Timed just ahead of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) Annual General Meeting in Bristol, these concurrent visits allowed the University’s senior leadership to reaffirm institutional ties, explore major joint research initiatives, and expand mobility opportunities for students and staff.
Reaffirming ties with the University of Cape Town
Sheffield was delighted to welcome Professor Thokozani Majozi, UCT’s newly appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Internationalisation, alongside Ayanda Mthethwa (acting Lead for International Research Networks, Partnerships, and Collaboration).
As Africa’s top-ranked institution, UCT has been a vital partner for Sheffield. This visit marked a crucial moment to reinforce bilateral commitments.
A rapidly growing transnational partnership
Since 2022 UCT has established long-term bilateral ties, the partnership has accelerated rapidly across four core global 'Grand Challenges':
- Energy
- Sustainable Food
- Water Research
- Urban Research
Key milestones in the UCT-Sheffield partnership:
- 12 academic exchanges: Funded by the UK International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF), driving collaborative ODA-funded research.
- UCT Summer School: Sheffield will send 15 undergraduate students to Cape Town in June 2026 for a bespoke two-week programme focusing on global citizenship and social justice. This is our third year doing so.
- Partnership Development Fund: UCT is currently the most popular partner for Sheffield applicants, with 12 collaborative awards made to date spanning research, mobility, and education.
Welcoming the University of Alberta for inaugural presidential visit
Simultaneously, the University hosted an inaugural presidential visit from Canada’s University of Alberta (UoA). Professor Koen Lamberts, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, met with UoA’s President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bill Flanagan, alongside Dan Fredrick, UoA's Director of Global Engagement.
They were joined on campus by Professor André McDonald (Executive Director of the Alberta Advanced Manufacturing International Hub), who has been spending the 2025/26 academic year as a visiting professor at Sheffield.
The UoA partnership focuses on high-impact sectors including Health & AI, Energy, Manufacturing, alongside joint investments and professional service knowledge sharing.
Active collaborations include:
- Horizon Europe bids: Professor McDonald is currently collaborating with Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) on two major Horizon Europe proposals one focused on Human/AI workforce collaboration and another on automated robotic solutions for sustainable construction.
- Joint seed funding: A three-year, £84,000 (CAD $150,000) joint research seed grant programme is actively supporting three major Health and AI projects.
- Growing support: The Partnership Development Fund has already backed six joint initiatives between the two institutions.
President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, Professor Koen Lambert, commented: “It was a pleasure to welcome such esteemed colleagues from the University of Cape Town and the University of Alberta to our campus.
"We were delighted to host Professor Thokozani Majozi and Ayanda Mthethwa from UCT, this visit served as a vital opportunity to reaffirm our long-standing institutional ties.
"Equally, we were honoured to host Professor Bill Flanagan from University of Alberta for his inaugural presidential visit to Sheffield, alongside Dan Fredrick and Professor Andre McDonald. Having Professor McDonald with us as a visiting professor already enriches our academic and student community, and this formal visit allows us to further strengthen the strategic bonds between our two universities.
"These visits, scheduled ahead of the World Universities Network (WUN) Annual General Meeting, highlight the University of Sheffield’s commitment to developing global research networks and deepening our collaborations with world-leading partners across the WUN."
Looking to the future
These high-profile visits underscore the University of Sheffield’s commitment to driving world-class, international research networks that solve real-world problems. By deepening ties with top-tier global institutions like UCT and UAlberta, Sheffield continues to expand international relations for its academic community and its student body.
Further support and funding for collaborations with both UCT and UAlberta are available via Global Engagement’s Partnership Development Fund. For more information on how to get involved, please contact Danielle Bertrand, Senior International Partnerships Manager (Global Engagement).