Luzango Mfupe, CSIR

Around 40% of business and tech decisionmakers working in the public sector and education institutions say that a lack of budget is one of the biggest challenges when it comes to funding emerging technologies, according to Forrester. In universities and colleges, this reality has a profound impact on teaching and learning, in addition to inhibiting innovation and research.

In 2017, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) launched the TVET College Connection Project (TCCP), which aimed to connect 325 technical and vocational education and training (TVET) college campuses to the South African National Research and Education Network (SANReN). SANReN is a high-capacity network for science, research and education and innovation, funded by the Department of Science and Innovation and implemented by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), says Michael Acres, TCCP project advisor.