Venice International University is proud to announce a prestigious new member: Stellenbosch University (South Africa).
SU is the first member university from the African continent and this new constituent will open up a broad range of stimulating opportunities for all in the VIU Network.
The arrival of SU comes after a visit to Venice International University in 2018 of a delegation from Stellenbosch, led by Prof Hester Klopper, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Strategy and Internationalisation at SU.
On October 29, 2019 in a unanimous decision, the VIU Assembly (Rectors of the member universities) approved the formal application of Stellenbosch University to join the VIU consortium.
Ambassador Umberto Vattani, President of VIU, described SU as a scientific leader that has much to offer to the Members of VIU. He said he was looking forward to the contribution of SU researchers with “delightful anticipation".
The formal affiliation was signed at the Stellenbosch main campus on Friday 1 November 2019 by Professor Wim de Villiers, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of SU, and Ambassador Umberto Vattani, in the presence of Mr Lorenzo Fioramonti, the Italian Minister of Education, Universities and Research. The Minister described the participation of SU in the VIU consortium as a springboard for strengthening relations between universities in Italy and South Africa.
Fioramonti said that the Italian government has decided to partner and invest in a selected group of universities that has the potential to make the biggest impact in scientific research – not only in their home countries but globally. He said SU formed part of this group of Universities of impact.
Stellenbosch University (SU) is amongst South Africa's leading tertiary institutions based on research output, student pass rates and rated scientists, and is recognised internationally as an academic institution of excellence. SU has ten faculties: AgriSciences, Economic and Management Sciences, Medicine and Health Sciences, Engineering, Military Sciences, Arts and Social Sciences, Science, Education, Law and Theology. The University is home to an academic community of 29,000 students (including 4,000 foreign students from 100 countries) as well as 3,000 permanent staff (including 1,000 academics) on five campuses.
