“Uniciti is poised to reach a 5000-strong student population in the near future”

• The demand for well-trained students in computer/software engineering/data science is on the rise in Mauritius, with local universities struggling to meet this demand.
• We cannot afford to have students leaving formal education at the age of 12

As he marks his first year as Managing Director, Dr. Dhanjay Jhurry kindly consented to answer BIZWEEK’s questions about his vision for the Uniciti International Education Hub (UIEH). He emphasized that UIEH aims to position itself as a leading educational hub in Mauritius and the nearby regions. In addition, the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Mauritius shared his insights on important challenges facing the local education sector and the new generation.

Celebrating your first year as Managing Director of Uniciti International Education Hub should be a proud moment for you. Our first question is of course on your transition from the public sector to the private one. What can you tell us about this experience?

I gained valuable experience during my 27-year tenure as a lecturer, researcher and Vice-Chancellor at the University of Mauritius. It is exciting to put this experience to good use as the Managing Director of Medine’s Uniciti International Education Hub (UIEH). We have set ourselves challenging goals for UIEH, and are working to position it as the leading educational hub in Mauritius and the Indian Ocean region. This involves strengthening our existing partnerships in the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors and attracting new international partners to respond to local, regional and continental needs. My background in higher education and experience internationalising the University of Mauritius while serving as its Vice-Chancellor is proving very helpful. Medine prioritises the social side of Education as well as its performance as a business, and this aligns with my personal beliefs. I also appreciate the speed and dynamism of the private sector. It’s crucial to rapidly capitalise on opportunities in our fast-paced, rapidly evolving world.

10 years ago, namely in 2013, Medine launched the Medine Education Village, later rebranded to Uniciti International Education Hub (UIEH). How is the journey so far?

Our rebranding coincided with UIEH’s 10-year anniversary in April 2023. It has been a rewarding journey. We’ve established strong partnerships in all education sectors across our Pierrefonds and Cascavelle campuses. West Coast primary and secondary schools are expanding rapidly, with nearly 1000 students between them. In the tertiary sector, UIEH now has almost 2300 students, enrolled at Middlesex University, Vatel, Paris Pantheon Assas, Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Nantes, and Amity University. Part of UIEH’s appeal, and that of The West overall, is due to Medine’s infrastructure and amenities, which include student residences, sports facilities, property developments, proximity to Cascavelle shopping mall, and leisure activities. With upcoming developments such as a major new access road linking Pierrefonds to Flic-en-Flac and a new multidisciplinary private clinic, UIEH is poised to grow even further and reach a 5000-strong student population in the near future.

One of the ambitions of the UIEH is to train high profile students into future leaders. Can you elaborate?

As I said earlier, UIEH aims to offer programmes, in partnership with renowned universities, that meet local and regional needs in the fields of IT/digital, Engineering, Health and Business Innovation and Finance. Our partners’ curricula focus not only on imparting knowledge but also on practical skills development. This is essential in today’s job market and significantly enhances university students’ employability. Middlesex University boasts an employability rate of over 95%, a figure that rises to nearly 100% for IT graduates. We also target specialised areas of interest relevant to African markets, from which 45% of our student population is drawn.

The decline in the number of HSC-level students in our country is a cause for concern.

We also came across the promotion of ‘lecture series’, which are offered by UIEH. Can you tell us more about it?

The lecture series is a key component of our strategy to encourage social innovation and foster thought leadership. As Canadian Nobel laureate John Polanyi put it, ‘Innovation thrives when people understand the power of ideas’. The lecture series is intended to enhance the learning experience of UIEH students, create a platform for discussion with industry professionals on topics relating to innovation, and provide the general public with insights into new ideas and technology. We hold a monthly talk on the last Thursday of every month featuring local or international experts from academia, industry, or civil society on a topical theme. These talks are offered both in-person at our Pierrefonds campus and virtually, depending on the speaker’s availability. Attendance is free of charge and open to the public, who can attend either in person or remotely. Our talks so far have covered topics including sustainable development, digital energy, artificial intelligence, journalism, philosophy, and entrepreneurship. The themes are not only topical but also designed to engage a wide audience. We held our 10th talk, “Navigating the Roads Less Traveled – From Medical Scientist to Entrepreneur and Podcaster” by Dr. Sheen Gurrib, a Mauritian residing in Dubai, on August 31. All talks can be accessed through the UIEH website at https://uniciti-ieh.com.

