Workshops 2025
Scroll for more workshops >>
Please note Workshops 4 and 6 have been canceled until further notice.
TITLE:
International Credential Assessment Standards: BRICS+ Perspectives and the South African NQF
This interactive workshop, jointly presented by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and World Education Services (WES), will explore best practices in international credential evaluation, with a focus on select BRICS+ countries.
Participants will gain hands-on experience with evaluation methodologies, document authentication processes, and strategies for assessing foreign qualifications systematically and transparently. Drawing on their extensive experience, WES will provide general comparability insights for academic credentials from India, China, and Cameroon, focusing on key evaluation considerations, approaches to verifying institutional recognition, and comparability to North American education standards. The session will emphasize practical assessment strategies.
SAQA will deliver a comprehensive overview of evaluation processes and standards, emphasizing best practices for credential assessment within the South African context. Additionally, SAQA will lead an in-depth analysis of qualifications, mapping credentials from select BRICS countries to the South African National Qualifications Framework (NQF). This segment will explore crosswalks, address challenges, and discuss implications for effective credential recognition.
Through engaging presentations, real-world case studies, and interactive discussions, participants will enhance their skills in evaluating international qualifications, fostering equitable recognition practices, and supporting global academic mobility and lifelong learning. The workshop will also highlight key lessons learned, address common challenges, and share strategies for aligning credential evaluation with international recognition standards.
Space is limited to 30 participants. All participants will receive a certificate of completion.
Date:
Friday, 29 August 2025
Time:
08:00 – 14:00 (includes Lunch)
Venue:
Magnifica 1
Cost:
IEASA Members – R1600
Non-members – R2 200
Target Audience:
- International office staff
- Academics and researchers
- University leaders and executives
Expected Learning Outcomes:
- Understanding the foreign evaluation landscape and the end-to-end evaluation process
- Foreign evaluation criteria
- Provide methodology scenarios on specific qualification outcomes
- Understanding of the concept of differential outcomes
Schedule:
| 08:00 – 08:30 | Registration and Welcome (networking opportunity) |
| 08:30 –09:00 | Overview of WES foreign evaluation methodology |
| 09:00 –09:30 | Overview of SAQA foreign evaluation methodology |
| 09:30 – 11:00 | Discuss BRICS countries’ education landscape and its more complex qualification outcomes through methodology scenarios from WES and SAQA’s perspectives |
| 11:00 – 11:30 | Refreshment Break |
| 11:30 – 12:00 | Discuss BRICS countries’ education landscape and its more complex qualification outcomes through methodology scenarios from WES and SAQA’s perspectives (Continuation) |
| 12:00 – 12:30 | Overview of the differential outcome concept and how it affects the individual in the education landscape |
| 12:30 – 13:00 | Question and answer session |
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch |
Facilitators:
- Kim Snyders, Manager: South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)
- Loyiso Toni, Specialist: South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)
- Jabu Ngovene, Team Leader: South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)
- Oumar Sanga, Exception Specialist at the World Education Services (WES)
Interactivity:
Will be an interactive discussion on specific foreign evaluation outcomes to improve understanding of these outcome types to assist higher education institutions to better understand the foreign education system and how it compares to the SA NQF
Materials:
- Foreign evaluation booklet during the workshop
- Presentation afterwards
TITLE:
Developing a Partnership Framework for Intentional Engagement
Equitable Partnerships & Global Partnerships for Local Impact
An internationalization policy mandates a specific partnership approach a higher education institution must follow. However, in many cases it is necessary to build out this approach in a separate document, namely a partnership framework. While keeping to the original intent of the internationalization policy, the partnership framework expands at the same time on the approach and brings specific intentionality to the partnership engagement of an institution.
At Stellenbosch University International, we developed a partnership framework that has gone through two iterations with various stakeholders involved. The partnership framework includes aspects, such as:
- The context of the partnership framework, referring specifically to those documents that have informed it, and the respective cues which they provide.
- Definitions and descriptions of the different types of partnerships applicable.
- Normative considerations, such as responsible internationalization and components of fair partnerships.
- Process Documentation, explaining the agreement request and approval process.
The main purpose of the workshop would be to provide guidance and assistance with the development of such a document.
Space is limited to 30 participants. All participants will receive a certificate of completion.
Date:
Friday, 29 August 2025
Time:
08:00 – 14:00 (includes Lunch)
Venue:
Magnifica 2
Cost:
IEASA Members – R1600
Non-members – R2 200
Target Audience:
Internationalization practitioners who are specifically involved with the partnership development and engagement process.
