On 7 April 2025, the University of Johannesburg (UJ) welcomed a high-level delegation from Finland’s Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, hosted by Professor Kat Yassim from UJ’s Faculty of Education. The visit marked a strategic step towards deepening academic collaboration between the two institutions, with a focus on innovation in teaching and learning, vocational education, and research.

The Haaga-Helia delegation comprised Professor Teemu Kokko, CEO and Vice-Chancellor, and Dr Crister Nyberg, Director of the School of Professional Teacher Education. UJ’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi, was in attendance alongside the Dean of the Faculty of Education, Professor Nadine Petersen, and other senior leaders, including Prof Ylva Rodney-Gumede (Senior Director: Internationalisation), Prof Sarita Ramsaroop (Deputy Dean: Research), Ms Anisa Khan (Director: Academic Services), Prof Naicker (Head of Department: DELM), Prof Seyama, and Dr Mkhize.

Dr Nyberg delivered an insightful presentation on Haaga-Helia’s model, highlighting its achievements in vocational teacher education, curriculum development, and innovative pedagogies. His overview set the tone for a rich dialogue around potential collaborative projects that align with both institutions’ strategic goals.

Key areas of collaboration explored included:

• Sustainable education pathways, with a spotlight on vocational education and its articulation within higher education frameworks.
• Special needs integration in teacher and vocational educator training.
• Joint development of alternative MBA programmes, such as Haaga-Helia’s innovative MBA in Pedagogy in Higher Education.
• Designing custom training packages in curriculum, pedagogy, and school leadership to benefit both UJ and Haaga-Helia staff.
• Strengthening the GINTL Africa network through shared innovations in teaching and the integration of AI in education.
• Joint research proposals and funding applications in mutually beneficial areas.

Following the formal discussions, the delegates were treated to a dinner that allowed for informal networking and deeper exploration of specific collaboration opportunities.

Professor Kat Yassim underscored the importance of contextual relevance, noting, “The need to learn from successful programmes that show promise in Finland could be useful, but the African context must be taken into account.”

Reflecting on Haaga-Helia’s pedagogical innovation, Prof Rodney-Gumede remarked, “It is interesting to see how you have reimagined the MBA programme to include other areas not usually linked to MBAs.”

This strategic engagement is expected to enhance UJ’s global stature, create new opportunities for postgraduate students and academic staff, and inform national conversations on sustainable pathways in vocational and special needs education.