South Africa and Ireland Strengthen Cooperation in Education and Innovation
The visit marked an important step in aligning the education, research, and innovation ecosystems of South Africa and Ireland in support of shared global development goals.
South Africa’s Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela, concluded an official visit to Ireland as part of the delegation accompanying President Cyril Ramaphosa. The visit marked an important step in aligning the education, research, and innovation ecosystems of South Africa and Ireland in support of shared global development goals.
The official mission reinforced the longstanding partnership between the two countries, particularly in the fields of science, technology, higher education, and skills development. It also aimed to deepen bilateral collaboration to promote inclusive growth, innovation, and knowledge exchange between institutions in both nations.
As part of the visit, Manamela and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola visited Dogpatch Labs in Dublin, one of Ireland’s leading innovation and start-up hubs. The engagement highlighted ongoing initiatives such as the Irish Tech Challenge South Africa, a programme led by the Embassy of Ireland that supports high-potential South African technology entrepreneurs working on solutions aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The Minister held a bilateral meeting with Ireland’s Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation, and Science, Niall Lawless, to discuss the expansion of cooperation in key areas. These include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teaching and research, lecturer development and academic exchanges, and collaborative projects that reflect Ireland’s historical role in supporting South Africa during the anti-apartheid era. The two ministries also agreed to develop a Memorandum of Intent to formalize future cooperation in higher education, research, and innovation.
The discussions further covered Ireland’s participation in the upcoming G20 Education Working Group, which South Africa will host in Mpumalanga. Manamela also took part in the President’s business roundtable engagements, exploring opportunities for work-integrated learning and skills development with Irish companies operating in South Africa. The focus areas included manufacturing, agro-processing, and high-technology sectors, with the goal of improving pathways between education and employment.
During his visit to Trinity College Dublin, Manamela met with a group of academics and researchers to discuss strengthening collaboration between Irish and South African universities. Institutions such as the University of Johannesburg, Wits University, the University of the Western Cape, and Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University were identified as key partners in joint programmes spanning immunology, creative arts, economics, and history. Both sides agreed to build on existing relationships and establish new frameworks for research collaboration and postgraduate supervision.
The visit also reaffirmed the importance of the Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme, which since 2013 has enabled over 130 South African graduates to pursue postgraduate studies in Ireland. The programme remains a cornerstone of academic exchange and capacity building between the two countries.
Overall, the visit underscored the shared vision of South Africa and Ireland to deepen cooperation in science, innovation, and human development. It reinforced the commitment of both nations to building a future-oriented partnership grounded in mutual respect, knowledge sharing, and sustainable growth.
