“We are empowering the generation of problem-solvers by equipping them with future-proof skills and giving them practical understanding of the technologies that will shape their future and enrich sustainable growth of the world.” That’s how Hlubi Shivanda at Samsung Electronics South Africa, sums up the mission of Samsung Innovation Campus in his country.

Launched in 2022, the programme is a partnership between South Africa’s Walter Sisulu University and Samsung to boost youth employment in the country’s technology sector. So far, 20 students from the university’s Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology have taken classes in basic and advanced coding and programming, as well as topics such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things.

A member of the university’s teaching faculty describes the Samsung Innovation Campus as a one-of-a-kind programme in South Africa. “This flagship partnership with Samsung will contribute to the national imperative of creating work-ready, employable students.”

The first students graduated in 2023, and after a year of intense training and study they are fluent in the language of technology. Just as important, they feel more confident seeking careers in the tech world as South Africa’s first Samsung Innovation Campus alumni.

The university and Samsung are collaborating on plans for further success. Learning from the experiences of the programme’s first cohort, Samsung Innovation Campus will enable more South African students to expand their horizons of study and become the core talent of the country’s technology sector.

Their vision is Samsung’s vision too—to strengthen the region’s technology industry, and help realise meaningful and sustainable development in their country.