Samsung and the Nelson Mandela University launch the Samsung Innovation Campus to Empower Eastern Cape Youth

A Strategic Collaboration to Bridge Skills Gap, Reduce Unemployment & Empower Youth with Practical Technology Skills

The Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) programme was launched at a recent Nelson Mandela University (NMU) Gala Dinner, where NMU announced the launch of its Chancellor’s Entrepreneurship Fund and the formalisation of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Samsung. This partnership, supported by NMU’s Centre for Entrepreneurship & Rapid Incubator (CFERI), aims to support small businesses, develop technology skills and expand opportunities for youth in the Eastern Cape.

SIC collaborates with higher education institutions like NMU to provide young people with practical technology and Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) skills, including artificial intelligence, coding and programming in Python. The programme’s focus on employability and entrepreneurship creates opportunities for graduates to contribute to the ICT sector, whether through employment or starting their own business ventures. As part of this collaboration, Samsung pledged a substantial contribution towards the newly established fund.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, the chancellor of NMU said to Samsung: “We are not only thanking you for today but for tomorrow as well. Thank you for your generosity and for being the pioneers that are fuelling this fire of innovation. The contribution that we are all making to South Africa and the continent’s youth, is far bigger than all of us. I am convinced that with your contribution, you are turning a generation of job seekers to a generation of job creators. And I strongly believe that together, we can build a future of shared prosperity.”

Dr. Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, the chancellor of NMU

Samsung’s SIC programme has partnered with many other universities, and these collaborations aim to deliver technology training to youth from underserved communities and the programme continues to grow across South Africa and other African countries.

In the company’s message of support at the event, Lefa Makgato, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager for Samsung Electronics in South Africa said: “As Samsung, we are honoured to be part of the celebration of the launch of the Chancellor’s Entrepreneurship Fund which embodies the spirit of innovation and leadership that NMU has championed for two decades.

“This commitment marks a three-year partnership with NMU aimed at empowering students in 4IR skills through the university’s CFERI. Samsung’s collaboration with NMU is rooted in a shared belief that education and entrepreneurship are powerful tools for driving sustainable development and addressing the challenges of our time,” Makgato added.

The SIC programme has demonstrated a positive impact on South African youth through its various university partnerships. Samsung’s collaboration with NMU is a continuation of this effort, aligning with NMU’s ongoing focus on technology and entrepreneurship.

In her keynote address, Minister Stella Ndabeni from the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) said: “Based on the unemployment stats in the country, universities should not treat entrepreneurship as an alternative but a priority that is emphasised and encouraged. As DSBD, we believe that innovation is the way to create a working economy. The young people in the Eastern Cape need resources in order to succeed and with the help of strategic partners, we can build a better society and everyone’s contributions will, in future, multiply.”

Minister Stella Ndabeni from the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD)