Kwaluseni – The Ministry of Education and Training brought together universities and industry players at the UNESWA Sports Emporium for a networking event aimed at ensuring that graduates coming out of higher learning institutions meet the demands of the job market.
The event was attended by key higher learning institutions, particularly the University of Eswatini and Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, alongside industry representatives. The ministry was represented by Eswatini Qualifications Authority Executive Secretary Mboni Dlamini.
European Union Ambassador Karsten Mecklenburg was among the guest speakers during the opening session. He said a strong partnership between academia and industry stands to benefit both sides. “Businesses benefit from fresh ideas, research collaboration and a skilled workforce [while] universities benefit from practical insights, technological exposure and stronger graduate employability,” he said. 
The Ambassador said successful collaboration requires continuous dialogue, mutual trust, openness to innovation and sustained commitment from all stakeholders. He encouraged universities to “remain flexible and responsive to emerging industry trends; industry to invest in mentorship, training opportunities and curriculum engagement; policymakers to create enabling environments for collaboration and students to actively participate as co-creators of their learning journeys.”
The collaboration is also expected to prepare graduates to create jobs, lead innovation and contribute to national development.
The EU pledged to continue supporting the higher education sector in its efforts to improve academic quality and prepare graduates for the evolving labour market.
The event is held under the EU Erasmus+ project, which focuses on university and industry co-creation to build entrepreneurial universities across the SADC region.
