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Minister Manamela urges universities to prepare students for AI

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Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela asked universities to prepare students for a world shaped by AI. He spoke on Thursday at the 4th Universities South Africa Higher Education Conference.

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela asked universities to prepare students for a world shaped by AI. He spoke on Thursday at the 4th Universities South Africa Higher Education Conference. Manamela said universities must move beyond general talk and make practical choices on teaching, assessment and research.

He said South Africa must ask who builds AI, whose languages it uses, who controls the infrastructure and who benefits.

Key facts

Who
Buti Manamela (Higher Education and Training Minister); Universities South Africa (conference organiser); Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (conference venue host)
What
Buti Manamela, Higher Education and Training Minister, delivered a keynote address at the 4th Universities South Africa Higher Education Conference, calling on universities to prepare graduates for an AI-driven future and to develop South Africa's capacity to shape AI technology. He said universities must move beyond general discussions about AI and make practical choices about teaching…
When
8 October 2026
Where
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)…
Status
Reported

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