SA and Ireland Strengthen Education and Innovation Ties for Shared Growth

Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister Buti Manamela has described his recent official visit to Ireland as a significant step toward aligning South Africa’s education and innovation systems with global development priorities. The visit, undertaken alongside President Cyril Ramaphosa, reinforced the longstanding partnership between South Africa and Ireland in higher education, research, skills development, and technology-driven innovation.

Strengthening Strategic Relations Through Education and Innovation

Manamela’s engagement in Ireland forms part of a broader diplomatic and developmental agenda to consolidate South Africa’s international education partnerships. During the visit, he emphasized that global cooperation in innovation and higher learning is vital for addressing shared challenges such as youth unemployment, climate change, and inequality.

“The collaboration between our two nations illustrates how education and technology can work hand-in-hand to drive inclusive development,” Manamela said. “We are not only building educational linkages but also nurturing ecosystems that enable young innovators to thrive.”

Showcasing Innovation: Visit to Dogpatch Labs and the Irish Tech Challenge

Ahead of the official bilateral meetings, Manamela and International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola toured Dogpatch Labs, one of Ireland’s foremost innovation and startup hubs. The visit spotlighted the Irish Tech Challenge South Africa, a flagship partnership between the Embassy of Ireland, South Africa’s Department of Science and Innovation, and key private sector partners.

This initiative identifies and supports high-potential South African tech entrepreneurs whose ventures contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It provides funding, mentorship, and exposure to international markets — helping to bridge the gap between African innovation and global opportunities.

“This initiative demonstrates how collaboration in technology and innovation can empower young African innovators,” said Manamela. “It’s about harnessing global networks to solve local problems.”

Bilateral Talks with Irish Minister Niall Lawless

Manamela also met with Ireland’s Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Niall Lawless, for a high-level bilateral discussion focused on deepening institutional cooperation. Their dialogue centered on expanding collaboration in:

• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) teaching and research,

• Lecturer development and exchange programmes,

• Joint academic projects highlighting Ireland’s role during the anti-apartheid movement, and

• Drafting a Memorandum of Intent to formalize collaboration in higher education, innovation, and research.

Both ministers agreed that these efforts would strengthen academic mobility, promote scientific excellence, and enhance capacity building in both nations. They also discussed Ireland’s participation in the upcoming G20 Education Working Group, which South Africa will host in Mpumalanga, highlighting global cooperation in education reform.

Building Industry Linkages and Work-Integrated Learning

As part of the broader engagement linked to President Ramaphosa’s business roundtable, Manamela met with Irish business leaders to explore opportunities for Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) and skills-to-work transition programmes. The focus areas included manufacturing, agro-processing, and high-technology industries — sectors crucial to South Africa’s industrial growth and youth employment agenda.

By connecting higher education with real-world industry experience, these partnerships aim to equip South African graduates with the practical skills needed to compete in an increasingly globalized economy.

Academic Cooperation with Trinity College Dublin

A key highlight of Manamela’s visit was his meeting with over 20 academics and researchers at Trinity College Dublin, where the late Professor Kader Asmal once taught law before returning to South Africa to serve as Minister of Education.

The discussions centered on strengthening academic ties between Trinity College and leading South African universities such as the University of Johannesburg, Wits University, University of the Western Cape, and Sefako Makgatho University. Collaborative areas include immunology, creative arts, economics, and history.

Both sides committed to expanding joint research projects, postgraduate supervision programmes, and academic exchange initiatives, reinforcing the enduring intellectual and moral connection between South Africa and Ireland.

Expanding the Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme

The visit also reaffirmed the shared commitment to grow the Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme, which has enabled more than 130 South African students to pursue postgraduate studies in Ireland since 2013. The fellowship remains a cornerstone of educational cooperation and a testament to Ireland’s solidarity with South Africa during and after the apartheid era.

“This partnership goes beyond symbolism,” said Manamela. “It embodies the spirit of solidarity that Ireland extended during the anti-apartheid struggle — now renewed through shared investment in science, technology, and education.”

Forging a Shared Future in Innovation and Human Development

Manamela concluded that the next phase of cooperation will be guided by the forthcoming Memorandum of Intent, aimed at deepening collaboration in science, technology, innovation, and human development.

“We are building a bridge between our histories of solidarity and our futures of shared innovation,” he said. “Through education and research partnerships, we are shaping a new model of international cooperation — one that benefits both nations and contributes to global progress.”