Expected Learning Outcomes:
- Participants will be able to identify those components of an internationalization policy which must be expanded on when developing a partnership framework.
- Participants will be able to operationalize those components of an internationalization policy which is needed for a practical and implementable partnership approach.
- Participants will be able to identify important parts of the partnership engagement process (for example, the partnership request process) and divide it into meaningful steps, that can be shared with stakeholders and in the process enable partnership building.
Schedule:
| 08:00 – 08:30 | Registration and Welcome (networking opportunity) |
| 08:30 –09:00 | Setting the stage / provide context |
| 09:00 –10:00 | Exploring cues for identifying components within an internationalization policy necessary for a partnership framework |
| 10:00 – 11:00 | Structuring a partnership framework into a document |
| 11:00 – 11:30 | Refreshment Break |
| 11:30 – 12:00 | Structuring a partnership framework into a document (Continuation) |
| 12:00 – 13:00 | Developing strategies to distribute a partnership framework and enabling buy in |
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch |
Facilitators:
- Sarah van der Westhuizen, Director: Centre for Global Engagement: Stellenbosch University
Interactivity:
There will be group discussions and activities facilitated by the facilitator. This will also entail reporting back on discussions and taking part in online polls.
Materials:
Reading material will be provided beforehand with specific examples which will be discussed during the workshop. During the workshop a presentation will be used to guide the flow of the workshop and a handout with short cues will also be provided.
TITLE:
Implementing Internationalisation: Navigating practitioners’ challenges in the contemporary global context
Within the context of South African higher education, internationalisation is more relevant than ever before as we operate globally in a state of Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity (VUCA). Of significance was the adoption of the national policy framework for the Internationalisation of higher education in South Africa (2019), providing some impetus for South African institutions to start thinking about and implementing internationalisation in an intentional way. However, the national landscape reveals an asymmetrical adoption and interpretation of internationalisation. From a strategic position in the university structures there exists a tension of terms of reporting lines, dwindling financial support and human capacity. On a global scale geo-political challenges, technological divides and economic imperatives create further barriers to successfully internationalise. Nationally some universities in the case of well-resourced universities, are better positioned to execute comprehensive internationalisation and spearhead technology enabled internationalisation whilst some universities are left far behind without even a comprehensive international office or internationalisation strategy in place. Yet, internationalisation is a critical foundation that underscores research, learning and teaching and community engagement imperatives of any institution.
This interactive workshop is designed for senior internationalisation practitioners who are directly involved in shaping and implementing global engagement strategies at their institutions. It will provide an in-depth, solutions-driven dialogue on the challenges of implementing internationalisation in a complex global environment, including regulatory frameworks, mobility funding, equitable partnerships, and student support structures.
Facilitated by senior internationalisation professionals with extensive experience, the workshop will offer strategic insights, practical case studies, and interactive group discussions to identify innovative solutions and institutional best practices. The session will also explore how South African universities can leverage their global position within the G20 context to create resilient, inclusive, and transformative internationalisation strategies. As a community of practice, it is imperative that we discuss the gaps, barriers and opportunities as a collective to better approach the ways in which we currently implement internationalisation at our institutions. This practical workshop will offer insights from diverse institutional perspectives including a university of technology and simultaneously leverage the expertise in the room to give shape to a meaningful understanding of the ways we are currently internationalising our institutions.
Space is limited to 30 participants. All participants will receive a certificate of completion.
Date:
Friday, 29 August 2025
Time:
08:00 – 14:00 (includes Lunch)
Venue:
Magnifica 3
Cost:
IEASA Members – R1600
Non-members – R2 200
Target Audience:
This workshop is specifically designed for mid-to-senior-level internationalisation practitioners who are involved in implementing institutional strategies for internationalisation. However, junior staff members may benefit from the insights shared during the session and can attend as part of their professional development.
Expected Learning Outcomes:
Participants will:
- Engage in a keynote address on current trends and systemic challenges in internationalisation.
- Participate in breakout sessions focusing on student mobility, staff exchange, institutional partnerships, and policy alignment.
- Collaborate with peers to develop practical action plans for overcoming institutional barriers.
- Discuss funding strategies and resource mobilisation for sustainable internationalisation.
- Gain insights into international student support models and regulatory compliance.
