Bryant University has entered a strategic partnership with the University of Cape Town (UCT), the highest-ranked university in Africa according to U.S. News & World Report, strengthening academic collaboration and global engagement between the two institutions.
The agreement, formalized through a memorandum of understanding, establishes a framework for semester-long and short-term student exchanges, joint research initiatives, faculty and staff mobility, shared academic resources, and collaborative conferences and seminars.
Bryant University President Ross Gittell, Ph.D., said the partnership reflects the institution’s commitment to cross-border collaboration. “It’s important to have engagements that are cooperative, that cross continents and cultures, and that bring individuals and institutions together,” he said. “It reflects our view here, at Bryant University, that education can be advanced through global partnerships, collaborative learning, and shared experiences.”
UCT Vice-Chancellor and Principal Mosa Moshabela, M.D., Ph.D., emphasized the shared priorities driving the collaboration. “We were very much struck by the depth of common ground and a shared commitment to entrepreneurship, innovation, experiential and applied learning, and leadership development,” he said, adding that both institutions aim to ensure impact “not just on our campuses, but also in our communities and society at large.”
The partnership was facilitated by philanthropist and business leader Strive Masiyiwa, co-chair of Bryant’s Global Advisory Council. It also aligns with broader efforts at both universities to integrate emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, into teaching and research.
University officials said the collaboration builds on Bryant’s experiential learning model and international initiatives, providing students and faculty with expanded opportunities to develop global competencies and leadership skills in a competitive global economy.
