Held from 04 to 11 October 2026, the week-long programme allowed students to apply their disciplinary knowledge to contemporary environmental and socio-economic challenges while developing innovative and sustainable solutions.
Participants represented a range of academic disciplines, including Forestry, Nature Conservation, Natural Resource Management, Education and Sustainable Tourism. Working in multidisciplinary teams enabled them to draw on different perspectives and approaches to problem-solving, with a focus on balancing environmental sustainability, community development, tourism opportunities and resource management.
UMP's participation involved students and staff from the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Sciences (FANS), the Faculty of Business, Education and Social Sciences (FBES), and the Faculty of Education.
Academic Mentorship and Programme Coordination
Six academics from UMP and NMU served as mentors, guiding student teams throughout the challenge. The UMP mentors were Dr Lucky Makhubele (Forestry), Dr Konani Thwala (Sustainable Tourism), Mr Rofhiwa Isaac Nethanani (Forestry) and Mr Washington Makuzva. They were joined by Mr Lisakhanya Ndovela and Ms Samukelisiwe Msweli from NMU.
The mentors supported students in refining their ideas, critically evaluating proposed solutions and developing recommendations that were both innovative and practical. They also facilitated challenge sessions, contributing to interactive learning, knowledge sharing and capacity development.
The programme was coordinated by Dr Ratsodo Phillip Tshidzumba from UMP and Dr Rhoda Malgas from NMU. Their role included guiding the overall process and creating a learning environment that encouraged collaboration, creativity and critical thinking.
Applying Knowledge to Real-World Challenges
Throughout the week, students engaged with challenge briefs, stakeholder perspectives and contextual information about the Blyde Canyon Landscape. Working intensively in multidisciplinary teams, they identified key issues and explored potential interventions to support the area's long-term sustainability and development.
At the conclusion of the programme, the teams presented a range of proposed solutions for consideration. Their presentations demonstrated how knowledge from different disciplines could be integrated to address complex, real-world challenges.
The Future21 Student Challenge highlighted the value of interdisciplinary learning, academic mentorship and experiential education. It also strengthened collaboration between UMP and NMU, providing students with an opportunity to contribute their knowledge and ideas towards addressing environmental and societal challenges.
The programme further illustrated the potential of partnerships between universities, academics, students and civil society to foster innovation and prepare graduates to address pressing challenges in South Africa and beyond.
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