Three South African universities signed a multilateral agreement with Belgium's Leuven Katholieke Universiteit at the Belgium Campus ITversity, in Pretoria, on Tuesday.
The South African universities include the University of Venda, the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and Belgium Campus.
The agreement will ensure mutual international partnerships between these universities.
It centres mainly on social, economic and technological development of the countries involved with a clear focus on innovation in both academic and business aspects. It seeks also to empower a high level of education in institutions through ongoing international exchanges by participating institutions.
It will ensure all universities involved produce a pool of highly skilled professionals who can be employed by both local and international companies. Companies will also fund researches and innovative ideas of students.
Belgium Campus collaborates with other international higher education institutions in student academic exchanges as part of its curriculum. These types of collaborations create common economic interests not only for businesses but also for students, said Enrico Jacobs, vice-chancellor of Belgium Campus.
In attendance were dignitaries from Belgium and Kgosientso Ramokgopa, executive mayor of the City of Tshwane, who were taken on a tour of the newly developed campus before the signing.
Ingrid Lieten, vice-minister-president of the Government of Flanders, said after the tour that she had the opportunity to see how students embraced and explored the latest media and communications technologies in integrative and original ways. She also encouraged them to address specific needs in their communities and those that will have a positive impact on the development of the country.
Belgium Campus offers a one-year internship programme through which 15 to 20 students are sent to Belgium. Through it, common interest was developed by international companies that saw investment opportunities in SA, concludes Jacobs.
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