- This session will be a high-impact workshop aimed at strengthening South African higher education’s global engagement strategy while promoting collaborative solutions for resilient and inclusive internationalisation.
Schedule:
| 08:00 – 08:30 | Registration and Welcome (networking opportunity) |
| 08:30 –09:00 | Session 1: Opening & Scene Setting Objective: Establish context, define goals, and set expectations Welcome & Introduction Overview of IEASA’s role in shaping South Africa’s internationalisation agenda Setting the tone for the workshop Contextual and Theoretical Framing: Internationalisation in a Disruptive Global Environment Key trends affecting internationalisation: geopolitical shifts, digital transformation, funding constraints The intersection of education policy, partnerships, and social justice in global engagement |
| 09:00 –09:45 | Session 2: Identifying and Mapping Challenges in Internationalisation Panellists: Interactive Q&A & Audience Perspectives (15 min) |
| 09:45 – 10:45 | Session 3: Solutions-Focused Breakout Workshops (1 hour)
Format: |
| 10:45 –11:00 | Session 4: Institutional Readiness & Strategic Implementation Objective: Equip practitioners with frameworks and tools for practical implementation Mini Masterclass: Building a Future-Focused Internationalisation Strategy (30 min) Topics: Aligning internationalisation with institutional strategic goals Developing robust monitoring & evaluation frameworks Successful case studies from SA and global institutions Q&A & Reflections (15 min) |
| 11:00 – 11:30 | Refreshment Break |
| 11:30 – 12:00 | Session 4: Continued |
| 12:00 – 13:00 | Session 5: Next Steps & Closing Reflections Objective: Summarise key takeaways and outline future action points Roundtable Discussion: Moving Forward in Internationalisation Capturing institutional commitments and collaboration opportunities Closing Remarks Summary of key insights Acknowledgments and future IEASA engagement opportunities |
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch |
Facilitators:
- Tasmeera Singh, Manager: International Relations, Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships Directorate & IEASA Deputy Present (Cape Peninsula University of Technology)
- Dingaan Booi, International Relations Officer, Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships Directorate (Cape Peninsula University of Technology)
- Tracy Beckett, Manager International Relations (University of the Western Cape)
- Premlall Ramlachan, Adjunct Academic and Academic Collaborations (MANCOSA)
- Preshantha Reddy, Student Exchange/Study Abroad Coordinator (University of KwaZulu-Natal)
- Nombuso Mtshali, Head: Global Student Office (University of Kwa Zulu Natal)
Interactivity:
Interaction & Engagement Methods
- Breakout group discussions to explore specific challenges and solutions.
- Case study analyses on successful internationalisation strategies.
- Panel discussion with Q&A, where participants can ask questions and contribute insights.
- Interactive polling and digital collaboration tools for real-time engagement.
- Networking opportunities to foster collaboration among internationalisation practitioners during tea and lunch.
Materials:
Before the Workshop: Pre-reading materials on internationalisation trends and case studies.
During the Workshop: Presentation slides, discussion prompts, and case study materials.
After the Workshop: Summary report, implementation toolkit, and a recommended reading list
TITLE:
Shaping the Future of Microcredentials in South Africa’s NQF Ecosystem
The rapid global shift towards modular, stackable, and digitally verifiable learning has ignited interest in microcredentials. In South Africa, this shift presents both an opportunity and a challenge. The PoMiSA Country Report: South Africa (2024) highlights the growing use of short learning experiences across sectors and the imperative to define, regulate, and integrate microcredentials into the South African National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
SAQA, as the custodian of the NQF, is uniquely positioned to lead national dialogues that will shape how microcredentials are conceptualised, quality assured, and aligned with national policy objectives. This workshop seeks to gather multi-sectoral input to support the development of a national approach to microcredentials, one that is inclusive, labour-market-responsive, and future-ready.
Workshop objectives:
- To share insights from the PoMiSA study and related SAQA consultations.
- To consult stakeholders on the definition, form, and functionality of microcredentials.
- To explore how microcredentials can be integrated into the existing NQF ecosystem.
- To gather ideas on how to ensure accessibility, quality assurance, and labour market relevance.
- To lay the foundation for future guidelines, policies, and frameworks.
Space is limited to 30 participants. All participants will receive a certificate of completion.
