Unisa welcomes its very first international exchange student, Mihai Vlad, from the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (BUES) in Bucharest, Romania. Mihai is a recipient of the Erasmus+ grant from the European Union (EU) and will spend a semester at Unisa.

The Erasmus+ Programme of the EU aims to advance collaboration, internationalisation and international education, and promote diversity among the collaborating nations of the world. In this instance, the programme serves to promote the Unisa footprint, brand and academic programmes, as well as the institution’s positioning internationally.

From left: Prof Cina van Zyl (Supervisor, CEMS), Dr MaseTshaba Mantepu (Acting Executive Dean, CEMS), Mihai Vlad (international exchange student), Dr Nthabeleng Mmako (Supervisor, CEMS) and S Mgidi (Office of the Executive Dean)

Upon his arrival at Unisa, Mihai was welcomed by colleagues form the Internationalisation and Partnerships Directorate at the Department of Institutional Advancement (DIA), who had to ensure his safe arrival and comfortable stay in Pretoria. He was also connected with a former student, Qhama Mati, who finished her studies in 2023. As a Unisa student ambassador, Qhama is familiar with this exchange programme as she was also granted the Erasmus+ scholarship in 2023, to spend a semester abroad at the Romanian American University in Bucharest, Romania. She finished her programme with great results.

The programme aims to advance the university’s collaboration and internationalisation, and to promote Unisa’s academic programmes and brand internationally. Mihai is hosted by Unisa for the duration of his studies, which will end in December 2024.

Mihai’s programme at Unisa is coordinated by the Internationalisation and Partnerships Directorate, working with colleagues at the College of Economic and Management Sciences (CEMS), the Deputy Registrar and his team, and the Teaching, Learning, Community Engagement and Student Support Portfolio (TLCESSP). Mihai will follow a specially designed programme of study on International Business and Entrepreneurship from CEMS. The study programme concludes in December 2024.

In a meet-and-greet that took place on 10 September 2024, the Acting Executive Dean of CEMS, Dr MaseTshaba Mantepu, and Mihai’s two supervisors, Dr Nthabeleng Mmako and Prof Cina van Zyl, welcomed him and reassured him of their full support in all areas of his studies and stay in South Africa. Mantepu said: "We are really excited to host our first international student under the Erasmus+ programme and we are looking forward to receiving many more in the near future."

From left: Lerato Montsa (administrator), Mihai Vlad (international exchange student) and Dr Angeline Magabane (Director: Internationalisation and Partnerships)

Upon successful completion of his studies, Mihai is expected to receive a certificate confirming that he successfully completed a semester abroad with Unisa, and BUES will credit him for the work completed at Unisa.

Mihai is pleased to be at Unisa, and says he is happy to be hosted by one of the biggest universities in the world as the first formal exchange student at Unisa. He will be using his time to study, explore the country and learn about the different cultures in South Africa. "South Africa is a very beautiful country and looks like nothing that I have seen on the internet, and I have no doubt that I will enjoy my stay here," said Mihai.  

* By Allie Mathebula, Collaborations Officer, Internationalisation and Partnerships