Matome Mokoena of the University of the Free State’s (UFS’s) Office for International Affairs (OIA) has been selected as part of the top 30 participants from across three continents who will do a presentation at an upcoming global celebration of international collaboration in higher education.

The event, themed ‘Celebrating a Decade of Internationalisation Excellence: DIES Management of Internationalisation Training Course 10-Year Jubilee’, is set to take place in Hannover, Germany from 23-24 September 2024, and is organised by the German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) (DAAD).

The jubilee celebration commemorates ten years since the launch of the Dialogue on Innovative Higher Education Strategies (DIES) Management of Internationalisation (MOI) Training Course, a collaborative initiative by the DAAD and the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK). The course has been instrumental in equipping higher education professionals with the skills and knowledge necessary for effective management of internationalisation.

The event will bring together course alumni and experts from around the world to reflect on the achievements of the past decade and explore future opportunities in international higher education. Participants will engage in workshops, panel discussions, and networking sessions designed to share best practices, innovative strategies, and success stories.

Mokoena is a DIES MOI alumnus and Officer in the OIA’s Internationalisation at Home portfolio, where he is responsible for marketing, special projects, and for receiving and placing incoming students from international partner universities. He’s excited at the opportunity to present a research poster, based on the theme ‘Leveraging Digitalisation in the Internationalisation of African Higher Education’, at the jubilee event.

He also looks forward to expanding his international network even further. “Being part of the MOI has opened doors for me and expanded my network. My network through the MOI expands to South Asia, Africa, and Latin America,” Mokoena said. “We for instance have a WhatsApp group where we share each other’s milestones and engage on possible collaborative initiatives. I have become a pioneer in the country as the first person to complete the DIES Management of Internationalisation course.”

Mbali Moiketsi, Senior Officer in the OIA under the portfolio International Scholarships and Marketing, said: “Matome Mokoena’s selection for this event is a testament to DAAD DIES MOI’s commitment to fostering global connections and enhancing the international profile of the UFS. Matome’s involvement is not only a personal achievement but also a significant opportunity for our institution to strengthen its international collaborations and exchange ideas with leading professionals in the field.”

Moiketsi added that Mokoena’s participation in the DIES MOI programme had enabled him to facilitate the DAAD DIES National Multiplication Trainings (NMT) Programme, which in turned helped train 20 internationalisation practitioners from universities across six South African provinces between 2021 and 2022.

“The knowledge and insights gained from this event will undoubtedly contribute to the ongoing efforts to enhance our university’s internationalisation strategy and global engagement,” Moiketsi said.