Photo: Prof. Pamela Dube, Vice-Chancellor and Principal and His Excellency Andreas Peschke, German Ambassador to South Africa, during his courtesy visit to CUT.

On 25 August 2023, His Excellency Andreas Peschke, German Ambassador to South Africa, paid a courtesy visit to CUT.

The visit was informed by CUT's strong relationships and collaborations that CUT has with some of the tertiary institutions in Germany. In her welcoming remarks, Prof. Pamela Dube, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, said the visit celebrates a remarkable and long-standing partnership with Germany. “It is a pleasure to welcome His Excellency Andreas Peschke to our university. Our relationships with some of the German institutions, spanning over two decades, mutually benefit our staff and students. Both universities have experienced cross-cultural exchange, staff mobility, research collaborations and other specific academic programs. I’m really looking forward to strengthening this partnership and expanding our international collaborations.”

Prof. Dube led the visiting delegation on a campus tour, showcasing some of CUT’s innovative and creation ventures, including the Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing (CRPM), the Energy Generation Project, the Idea Generator (iGym), the Hotel School as well as the Centre for Applied Food Security and – Biotechnology (CAFSaB).

His Excellency Andreas Peschke said that CUT's longstanding partnerships with German Institutions of higher learning were encouraging. “We came here with very high expectations, and to be honest, our expectations have been surpassed. We are quite impressed with what we have seen and pleased to hear that there are already collaborations between CUT and German universities of Applied Sciences to investigate challenges faced by both our societies. To tackle these successfully, we would need academic and international support,” he added.

Prof. Alfred Ngowi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement, reiterated the importance of fruitful partnerships and collaborations. “Our commitment to global partnership in research, education and innovation is one of the key factors in our vision as we want to be a leading University of Technology in Africa. We know that it can only be possible through partnerships, which is why we cherish the partnerships we already have with Germany,” said Ngowi.