Ekurhuleni University of Applied Science & Innovation

Strategic Aim I — Building the university of the future

Only
Metro without a university
3.4M
Population
Dual
Education model
Industry
First curriculum

Mandate A Presidential Commitment

On 23 August 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the people of Ekurhuleni at Tsakane Stadium during a Presidential Imbizo. He committed to the establishment of the Ekurhuleni University of Applied Science and Innovation as a priority of the 7th Administration.

Ekurhuleni is the only metropolitan municipality in South Africa without a university — despite being home to 3.4 million people and major economic infrastructure including the OR Tambo International Airport, the Gauteng Industrial Development Zone, and Africa's largest fresh produce market.

Model The Dual Education System

A structured alternation between classroom learning and paid workplace training — the model that built Germany's manufacturing economy.

Step 1
Academic Learning
3 months of theoretical education at the university
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Step 2
Workplace Training
3 months of structured, paid work at an industry partner
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Step 3
Assessment
Joint evaluation by university and employer
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Step 4
Certification
Industry-recognised qualification upon completion
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Step 5
Employment
Direct pathway to full-time employment or enterprise creation

Unlike traditional universities where students graduate with theory but no experience, the dual model produces graduates who are already productive employees on day one.

Partnership Industry Partners Chamber

The IPC is the structural pillar connecting academia to industry. Corporate Chapter members contribute directly to curriculum design, provide workplace training placements, and co-fund research.

Curriculum Co-Design

Industry informs what students learn, ensuring relevance to market needs

Placement Coordination

Students rotate through IPC member companies for structured training

Applied Research

Joint R&D projects between university and industry, commercialised through IPC

Policy Support NACI Advisory Support

The National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI) has provided strategic recommendations for the university's establishment, including applied science orientation, entrepreneurial focus, and metro-level integration.

Key Recommendations

  • Adopt an applied science and technology orientation aligned with Ekurhuleni's industrial base and the national NDP objectives
  • Embed entrepreneurship and innovation as cross-cutting competencies across all programmes, not limited to a single faculty
  • Integrate the university into the metropolitan STI ecosystem through formal partnerships with existing TVETs, UoTs, and research councils
  • Establish the Industry Partners Chamber as a governance-level body with representation on the university council, not merely an advisory panel
  • Prioritise STEM disciplines and 4IR-aligned curricula — particularly advanced manufacturing, logistics, aerospace, and agri-processing — to address the metro's specific economic profile

Triple Helix Government × Industry × Academia

The triple helix model positions the STI Business Forum at the intersection of the three institutional spheres that drive innovation ecosystems.

Government
  • Department of Science, Technology & Innovation
  • Department of Higher Education & Training
  • Department of Trade, Industry & Competition
  • Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality
Industry
  • Corporate Chapter members
  • Industry Partners Chamber
  • State-Owned Enterprises
  • Start-up Chapter ventures
Academia
  • Universities of Technology
  • TVET Colleges
  • National Research Councils
  • Professional Chapter members
STI Business Forum

Coordination Working Group Alignment

Working Group 10: University Planning — coordinates the detailed planning, stakeholder engagement, and implementation roadmap for the university. This dedicated working group ensures that curriculum development, site selection, governance design, and regulatory approvals proceed in parallel with sustained input from all three helix pillars.

Shape the University of the Future

Join the Corporate Chapter to co-design curriculum, fund applied research, and provide workplace training placements.

Join the Corporate Chapter View Working Groups