WSU-Samsung Innovation Campus Inculcates 4IR Skills to create Work-Ready Employable Students & Entrepreneurs

Certificate Award Ceremony Celebrates Successful Execution of Inaugural Flagship Partnership

Walter Sisulu University (WSU) in conjunction with Samsung Electronics South Africa hosted a Certificate Award Ceremony on 17 February 2023 at the Blue Lagoon Hotel & Conference Centre in East London – to certify the successful execution of its inaugural flagship partnership – the WSU-Samsung Innovation Campus.

This partnership between WSU and Samsung South Africa was fostered through the Centre for Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubator (CfERI), which aims to develop and inculcate Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) skills in Coding & Programming, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) on the country’s youth. More importantly, the WSU-Samsung Innovation Campus seeks to contribute to the national imperative of creating a work ready and employable WSU student community.

WSU–CFERI signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Samsung Electronics South Africa and through this partnership – the WSU-Samsung Innovation Campus was born. This WSU-Samsung Innovation Campus has – in its first year of inception – been able to offer critical skills in basic coding and programming education of this strategic MOA.

An initial cohort of 21 students were inducted to kick-start this programme and the collective vision behind this imperative partnership is to target youth who are at university level that would like to develop their 4IR skills. The ultimate objective is to enable and empower them to become future technological leaders. A group of 19 Students from the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology – who are beneficiaries and proud products of this programme are graduating this week. The Samsung programme support that this group received since last year in

Dr Thobekani Lose at WSU said: “With this strategic agreement in its first year of implementation, the  Buffalo City Campus, through the Department of Information Technology has successfully recruited and upskilled 19 participants in basic coding and programming education in Python during the period of September and December 2022. The students who participated in the programme are now being celebrated through this award ceremony, where certificates will be handed out – arranged by both our University and Samsung.”

As specialists in providing quality academic, technological and career-orientated programmes that provide relevant skills development in rural and urban areas – WSU is now placing special emphasis on entrepreneurship. The WSU-CfERI, provides an opportunity for WSU students, local youth entrepreneurs, and WSU alumni to nurture, sustain and grow business ideas as well as small and emerging businesses in the province. The introduction of the WSU-CfERI serves as a responsive mechanism to the high levels of unemployment as it addresses the challenges experienced in the rural and disadvantaged communities.

Hlubi Shivanda, Director: Business Operations and Innovation and Corporate Affairs at Samsung South Africa said: “The Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) aims to empower a generation of problem-solvers by equipping them with future-proof skills and giving them practical understanding of the technologies that will shape their future and enrich sustainable growth of the world.

“As Samsung, we are aware of the great importance of education – this is why we have formed this strategic partnership with WSU to equip young people with the skills and knowledge they will need to build a better world. Through our Global Samsung Innovation Campus initiative and this partnership with WSU, we are committed to empowering the leaders of tomorrow and equipping them with the tools they will need to realise meaningful change,” Shivanda adds.

Samsung proudly supports Busan’s bid for the World Expo 2030.