The Engagement Institutional Retreat over two days was held at the Concert Hall on Bird Street Campus, with the first day focusing on developing a shared understanding of engagement through interactive discussions and group reflections.

The participants explored various perspectives of engagement and were introduced to the proposed Engagement Strategy Framework, which positions engagement at the intersection of academia, government, industry and civil society.

The session also highlighted the Uthethothethwano Olungenasiphelo Model and the Institutional Stakeholder Community Engagement Framework (ISCEF), adopted by Council in 2024. Discussions emphasised the need for structured planning, improved reporting, inclusive communication, and stronger recognition of engagement within institutional systems. Faculties, centres and units also shared examples of their engagement initiatives and partnerships.

The focus on strengthening institutional support and enhancing the impact of engagement were enhanced with presentations covering the Engagement Excellence Awards, the Engagement Advancement Fund, the mapping of engagement activities across the University, and the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) approach used to assess engagement outcomes.

The retreat concluded with reflections and an action-planning session aimed at improving coordination, collaboration and sustainability of engagement initiatives across the institution.

As a valuable platform for knowledge sharing and strategic dialogue, the retreat enforced Mandela University’s commitment to transformative engagement and meaningful partnerships with communities and stakeholders.