Building Bridges: Developing Internationalisation Skills for Professional Staff in South African Universities

About the training:

Most South African public universities have adopted or are in the process of adopting internationalisation in some form. However, limited capacity, staff mobility, and budget constraints create an ongoing need to equip professional staff with the knowledge and skills to understand and operationalise internationalisation. This is particularly important following the promulgation of the Policy Framework for Internationalisation of Higher Education in South Africa. As no training workshops on the Policy have yet been conducted, staff responsible for its implementation and reporting require a sound understanding of internationalisation, particularly comprehensive internationalisation. The training therefore aimed to empower professional and administrative staff at South African public universities, particularly Historically Disadvantaged Institutions (HDIs), with the knowledge and skills to support internationalisation within the context of the National Policy Framework. As the operational backbone of universities, professional staff need to understand the value of internationalisation both institutionally and within their specific areas of responsibility. Equipping them to support the work of international offices builds institutional capacity without requiring additional appointments and helps advance comprehensive internationalisation across both administrative and academic functions.

Expected learning outcomes:

At the end of the training, participants should be able to:

• Define internationalisation within the context of higher education, as well as within their department,
• Report on internationalisation activities in their department as required by the South African National Policy Framework,
• Understand how to handle documentation, processes and regulations involving international staff, students and visitors,
• Recognise the role of professional staff in supporting internationalisation efforts on their respective campuses,
• Develop a strategic plan/project plan to enhance internationalisation within their role.

Target group:

The target group was specific. Participants would be professional staff in public universities, specifically HDI’s, in South Africa. These professional staff would further be working in the following departments: Admissions, Finance, Human Resources, School/Faculty Operations Managers, Marketing and Communications.

Training dates:

• Workshop 1: 4th to 6th March 2026, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University
• Workshop 2: 2nd to 4th September 2026, Mangosuthu University of Technology