roles as layered. Whether someone is an administrator, lecturer, project manager, or advisor, everyone shares a common purpose in supporting internationalisation.

“Internationalisation is not just a label,” he stressed. “It is a dynamic process that must enhance the quality and impact of what we do, in teaching, research, and in service of society.”

His view of internationalisation as transformative, value-driven, and socially embedded became a theme throughout the week.

A global classroom in practice

The 22 participants from 11 countries had the chance to introduce themselves, leading to a lively exchange of cultures, perspectives, and stories. From Bulgaria, they learned about gestures where “yes” and “no” are reversed. Participants from Slovenia shared thoughts on mountains, outdoor activities, bears, and sports. Lithuania’s representative described basketball as a “second religion.” Delegates from Turkey mentioned that Santa Claus originated there, and South Africans called their country “a world in one.”

These exchanges continued informally throughout the week over coffee, during a lively scavenger hunt across campus and town, and through shared snacks from participants’ home countries. From Cape Malay koesisters to Slovenian potica and Turkish delights, food became another way to share culture and build connections.

Intercultural competence in a digital age

As the programme progressed, attention turned to one of the core themes of the week: intercultural competence.

Angelo Jephtha, Coordinator for Student Life and Experiential Learning, challenged participants to rethink traditional definitions of intercultural competence in a world increasingly shaped by digital and AI-mediated communication.

“Today, much of our communication is digital,” he explained. “And that changes how we interpret meaning, how we understand each other, and how culture is expressed.”

While technology helps people connect, it also introduces new risks, such as algorithmic bias and the dominance of Global North perspectives in AI tools.

In a moment that resonated with many, Jephtha described AI as: “a combination of a toddler, a teenager, a politician, and a weatherman.”

The message was clear: these tools can be useful, but only if users understand their limitations and apply critical judgement.

Listening to understand: UNESCO Story Circles

One of the most impactful sessions of the week came through UNESCO Story Circles, facilitated by Werner de Wit.

Working in small groups, participants shared personal stories and practised listening without interruption or judgement. The aim was not simply to exchange experiences, but to understand how meaning is shaped by culture and context.

During a week focused on systems, policies, and technologies, Story Circles shifted attention back to something simpler and more challenging: listening to understand, rather than just to respond.

AI and the future of internationalisation

A key highlight of the programme was a dedicated focus on artificial intelligence and data in higher education.

Participants explored how AI is already shaping internationalisation practice, from recruitment analytics and student support to communication and decision-making. They tested tools, considered ethical issues, and discussed both opportunities and risks.

Mr Aslam Arnolds from the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI) highlighted how the week sharpened his awareness of bias in AI systems.

“At one point, we looked at how AI generates images of ‘African men’, and you realise how narrow those representations can be,” he said. “It really made me think about how important it is to question the outputs.”

At the same time, he showed how AI helped him build a contracts and grants management system in minutes, a task that used to take months.

“AI can dramatically boost efficiency,” he reflected, “but you still have to take full responsibility for checking every output.”

Dr Sonja Buchberger from the University of Vienna valued the opportunity to compare institutional approaches to AI in teaching and learning, noting that ideas such as structured AI-use policies could inform future developments at her institution.

Delegates from Koç University in Türkiye explained that AI is already part of their daily work, from designing programmes to rebuilding websites. They said the Stellenbosch week inspired them to use AI-supported approaches even more in future projects.

A more detailed exploration of the AI sessions is available in a separate feature article.

Learning in context

In addition to formal sessions, job shadowing gave participants a chance to engage directly with internationalisation and other practices at Stellenbosch University, including student mobility, funding, research development, and partnership management.

These experiences offered practical insights into how internationalisation is implemented across different units, highlighting both challenges and opportunities.

For many participants, this combination of structured learning and real-world observation was particularly valuable.

More than a training week

As the week concluded with participant presentations and reflections, a clear theme emerged: it was a week of acquiring new tools, knowledge, and, most of all, responsibility.

Whether engaging with AI, navigating intercultural communication, or reflecting on their own roles, participants were repeatedly drawn back to a central question: what value do I bring?

As Kotzé reminded them at the start, internationalisation is a transformative process that connects people, ideas, and institutions in meaningful service to society.

The Stellenbosch University Staff Internationalisation Training Week created a shared space where colleagues from various countries could rethink their roles in a world where intercultural competence and AI literacy are both essential and here to stay.