Research and innovation is a focus and it will be interesting to have an insight on this segment.

Education goes hand in hand with innovation. Our goal is to develop an innovation hub that supports students from our partner Universities in their research and developing proof-of-concept, hosts foreign students from top universities to promote innovation within the Medine Group, incubates new projects within Medine, and collaborates with industrial partners to contribute to innovation. For instance, this year, we welcomed four students from MIT through the MIT-Africa internship programme to work in Medine’s business units. They were deployed in areas including innovative mushroom cultivation, mobile apps, renewable energy, and water desalination. Their contributions have added significant value to our Group.

Innovation is one of Medine’s core values. It is a gradual process that requires long-term investment and a growth mindset. We are currently in the early stages of building that ecosystem.

While the degree still rules, by and large, we are slowly moving towards a reality with more focus on acquiring skills not degrees, reports an article of the World Economic Forum in 2019 (https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/12/fourth-industrial-revolution-higher-education-challenges/). Can we have your insights on this?

I couldn’t agree more. As I’ve already mentioned, the world of education has shifted focus from knowledge to skills development. To address this demand for skills, other countries have already introduced micro-credentials and emphasise the importance of life-long learning. I understand the Mauritius Qualifications Authority is planning to introduce this concept to Mauritius and I have no doubt it will enhance our workforce’s skills if appropriate incentives are developed at the same time.

On a general note, how is our education sector coping with these challenges?

The decline in the number of HSC-level students in our country is a cause for concern. We need to cultivate talent to maintain sustainable economic growth. To borrow a French saying, ‘Nous avons plus besoin de têtes bien faites que bien pleines’. This requires a combination of knowledge, skills, and attitude. We cannot afford to have students leaving formal education at the age of 12. I am pleased to see that the Ministry of Education, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research is moving forward with its plans for technical education to address this issue.

UIEH is a key player in the education sector in Mauritius and is creating a positive impact through education, research and innovation, culture and community engagement as well as sustainability to benefit individuals and society as a whole.

ESG, AI, Good Governance and Diversity are today topics which are much canvassed in international forums. How is our tertiary education sector adapted to this trend?

These are indeed important areas. We look forward to offering University programmes that incorporate AI and emerging technologies. The demand for well-trained students in computer/software engineering/data science is on the rise in Mauritius, with local universities struggling to meet this demand. Universities play a significant role in sustainable development and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through teaching, research and stewardship. Over the past year at UIEH, we have developed executive programmes in innovation, digital transformation and Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) for corporate entities. We also recently partnered with FutureLearn, one of the world’s leading online education platforms, which offers 1600 Open Online Courses, including courses in emerging fields, through its degree learning platform (https://www.futurelearn.com/).

The world of education has shifted focus from knowledge to skills development

ESG, AI, Good Governance and Diversity are today topics which are much canvassed in international forums. How is our tertiary education sector adapted to this trend?

These are indeed important areas. We look forward to offering University programmes that incorporate AI and emerging technologies. The demand for well-trained students in computer/software engineering/data science is on the rise in Mauritius, with local universities struggling to meet this demand. Universities play a significant role in sustainable development and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through teaching, research and stewardship. Over the past year at UIEH, we have developed executive programmes in innovation, digital transformation and Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) for corporate entities. We also recently partnered with FutureLearn, one of the world’s leading online education platforms, which offers 1600 Open Online Courses, including courses in emerging fields, through its degree learning platform (https://www.futurelearn.com/).

Younger generations entering higher education have a completely different point of departure than previous generations, also mentions the report of the World Economic Forum. What are your perspective on this?

The younger generation, often referred to as Gen Z, has grown up in the digital age with easy access to social media and the internet. They tend to think independently and aspire to become entrepreneurs. Importantly, they are tech-savvy and explore alternative forms of education, including online and digital learning. At UIEH, we take these characteristics into consideration and aim to cater to their aspirations by offering blended programmes that combine traditional and digital learning methods. We also recognise that this generation tends to look for purpose-driven work, and that their relationship to values is different from that of previous generations.