Date:
Friday, 29 August 2025
Time:
13:00 – 17:00 (includes Lunch)
Venue:
Magnifica 1
Cost:
IEASA Members – R1600
Non-members – R2 200
Target Audience:
Stakeholders with beginner to advanced understanding of the South African education and training landscape
Expected Learning Outcomes:
- Clarified stakeholder perspectives on definitions and value of microcredentials.
- Key input for a draft framework for recognising microcredentials in the NQF.
- Improved understanding of implementation challenges and policy gaps.
- Foundation for further consultations with QCs, professional bodies, providers, and employers.
This workshop will be a vital step in shaping a responsive and inclusive approach to microcredentials that strengthens access, quality, and equity in South Africa’s learning ecosystem.
Schedule:
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch |
| 14:00 –14:15 | Welcome and Objectives
Opening by SAQA Executive. Overview of workshop aims and relevance to national education priorities |
| 14:15 –15:30 | Framing Input: Microcredentials in South Africa
|
| 15:30 – 16:00 | Refreshment Break |
| 16:00 – 16:15 | Interactive Poll and Breakout Groups
Participants are grouped (beginners, intermediate, advanced) to respond to three prompts: • What should a South African microcredential look like? • How can they serve learners, especially youth and informal workers? • What risks and opportunities do they pose? |
| 16:15 – 16:30 | Plenary Feedback and Discussion
Each group shares insights. Moderated discussion on stacking, RPL, articulation, and alignment with labour market data. |
| 16:30 –17:00 | Closing Remarks
Appreciation, next steps, and opportunities for ongoing engagement – We will include consulting on the data elements required for m/c’s ie. What information would we want to bring into our system (data fields related to NLRD) as well as Stakeholder mapping – who we should consult further? |
Facilitators:
- Nadia Starr, Chief Executive Officer of South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)
- Nolusindiso Kayi, Senior Manager South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)
Interactivity:
Participants will be divided in groups and facilitators will use different activities and techniques to facilitate learning between the group members as well as between groups.
Materials:
Handout and templates will be provided after the workshop
TITLE:
Erasmus+ as a driver for collaboration
Erasmus+ is a European Union programme that supports education, training, youth, and sport in Europe. It supports partnerships within Europe and with countries outside the EU, including South Africa. The programme focuses on higher education, vocational education, and youth mobility. The Erasmus+ Programme and its predecessor programmes have resulted in various mobilities on the individual level (students and staff) and projects of different nature within the PSET sector. The exact scope and nature of these interventions and the contribution of this investment by the EU on the South African PSET sector is not clear.
In the past 6 months the Department of Higher Education and Training in collaboration with the EU Delegation to South Africa undertook a comprehensive mapping that considers the full PSET sector from the individual to the system level as well as the Erasmus+ experience (individual and institutional level) will provide valuable insights and can inform further interventions to support the improvement of education and training in South Africa through people-to-people connectivity.
In this workshop, the presenters will delve deeper into the results of the mapping and use the results to offer practical and hands on skills to participate in upcoming Erasmus+ opportunities.
These will include:
– Understanding the opportunities for Erasmus+
– Grantwriting for Eramus+
– Setting up institutional structures
Space is limited to 30 participants. All participants will receive a certificate of completion.
Date:
Friday, 29 August 2025
Time:
13:00 – 18:00 (includes Lunch)
Venue:
Magnifica 2
Cost:
IEASA Members – R1600
Non-members – R2 200
Target Audience:
Staff responsible for student recruitment, marketing, international office, strategic planning
Both junior and senior; those with connections to internationalization.
Expected Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of the workshops, participants will be able to
- navigate Erasmus+ and other EU funded instruments
- gain new skills for grant writing including templates related to EU instruments
- engage with institutional systems that will support successful implementation
Schedule:
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch |
| 14:00 –14:30 | Settling in, knowing participants, setting the scene |
| 14:30 –15:30 | Understanding Erasmus and EU funding instruments; how is SA doing? |
| 15:30 – 16:00 | Refreshment Break |
| 16:00 – 18:00 | Writing a proposal for Erasmus; basic structure; tips and tricks; lessons learnt |
Facilitators:
- Ms Huba Boshoff, TheKnowledgeCollab
- Dr. Temwa Mayo, Director: International Scholarships: Department of Higher Education and Training
Interactivity:
Participants will be divided in groups and facilitators will use different activities and techniques to facilitate learning between the group members as well as between groups.
