Wits Business School (WBS) today signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Siemens Energy (Pty Ltd) which will see the two entities collaborate on a number of training and development programmes in energy leadership. 

The goals that form part of the agreement include a bursary programme at postgraduate level including PhD/Master’s degrees, the development of foundational postgraduate courses in energy, tailored events such as seminars on industry-specific topics and an awards dinner to recognise up-and-coming leaders in the African energy sector. 

The MOU is a milestone for WBS’s African Energy Leadership Centre (AELC) which introduced two new academic programmes in 2019, a Master’s and a Postgraduate Diploma in Energy Leadership. The AELC was founded in 2017 to address the scarce skills crisis in the sector and is the first of its kind in Africa. 

“WBS is committed to joining forces with industry leaders to address issues of sustainability on our continent. When it comes to managing Africa’s transition to an efficient, low-carbon future Siemens Energy and Wits are on the same page. I am delighted to formalise our association with Siemens Energy and am looking forward to a fruitful exchange of ideas and expertise,” says Prof Maurice Radebe, Head of WBS. 

“This collaboration is a step-change in our relationship with industry as it furthers the AELC’s ambitions to engage in industry-relevant research that has the potential for immediate impact and results on the energy landscape in the country”, added Prof Lwazi Ngubevana, Director of the AELC.

A world leading energy technology company, Siemens Energy offers products, solutions, and services across almost the entire energy value chain, be it generation, transmission, or storage, and supporting its customers in achieving greater sustainability. 

“Siemens Energy believes that enabling access to Sustainable, Reliable and Affordable energy is too big a challenge to go alone and requires strategic collaboration such as our agreement with WBS. There is a growing urgency to accelerate the process, and this is where the importance of skills development comes in. We are delighted to partner with the AELC at WBS in accelerating leadership development in the sector energy,” says Thabo Molekoa, Managing Director of Siemens Energy Southern and Eastern Africa. 

The first joint event to take place will be a virtual seminar with panels on gas, green hydrogen and renewables on 27 October 2021.