Pretoria - The South African Higher Education and Training Department has signed an agreement with Cuba, which will see both countries undertake exchange programmes among tertiary institutions.
The historic agreement, signed in Havana by Higher Education and Training Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, and his Cuban counterpart, Miguel Diaz-Canel B,rmudez, is aimed at strengthening relations in the area of education between SA and Cuba and at the same time, encouraging mutual understanding between the people of the two countries.
During the signing ceremony, Nzimande said the agreement builds on the long-standing cooperation that exists between the two countries. Some South African medical doctors and other professionals have and continue to be trained in Cuba.
"We will now build on the work that is already underway and actually take it to a higher level, which will include lecturer and student exchanges as well as research collaboration amongst our higher education institutions," Nzimande said.
The cooperation will include visits by academics, students and experts, as well as collaborations and mutual learning in the areas of teacher education, models of university delivery and agricultural studies.
In addition, the cooperation will entail promoting the studying of the Spanish language in a number of South African institutions of higher education and encourage South African citizens to study Spanish in Cuban institutions of higher education.
It will further entail establishing Spanish and Latin American studies programmes at some South African tertiary institutions for the purpose of promoting an understanding of the history, politics, economy and educational experiences of Latin America in South Africa.
Nzimande highlighted that conversely, Cuba will encourage the strengthening of African studies in its higher education institutions and also facilitate the mutual recognition of higher education qualifications of both countries.
"The agreement is in line with the department's Strategic Priority 4, which talks to creating a culture of achievement and improving learner outcomes by partly contributing to the economic and social wellbeing of both the country and the wider global community, and transforming knowledge into practical applications by contributing to international, national, regional and local policy formulation," Nzimande noted.
