Apr 23, 2026 UNISA, Messe Frankfurt South Africa, Professor Puleng LenkaBula, Michael Dehn, Detlef Braun, Messe Frankfurt GmbH
UNISA and Messe Frankfurt South Africa sign MOU
UNISA and Messe Frankfurt South Africa formalised an MoU that will bring Africa's academic voice into the heart of South Africa's most prominent trade exhibitions.
The University of South Africa (UNISA) and Messe Frankfurt South Africa (MFSA) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding that formally recognises what both institutions have long understood: making South Africa's knowledge economy visible and enabling interaction with industry. The agreement was signed by Professor Puleng LenkaBula, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of UNISA, and Mr Michael Dehn, Managing Director of Messe Frankfurt South Africa in the presence of Mr Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board, Messe Frankfurt GmbH.
“Trade fairs create visibility beyond markets. They are places where new perspectives enter global conversations. By bringing African academia and industry into closer exchange on these platforms, we strengthen international visibility and highlight the growing role of African knowledge and talent in shaping future industries,” said Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board, Messe Frankfurt GmbH.
Education, industry, and public life in South Africa are most powerful when they speak to each other. With this partnership we develop a framework to enable this dialogue,” added Michael Dehn, Managing Director, Messe Frankfurt South Africa.
UNISA is the only African university to have signed an agreement with Messe Frankfurt, demonstrating the institution’s commitment to building formidable strategic partnerships that advance its catalytic niche areas, including Aviation and Aeronautical Studies, Automotive Studies, and Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and Digitalisation, for the mutual benefit of both institutions.
UNISA's senior leadership will contribute research perspectives and expert inputs at CEO Breakfast sessions and high-level conference discussions - the kind of industry-facing engagements where policy, practice, and knowledge meet. “Unisa’s vision is an African university in the service of humanity. That vision lives in the industries, communities, and creative sectors that our students are part of every day. This partnership with Messe Frankfurt South Africa opens new spaces for our knowledge to make a real difference.” Said Professor LenkaBula. For a country whose trade exhibition sector and higher education system have historically operated in parallel, this MoU marks something worth noting: the beginning of a more deliberate conversation between the places where South Africa learns and the places where South Africa does business.
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