TUT to host FOREST21

TUT to host FOREST21 stakeholder engagement workshop

This workshop will take place at Ditsela Place in Hatfield on Friday, 24 February 2023 as part of Forest21, an Erasmus+ collaborative project to strengthen capacities in South African higher education.

Forest21 team at work.

TUT to host FOREST21 team at work.

Forest21 is a collaboration between South African, Finnish, and Norwegian universities that aims to develop action research and capacity in three key areas: climate-smart forestry, forestry entrepreneurship, and student-centered teaching. TUT, Fort Cox Agriculture and Forestry Training Institute, Nelson Mandela University (NMU), Stellenbosch University (SU) and University of Venda (UNIVEN) are among the partner universities. Aalto University, Finland (coordinator) Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norway, Häme University of Applied Sciences, Finland (coordinator)  TUT to host FOREST21

TUT to host FOREST21 stakeholder engagement workshop

Prof Puffy Soundy, the HOD Crop Science at the Faculty of Science and TUT Project Leader, spoke on the event. As part of Forest21’s midterm report, Forest21 partners will inform the Deputy Minister for Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) about its progress and milestones since its launch in 2020. The event will also reveal the TUT Forestry Qualification due to begin in 2024 and identify areas of industry and departmental collaboration. As a standard feature of the forestry qualification, industry and officials could provide guest lectures.  TUT to host FOREST21

TUT’s Forest21 programme coordinator Dr Blessed Karumbidza said the university would make proposals regarding possible options and scenarios on how the programme might continue beyond the funding period. In South Africa, five higher education institutions offer forestry programmes. The overarching goal of this project is to improve the curriculum offered by all five schools by utilizing innovation and research.”  

TUT to host FOREST21

“TUT drives dissemination and publicity of Forest21 activities within the consortium, and I am happy to share that this mandate has largely been accomplished,” said Dr Vathiswa Papu-Zamxaka, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Engagement. Climate-smart forestry innovation, curriculum reform, and entrepreneurship advancement are among Forest21’s three key pillars. In order to ensure sustainability and continuity after the Erasmus+ funding period, TUT plans to establish a research chair that will culminate in a center covering these key themes.“

It is with great excitement that the University will host the stakeholder engagement workshop and the dialog on advancing climate-smart forestry education in South Africa in the 21st century. As a result of this collaboration, we will be able to celebrate a landmark achievement between academia, industry and government towards forestry transformation”, Dr Papu-Zamxaka concluded.

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