Lesotho Strengthens University-Industry Collaboration Through Strategic Networking
The event creates space for industry, government, and civil society to actively contribute to shaping responsive curricula, as well as institutional systems, policies, and processes.
LESOTHO - The National University of Lesotho (NUL) and Lerotholi Polytechnic (LP), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Training Lesotho (MoET), recently hosted a University–Industry Networking Event aimed at fostering stronger partnerships between academia and industry.
The event forms part of the University–Industry Co-Creation (UNIICO-CREATE) Project, an initiative designed to advance entrepreneurial universities across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
The project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union and coordinated by the Technology Higher Education Network South Africa (THENSA).
The primary objectives of the networking event were to identify opportunities for collaboration and co-creation between higher education institutions and industry, strengthen partnerships aligned with innovation and market needs, and raise awareness about the UNIICO-CREATE Project and its broader goals.
This engagement marks a significant milestone for Lesotho’s higher education sector. By opening their platforms to external stakeholders, the country’s leading institutions together with the Ministry demonstrated a commitment to inclusivity and relevance in education.
The event created space for industry, government, and civil society to actively contribute to shaping responsive curricula, as well as institutional systems, policies, and processes that better reflect real-world demands.
Participants from across academia, industry, government, and civil society expressed strong support for sustained collaboration, recognising its importance in driving national development through innovative and entrepreneurial higher education institutions.
The event was further strengthened by the presence of key institutional leaders, including Professor Sola Fajana, Vice Chancellor of the NUL; Professor Spirit Tlali, Rector of LP; and Sekhotseng Adam Molapo, Chief Executive Officer (Tertiary) at the MoET.
Their active participation underscored a shared commitment to enhancing university–industry collaboration and advancing the higher education landscape in Lesotho.
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