Unisa meets Kagiso in new partnership
In a new partnership, the Kagiso library and Unisa will collaborate to make access to education easier.
Studying has just become easier for Unisa students based in Kagiso. Thanks to a new partnership they will be able to access their university and study material much easier.
This development became official when the parties involved signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) in June this year.
“As an open distance learning institution, Unisa often looks at its services and processes with the aim of improving them so that our students could benefit. In this case, we wanted to take services to our students so that they do not have to travel all the way to the nearest regional service centre to access such service when they can get it closer to their homes via our partner organisations and institutions,” said Gilbert Mokwatedi, communication and marketing manager at Unisa.
The service became available at the beginning of the month when Unisa staff started training officials at the Krugersdorp Library and a sample of students. They then rolled it out to Kagiso and the rest of the students. This is a much-needed service as the university has about 20 000 registered students at the Science campus in Florida, which serves the West Rand.
“Unisa attaches strong importance to creating and harnessing relations with its stakeholders. This includes establishing strategic partnerships with organisations or institutions where such partnerships or collaborations would add value to the university’s core business, being teaching and learning, research and innovation, community engagement and outreach,” Gilbert told the News.
Locals who wish to take advantage of this service can contact Unisa’s main library via the online facility and request books and other publications to be couriered to the Kagiso public library.
“They go to Kagiso public library and collect the items sent by Unisa. Later they can return the items to Kagiso public library, who would courier it back to Pretoria,” said Gilbert.
Students will also be trained to use the library related technology used by Unisa.
“They get this training at the Kagiso library and it relates to internet access and usage with regard to databases, electronic reserves, journals and related books. Unisa students would also be provided with study space at the library.” Gilbert told the News.
The West Rand DA has come out to support this partnership.
“As a DA-led administration, we believe that only quality education will allow us to deliver on our vision of opportunities for all. We have promised to deliver more jobs and opportunities where we govern. Enabling our students to have easy access to the facilities they need to successfully complete their studies is one of the ways we are delivering on that promise,” Mogale City Executive Mayor Lynn Pannall said in a press statement.
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