Materials:
Handout and templates will be provided after the workshop
TITLE:
From Policy to Practice: Inspiring Solutions for Establishing Joint Master’s and Doctoral Programmes in South Africa
Globally, there has been significant growth over the past two decades in joint and double degrees, which are regarded as important vehicles for deepening international collaboration (Aryeetey, 2024; Chan, 2021; Knight & Lee, 2021; Bamford, 2020; Kompanets & Väätänen, 2018). As such, they are prioritised as part of many institutions’ internationalisation strategies and form the basis for sharing resources and building strategic partnerships. Unsurprisingly, joint degrees recently ranked among the top five priorities of South African higher education institutions (SA HEIs) (IEASA, 2024). Joint and double degrees provide an effective mechanism to expand international research collaboration at the postgraduate student level by capitalising on the opportunity to enhance capacity through joint (shared) supervision, gain access to better (or differently) resourced institutions, and deepen international research partnerships through jointly awarding qualifications. However, international joint and double degrees are also complex to implement, as they intersect with countries’ national regulations and policies for the delivery and award of qualifications. In South Africa (SA), the Policy Framework on the Internationalisation of Higher Education in South Africa (PF) is the culmination of calls from the Higher Education (HE) sector for the state to formalise and prioritise internationalisation—a range of activities promoting the movement of students and researchers, but also of programmes —taking place in more or less organised ways between different SA HEIs and their international partners. The PF acknowledges that strengthening international research collaboration is a strategic priority for SA by emphasising the need to build global partnerships to expand access to research funding and facilities for local scholars, while also facilitating equitable and reciprocal access for international researchers to SA’s research environment (DHET, 2020). The PF chapter on Cross-Border and Collaborative Provision of Higher Education (DHET, 2020) provides guidance and provisions to regulate the engagement of institutions in collaborative degree programmes. Under this umbrella term, the PF identifies several types, including joint and double degrees (DHET, 2020). What has become clear from the presenter’s engagements with prospective and current partner institutions in various countries over time, and is also acknowledged in the scholarly literature, is that many definitions and terms describe collaborative degree programmes. In this terminologically fluid environment, it is also understood that other national and international bodies have developed their own, sometimes contradicting, definitions (Becker, 2020). However, despite sustained efforts to arrive at a common understanding (Knight, 2023; Knight & McNamara, 2017; Knight, 2011), a lack of clarity around the application of the terms double and joint degree (and related terms like double and joint diploma, dual award, etc.) persists. For international collaborative programmes in SA, implementation challenges arising from the PF have been highlighted (IEASA, 2024; Jooste & Hagenmeier, 2022). These are exacerbated by factors concerning the original drafting of the PF, key omissions, banning double degrees in a terminologically fluid context, and insufficient criteria to guide HE practitioners to implement international collaborative programmes confidently. This workshop seeks to offer some practical strategies for designing and implementing compliant international collaborative programmes within the constraints of the PF.
Space is limited to 30 participants. All participants will receive a certificate of completion.
Date:
Friday, 29 August 2025
Time:
13:00 – 18:00 (includes Lunch)
Venue:
Magnifica 3
Cost:
IEASA Members – R1600
Non-members – R2 200
Target Audience:
Higher Education practitioners, supervisors, higher degrees by research committee members, academic planning & quality assurance staff members, faculty administration, international office staff, and institutional policy advisors.
Expected Learning Outcomes:
- Interpreting the DHET Policy Framework on the Internationalisation of Higher Education in South Africa’s prescriptions and provisions in the Chapter on Cross-Border and Collaborative Provision of Higher Education
- Understanding the limitations of the Policy Framework’s prescriptions and provisions
- Developing practical strategies for designing and implementing compliant international collaborative programmes within the constraints of the Policy Framework.
Schedule:
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch |
| 14:00 –14:30 | Policy context |
| 14:30 –15:30 | Collaborative degree programmes – the usefulness of joint programmes as a concept |
| 15:30 – 16:00 | Refreshment Break |
| 16:00 – 18:00 | Practical strategies to evaluate international collaborative programme requests Best practice sharing for implementation. |
Facilitators:
- Ms Dorothy Stevens, Stellenbosch University
Interactivity:
Interactive engagement with the facilitator, advisable (but not essential) for participants to have prior experience of handling partner requests to establish an international collaborative programme, advisable (but not essential) for participants to have read the Policy Framework, especially the chapter on Cross-Border and Collaborative Provision of Higher Education. Participants can bring real-life examples of challenging cases that they were confronted with for discussion.
Materials:
A resource list will be shared.