In early September 2025, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) marked a milestone in advancing regional cooperation by hosting delegations from the National Health Training College (NHTC), Lesotho, and Boitekanelo College, Botswana. The engagements culminated in the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), reaffirming SMU’s commitment to academic excellence, capacity building, and health sciences development across Southern Africa.
On 2 September, SMU held a virtual signing ceremony with NHTC, signalling a formal partnership to support Lesotho’s NHTC’s transition to an autonomous University of Health Sciences. NHTC and representatives from the Lesotho Department of Education and Department of Finance visited SMU in June for a two-day benchmarking exercise. The virtual event brought together SMU leadership, including Vice-Chancellor Professor Tandi Matsha-Erasmus and Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic and Research Professor Dini Mawela, alongside NHTC Director General Dr. Mahlomola Kutoane and key academic leaders.
Opening the ceremony, Dr Carlien Jooste, SMU’s Director of Internationalisation, emphasised the shared vision: “We may be rooted in different countries, yet we are united by a commitment to advancing health sciences education and fostering regional development.”
The collaboration will enable student articulation agreements, joint research, staff and student mobility, and curriculum enhancement. Dr Kutoane described the MOU as a “concrete commitment” to preparing future health professionals through joint training, research, and exchange opportunities.
Professor Matsha-Erasmus reflected on the broader significance: “This MOU captures SMU’s commitment to supporting NHTC in its transition to an autonomous university. It encourages strategic engagements, knowledge sharing, and organisational learning to strengthen governance, quality assurance, and African health sciences knowledge dissemination.”
The following day, 3 September, SMU welcomed a delegation from Boitekanelo College, led by Provost Dr Tiroyaone Mampane. The visit included tours of the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Department, the Skills Centre, and the library, offering insight into SMU’s teaching and research facilities. The day concluded with the signing of an MOU in the Vice-Chancellor’s Boardroom.
Dr Jooste introduced the agreement, highlighting its scope, while departmental leaders shared perspectives on areas of synergy. Dr Mampane underscored the importance of collaboration: “Our visit to SMU represents an important step in establishing a long-term partnership that will strengthen health sciences education in both Botswana and South Africa.”
Matsha-Erasmus signed the agreement alongside Mampane, describing it as a commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and the training of health professionals equipped to tackle regional challenges.
Closing the ceremony, Professor Douglas Maleka, Dean of the School of Health Care Sciences, highlighted the partnership’s transformative potential: “Together, we will co-create programmes, share knowledge, and contribute to the advancement of health sciences education in our region.”
Both partnerships are expected to promote staff and student mobility, joint research projects, professional development, and curriculum innovation. By leveraging complementary strengths, SMU and its partners aim to address regional health challenges, strengthen health systems, and cultivate a new generation of skilled professionals.
These agreements underscore SMU’s role in driving regional integration and collaboration. By creating structured pathways for cooperation, knowledge sharing, and innovation, the University demonstrates its commitment to advancing health education, supporting sustainable development, and strengthening Southern Africa’s capacity for healthcare delivery.
By Dimakatso Modise
