Having first hogged headlines as the first female SRC president at the University of Limpopo (UL), Sekedi Mabatha has once again soared the student political skies with her recent election as the Deputy Chairperson of the South Africa-Sweden University Forum (SASUF).
SASUF is a strategic internationalisation project with 38 partner universities that aims to strengthen ties between Sweden and South Africa in research, education, and innovation.
Mabatha, who is currently pursuing a Master of Agricultural Management at UL, sees her election as a symbolic stride toward women empowerment, particularly young and black women, gradually gaining access to leadership positions previously held by men.
Mabatha was elected after being nominated by various student representatives from various universities in South Africa.
The forum, which brings together leading researchers, teachers, students, university leaders, and other stakeholders, aims to develop collaborative solutions to the challenges posed by the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2030. SASUF 2030 will pilot new and innovative ways of working with strategic internationalisation, introducing a range of new tools such as grants to develop virtual exchange, the inclusion of students in all aspects of the partnership, and a new interactive format for bilateral research seminars, building on the momentum built between Sweden and South Africa over the past few years.
Mabatha’s contribution to SASUF will include, but will not be limited to, planning and hosting strategic events, managing information distribution within her university of study, representing her respective country, and acting as a contact detail for other interested students.
“All of the schools I attended did not have a female principal, and I would always advocate for women’s empowerment not only through conversation but also by practically emphasising that women are powerhouses who can take up any space,” Mabatha asserted.
Mabatha says she will continue to contribute to finding solutions in areas such as science and technology, gender equality, cultural and environmental issues, and academic exchanges.
Prof. Jesika Singh, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Partnerships, congratulated Mabatha on her election, noting that UL has been a member of SASUF for many years. “When the student network was added, it allowed for student voices to become a critical component of the network. We are pleased that Mabatha will participate in the network on behalf of UL and other students as we address the SDGs through selected focus areas,” Prof. Singh explained.
Prof. Singh added that her participation will also make student mobility possible through the network activities.
Students who are interested in participating in SASUF are urged to contact Mabatha at sekedi.mabatha@ul.ac.za
By Evans Khalo