Prof. Dr Jonas Weber, Head of the Agricultural Business degree program at DHBW Ravensburg, organised an engaging program for his guest, Prof. Dr Zenzile Peter Khetsha, Head of the Department: Agriculture (right).

The Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT), continues to expand its international academic footprint through strategic engagements that foster knowledge exchange, research collaboration and student mobility.

Prof. Zenzile Khetsha, Head of the Department of Agriculture, recently visited the Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg (Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University – DHBW) in Ravensburg, Germany, where he engaged with academics and students in the university's Agricultural Business programme. DHBW is renowned for its distinctive dual-study model, which integrates academic learning with practical workplace experience, equipping students with industry-relevant skills and knowledge.

The visit provided a valuable platform for exchanging perspectives on agricultural practices in South Africa and Germany, exploring innovative approaches to sustainable agriculture and identifying opportunities for student exchanges, practical training and collaborative research. The programme further included guest lectures, visits to agricultural research facilities and exposure to emerging agricultural technologies, particularly agri-photovoltaic systems, which combine agricultural production with solar energy generation.

Beyond knowledge sharing, the engagement offered an opportunity to explore areas of mutual interest and strengthen academic networks that could translate into tangible benefits for students, researchers and the broader agricultural sector.

The visit highlights CUT's commitment to internationalisation and its vision of building meaningful global partnerships that enrich teaching and learning, advance research excellence and expose students and academics to innovative practices and perspectives beyond national borders. Through such engagements, the university continues to position itself as a globally connected institution, committed to developing graduates and researchers who can respond to evolving challenges and contribute meaningfully to sustainable development.

Prof. Zenzile Peter Khetsha, lectured Theory Phase 3 to third-year BSc students on Pasture Cultivation Systems in South Africa.