Belgium Campus iTversity, which specialises in Information Technology skills training, is hosting the South African leg of an international student exchange initiative known as BusIT Week on the topic ‘Smart Cities: FoodRescue South Africa: Nourishing Communities’.
The initiative, organised by a network of partners, universities, and university colleges of Applied Sciences, aims to facilitate short-term international experiences for students. International BusIT Week is a product of Businet, a group of international tertiary institutions such as universities dedicated to creating international experiences for students.
Each year, every institution in the group hosts a BusIT Week and the event is open to all students from first to final years. The week provides an opportunity for students to make use of their technical skills, while burnishing their social and interpersonal skills. “It provides a space where people from diverse cultural backgrounds and geographic locations can share knowledge and ideas, creating room for new lines of dialogue which may not have otherwise existed. It also provides students an opportunity to collaborate with international peers for professional development beyond their home countries,” explains Francois Venter, Project Lead on Internationalisation at Belgium Campus.
The aim of the selected topic, ‘Smart Cities: FoodRescue South Africa: Nourishing Communities’, he says, is to empower students to tackle food shortages using cutting-edge Internet of Things (IoT) technology. ”The goal is to develop and showcase a functional IoT prototype that provides people from a community assistance in maintaining a healthy system. This prototype will demonstrate the potential of IoT technology to contribute to sustainable solutions addressing food shortages, offering tangible proof of concept and inspiring further innovation in the field.”
Venter adds: “It’s about creating a much more rounded student, culturally aware and able to work across time zones and cultural aspects and stems from long-term partnerships with international partners, aligning with Belgium Campus’s commitment to internationalisation and its longstanding relationships within the network.”
BusIT Week further aligns with the institutions’ focus on cultural and IT skills. “IT is a massive growing field that we need to expose students to. The initiative provides students with valuable experiences in working across time zones and cultural boundaries, ultimately enhancing their professional readiness and global perspective,” says Venter.
The selection criteria is entirely inclusive, emphasising Belgium Campus’s commitment to providing opportunities for all students, regardless of their academic year. While certain skill levels are required, students at any stage of their academic journey are welcome to join, fostering a collaborative environment where students support each other’s learning.
South Africa in turn brings much to the BusIT Week, through its diverse cultural character. “Unlike European partners where national cultural similarities may prevail, South Africa presents a distinct cultural landscape of 12 official languages, enriching the learning experience for visiting students. Furthermore, the exchange of technical knowledge between international and South African students ensures a mutually beneficial learning environment.”
