At Stellenbosch University (SU), building and sustaining partnerships remains a priority in creating holistic institutional transformation. A key driver in achieving this is the continued global engagement of our staff and students. In addition, we have  to shift our institutional research and innovation culture from where we are to a more equitable, enabling and inclusive culture that puts our core values at the forefron to what we do. 

Just as a reminder to our student, staff, alumni and community partners,  SU's values are eCARE (Excellence, Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Equity). This are not to be left as a theoretical exercise but rather should come integral to everything we do. We see our internationalisation strategy going forward as a lens that will set the tone to  creating an enabling positive research and innovation culture and contributing to  the core functions of learning and teaching , as well as accelerating academic engagement and enhancing students' graduate attributes.  

Over the past few months, we have seen what global engagement looks like in practice through our continued participation in the  International Consortium for Research Culture Symposium (ICRC) from 30th June to 2nd July  2026. It was hosted by SU in partnership with Warwick and Monash University.   

 We also participated in EUTOPIA Week, where SU strengthened its strategic role within the Alliance while expanding opportunities for international research collaboration. SU was delegation participating in the EUTOPIA week was led also by our Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Deresh Ramjugernath.  

Closer to home, the University launched an operations office for the Southern African Regional Universities Association (SARUA), which will primarily drive collaborative grant acquisition through the clustering of network partners and enhance regional higher education integration and policy impact. We are excited by this development as it positions as a strategic partner in driving the Africa Engagement agenda and becoming a hub for engagement in, with and for Africa. 

Beyond these formal milestones, we can reflect on the community building that is inherent to internationalisation, and how sharing knowledge across borders strengthens the environments in which we work. Global engagements manifest in the relationships staff build and sustain over time, and in the way our campus remains connected to the world even during its quieter periods. It is also exhibited by our students and staff who bring an international outlook into the local context, from community initiatives at home to the sense of belonging they discover in navigating new cultures abroad. We see it in research collaborations that translate directly into outcomes that matter beyond the University.  

Looking ahead, it is the depth and intentionality of our partnerships, anchored in shared purpose, that continue to shape SU's global engagement. I invite our partners, colleagues, and students to keep shaping this journey with us.