ZJU strengthens ties with South Africa’s Eskom and top universities

As the 2025 rotating chair of the G20, South Africa will host the G20 Summit andbring Africa and the “Global South” to the forefront of global discussions. On October 10, the G20 Energy Transitions Working Group Ministerial Meeting, a key event aimed at enhancing international cooperation to ensure access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy worldwide.

At the invitation of the organizers, WANG Lizhong, Vice President of Zhejiang University, attended the meeting and, on behalf of the university, signed a memorandum of understanding with Dan Marokane, CEO of Eskom, South Africa’s national power utiltiy. The signing ceremony was witnessed by LI Zhigong, Chinese Consul General in Durban, and Clive Le Roux, an Eskom Board member representing the South African Ministry of Electricity and Energy.

Under the agreement, ZJU will offer high-quality, tailor-made training programs for Eskom’s management and technical personnel, sharing Zhejiang’s development experience and China’s innovative approaches to accelerate South Africa’s energy transition.

At the signing ceremony, WANG Lizhong noted that although China and South Africa are separated by vast oceans, shared challenges and aspirations closely connect the two nations. “Guided by the Global Development Initiative and ZJU’s strategy of global engagement, we will leverage our interdisciplinary strengths in energy and related fieldsto drive tangible cooperation with Eskom and advance joint research in clean energy,” he said. “Together, we hope to contribute to deeper South–South collaboration and global sustainable development.”

Marokanecommended the partnership for its efficiency and progress within just one year of dialogue. “China has accumulated valuable experience in energy transition,” he noted. “We believe our collaboration with ZJU will significantly enhance Eskom’s management and research capabilities, helping us navigate the complex challenges of integrating renewable energy into our national grid.”

Candice Hartley, Eskom’s Chief People Officer, highlighted the long-term vision behind the partnership. “It takes ten years to grow a tree but a hundred years to educate a person,” she said. “Eskom understands the importance of cultivating the next generation of talent, and we hope this collaboration will benefit not only South Africa but the African continent as a whole.”

During the visit, the ZJU delegation also held detailed discussions with Eskom on training implementation and joined an Energy Transition Forum attended by representatives from the South African government, the African Union, the G20, international organizations, and industry leaders. The event was graced by Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, South Africa’s Minister of Electricity and Energy.

Beyond industry partnerships, fostering ties with top universities in South Africa was another key objective of the visit. On October 9, Wang and his delegation visited the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, where they were warmly welcomed by Professor Lynn Morris, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Innovation, and Professor Thokozani Majozi, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment and President of the Academy of Science of South Africa.

The two sides exchanged insights on institutional development, academic strengths, and international education initiatives, and explored opportunities for cooperation in engineering, artificial intelligence, and sustainable development. They reached a preliminary consensus on establishing an inter-university partnership, deepening student exchanges, and building long-term research collaboration mechanisms.

The ZJU delegation also toured the Evolutionary Studies Institute, the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and the School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand, engaging in in-depth discussions on prospective research collaborations.

During the visit, the delegation briefed officials from the National Energy Administration of China and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization on relevant issues, and paid courtesy visits to the Chinese Consulate-General in Durban and the South Africa–China People’s Friendship Association. These engagements aimed to further enhance educational and technological cooperation between China and South Africa under the guidance and support of multiple partners.

Translator: FANG Fumin
Editor: HAN Xiao