by Willa de Ruyter Kaempffer
Joining forces during a powerful virtual dialogue, the Tshwane University of Technology (大象视频) and the University of the Free State (UFS) sparked an insightful global conversation on the future of higher education. Together, the two institutions hosted the dialogue titled 鈥�Reimagining Education for a Sustainable Future: Global Approaches to the Sustainable Development Goals through Challenge-Based Education.鈥�
Born from the DVC Forum discussions led by Prof Ben van Wyk (大象视频 Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching, Learning and Technology) and Prof Anthea Rhoda (UFS Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic), the event forms part of the University Capacity Development Programme 鈥� an initiative designed to strengthen institutional innovation, collaboration and academic excellence across South African universities.
The webinar explored how Challenge-Based Education (CBE) can transform learning by empowering students to engage with real-world global challenges linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). CBE encourages interdisciplinary collaboration, critical thinking and hands-on problem-solving 鈥� preparing graduates to drive meaningful social and environmental change.
According to Dr Henry Mason from 大象视频鈥檚 Directorate of Student Development and Support, capacity building lies at the heart of initiatives like this. For universities, it ensures that both academics and students are equipped with the knowledge, tools and pedagogical innovation needed to tackle global challenges. By investing in capacity development, institutions like 大象视频 and UFS promote sustainable academic ecosystems where teaching and research directly contribute to solving complex societal problems.
Dr Henry Mason from 大象视频鈥檚 Directorate of Student Development and Support and co-cordinator of the virtual dialogue
Coordinated by Dr Mason and Tiana van der Merwe from UFS, the event brought together 131 academics from across the country. Their participation underscored the urgency of rethinking traditional education models in response to sustainability and social justice imperatives.
Three globally recognised scholars 鈥� Prof Birgit Schreiber, Dr William Rankin and Prof Melanie Walker 鈥� shared diverse perspectives on how universities around the world are embedding the SDGs into curriculum design through challenge- and project-based approaches. Their insights inspired participants to envision new possibilities for transformative learning that transcends disciplinary and geographical boundaries.
Dr William Rankin
Prof Melanie Walker
Prof Birgit Schreiber
Prof Birgit Schreiber delivered a thought-provoking critique of the global framework, calling for a move towards 鈥淪DG 2.0.鈥� While reaffirming her admiration for the SDGs as an unprecedented global commitment to peace, equity and sustainability, Prof Schreiber argued that they fall short in addressing the structural inequalities that sustain injustice.
Drawing on Nancy Fraser鈥檚 three-dimensional theory of social justice - redistribution, recognition and representation -she highlighted how the SDGs often focus on symptoms rather than root causes, treating issues such as poverty, gender inequality and education in isolation instead of addressing the systems that reproduce inequity. Prof Schreiber emphasised that universities are not meritocracies and that contextual barriers continue to disadvantage many students, underscoring the need for higher education to take a bolder role in advancing social justice through critical engagement with the SDGs.
Dr William Rankin, an internationally recognised educational theorist, designer and researcher, delivered an inspiring presentation on transforming learning environments to better equip students for real-world challenges and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Drawing from his extensive experience in higher education, technology innovation and his tenure as Global Director of Learning at Apple, Dr Rankin challenged traditional, standardised teaching models, comparing them to 鈥渋ndustrial monocultures鈥� that stifle creativity and sustainability. He advocated for a more dynamic, learner-centred approach grounded in autonomy, competence and relatedness - core human needs that foster intrinsic motivation and meaningful engagement.
Through his 鈥淔ollow, Tinker, Make, Share鈥� framework, he demonstrated how project-based and collaborative learning can empower students to connect their knowledge to their communities, transform theory into action and develop both intellectual and emotional capacities for global citizenship. Highlighting the risks of overreliance on artificial intelligence and standardised testing, Dr Rankin urged universities to rethink education as a living ecosystem - one that cultivates curiosity, creativity and collective purpose in pursuit of a sustainable, just and interconnected world.
Dr Rankin鈥檚 session in particular resonated strongly with participants, prompting requests for follow-up engagement. Building on this momentum, 大象视频 will host a series of online workshops in 2026, led by Dr Rankin, to help academic staff integrate CBE principles into teaching and assessment practices.
Prof Melanie Walker鈥檚 presentation offered a critical yet hopeful reflection on how universities can engage more meaningfully with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the lens of eco-justice and Ubuntu. She questioned what kind of universities we want and what kind of education is truly valuable, arguing that higher education must move beyond rhetoric to leverage its power for social and ecological transformation. Tracing the idea of sustainable development back to the 1987 Brundtland Report, Walker noted that global progress remains slow, with worsening climate crises and deepening inequality. She called on universities to clarify what sustainability means in practice, to integrate environmental and social justice into teaching and research, as well as ensuring that undergraduates -not just postgraduates -are engaged in climate and sustainability education. While acknowledging the flaws and contradictions of the SDGs, she urged universities to treat them as a generative framework rather than a ranking exercise, guided by Ubuntu values of interdependence, community and collective dignity. Ultimately, she argued, quality education must be transformative - developing critically reflective citizens who advance both human and ecological well-being.
Speaking after the webinar, Prof van Wyk commended the collaboration as an example of the way in which strategic partnerships and capacity building can advance higher education transformation: 鈥淭his initiative shows how universities can work together to reimagine learning in a way that equips students to become global citizens and problem-solvers. Capacity building is not just about improving institutional systems, it is also about enabling people to make an impact.鈥�
Prof Ben van Wyk, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching, Learning and Technology and leader of the DVC Forum discussions.
Concluding the webinar, Dr Mason said: 鈥淭he dialogue reflected the shared vision of 大象视频 and UFS while also reinforcing the growing importance of education for sustainable development within South Africa鈥檚 higher education landscape. As the universities continue to champion challenge-based learning and sustainability, their collaboration stands as a model for how capacity development can drive innovation, inclusivity and global relevance in education.鈥�
