Academic exchange between SA and Austria a huge success

Posted on May 08, 2023

In pursuit of the University of Pretoria’s (UP) internationalisation plan, the Department of Business Management in UP’s Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) successfully concluded a two-week international academic exchange programme entitled “Xplore South Africa 2023”. During several visits to FHV Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences in Austria in 2017 and 2018, a memorandum of understanding was signed between both institutions where the  academic staff started laying the foundation for possible exchange study trips for undergraduate students.

The pilot programme took place from 13 to 24 February 2023, when a group of eleven FHV students in their second year of the Bachelor studies in International Business collaborated with thirteen EMS second-year BCom Business Management students in diverse teams on various practical case studies. These case studies included South African and Austrian business comparisons and the business models of several young entrepreneurs from the Mamelodi community. The engagement with the Mamelodi community is an effort to achieve societal impact through the development of a business model for informal sector entrepreneurs at the  Mamelodi Business Clinic.

During the two weeks of the programme in SA, the mixed student teams worked on the business models, analysing it, structuring it and working out development measures, as well as discussing it with the Mamelodi entrepreneurs.

Dr Dawie Bornman, Senior Lecturer at UP and Prof Martin Hebertinger, Senior Lecturer at FHV, were the master duo that brought the talented minds together, coordinating the exchange, teaching, coaching and nurturing the international student group. 

Highlighting on the knowledge shared with the students, Dr Borman stated that “aside from gaining new and applying existing knowledge on business modelling and business planning, participants learnt by collaborating in intercultural teams the existence, the role, the challenges, and benefits of diversity in a working environment.”

“Deep insights in the different socio-demographic, economic, cultural, social and informal characteristics of South Africa and Austria were experienced and reflected in order for students to present their findings to the Mamelodi entrepreneurs on the final day of the programme,” he added Dr Bornman.

Prof Hebertinger echoed Dr Bornman’s sentiments and said: “This intercultural exchange of knowledge between the students, the lecturers and the entrepreneurs worked in an impressively positive way, as it served as a living example of international and intercultural cooperation, academic exchange and targeted social engagement with a purpose. This purpose is inclusion, transformation and social value creation.”

The feedback from the entrepreneurs and the students was consistently positive and inspiring. One of the South African participants, Lesedi Pasipanodya, mentioned that the exchange programme helped her to expand her horizons from an academic and social perspective.

“I learnt a lot from it and got to work with different people and learnt about different cultures, which was so much fun. It also made me realize how broad and interesting the business world is. This project created a more innovative learning environment for me and that is something I'll always be grateful for,” said Pasipanodya.

The Austrian students took time to participate in the social activities. They got an opportunity to witness UP sport talent at a Tuks rugby match and enjoyed South African cuisine and snacks. The students also went on a cultural tour visiting some of the country’s historical and cultural landmarks in Pretoria and Johannesburg.

Jade Beukes, another South African participant, highlighted that despite being South African, she also enjoyed the social activities and had an opportunity to visit places she had never visited before.

“I absolutely love learning about new cultures, perspectives and countries. Above all, I love gaining knowledge. This experience ticked all of those boxes for me and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It was an insightful, academic, and social two weeks filled with wonderful people. It has been an experience that I will never forget and forever cherish, and I have made friends that are kept very close to my heart.”

Further implementations of this concept are already firmly planned for the following years at UP. UP and FHV are currently in the process of exploring different funding and sponsorship opportunities, with the aim of taking a student group to Austria later this year to fulfil the second half of the international academic exchange.

The coordinating team expressed their gratitude and would like to thank Prof Margaret Chitiga-Mabugu, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences at UP, the participating entrepreneurs and students, as well as colleagues from both institutions who assisted and supported the initiative.

For further information or to get in contact regarding possible funding and sponsorship opportunities, please email: [email protected] and [email protected] .


- Author Dr Dawie Bornman

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