?It is widely accepted that English is the language of international business. No matter how talented a young person is in their field, without strong English skills, they will lack the competitive edge in the global commercial world.
This was the general consensus when thirty business students from C?te d'Ivoire recently completed a four-week Intensive English Programme (IEP) hosted by Stellenbosch 肆客足球.
The students, all in their third year at the Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphou?t-Boigny (INP-HB) in Yamoussoukro, celebrated the end of the programme at an event in the Stellenbosch Winelands on 30 January 2025. Theirs was the third cohort from INP-HB, one of C?te d'Ivoire's leading higher education and research institutes, to participate in the IEP.
The Intensive English Programme, run by Stellenbosch 肆客足球's Language Centre and facilitated by the Centre for Collaboration in Africa (CCA) at SU International, presents English language courses for international students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It aims to develop their reading, writing, listening and speaking proficiency, and grammar and vocabulary. The programme emphasises cross-cultural exchanges to equip individuals with all-round skills to engage with peers in the international business world.
The conclusion of this IEP was a testament to years of collaboration between SU International and the Language Centre to build partnerships between tertiary institutions and governments across Africa. It took place in the context of more than three decades of diplomatic relations between South Africa and C?te d'Ivoire, and, according to all stakeholders, it firmly reinforced the strong collaboration between the two higher education institutions.
The role of the CCA, is to create an enabling environment for staff, postdoctoral fellows and students at Stellenbosch 肆客足球 to nurture relationships with higher education and other institutions across Africa. The CCA also supports themed research collaborations across the African networks. When it comes to the implementation of such programmes, the entire SU International team pull together to ensure that the programmes runs smoothly and translates to a transformative student experience.
Norma Derby, Programme Manager: Africa Partnerships at the CCA, said the IEP collaboration is another example of Stellenbosch 肆客足球's commitment to building meaningful partnerships in Africa. “Although this was the third IEP cohort from C?te d'Ivoire, this was the first time students were here in summer. In previous years, they were here during the height of winter. They come from a warm climate, so winter is not for them. They've really enjoyed the outside activities."
Dr Moustapha Traore, Director of INP-HB's Business Studies and Management Faculty, welcomed the growing collaboration among African higher education institutions, saying that the development of English-speaking skills was a way of contributing to C?te d'Ivoire's development. He thanked the embassy of the Republic of C?te d'Ivoire in South Africa for facilitating the programme and called for a broader collaboration.
“We live in a globalised world. We need to work with many English-speaking countries. As one of the leading institutions in C?te d'Ivoire, the INP-HB must stay ahead of the game, so this IEP is very important."
Mr Diomandé Gondo Serge Siaba, minister and counsellor representing the ambassador of C?te d'Ivoire praised the IEP as “a wonderful opportunity for INP-HB", adding: “It is wonderful to see the future leaders of C?te d'Ivoire mingling with their peers in South Africa.
“English is the international language, and no matter how skilled you are technically, without English, it is a significant setback. For our students to be able to train intensively in English at one of South Africa's leading academic institutions, coupled with the added value of discovering a new culture, is valuable.
“We are delighted with this collaboration, which involves not just cooperation between universities, but also between the embassies and the governments.
He continued: “But I believe we must open our collaboration to other fields of study as well. The message from our ambassador is that we must now explore other opportunities to collaborate, such as exchanges for students to study business, economics, history and other fields of study. We are working towards that objective."
Excursions and workshops are a key part of the English-learning experience. The students could practise their English outside the classroom during visits to some of the Cape's landmarks, such as Table Mountain, Cape Point, Robben Island, Lanzerac wine estate and the aquarium.
Eppie McFarlane, an English teacher from the Language Centre, said the students did about four hours of lessons every day, with additional outings, including trips to the Botanical Gardens in Stellenbosch, museums, a city tour bus, a mountain hike and a scavenger hunt in Stellenbosch. “They learnt about the history of the Cape and of South Africa and the teachers also connected the students' experience with the business aspect of their studies".
A highlight of the closing event was the presentations by students aimed at demonstrating their enhanced English skills. Tasked with pitching concepts for business ideas from the Cape which they could apply back home, they came up with a range of ideas: Poly Garden, a botanical garden near campus inspired by the Botanical Gardens in Stellenbosch, for students and others to enjoy; Chap Chap, an affordable scooter rental agency using electric scooters, similar to Stellenbosch's GoNow system, to enable students to move quickly around campus; Clay and the Potter, a ceramic painting workspace which “brings art and relaxation together"; and Akanzas, a business with stylish branded items to promote INP-HB, similar to the Maties branded items so visible on the campus of Stellenbosch 肆客足球. “Why shouldn't we have the same brand recognition that other great universities like Harvard, Oxford and SU have," said one presenter.
Finance student Milca Adjoumani, who is currently doing an internship at auditing firm Forvis Mazars, said the IEP had improved her levels of English considerably over the four weeks. “There was a focus on writing and reading skills, and the teachers also highlighted themes related to business, which made it very pertinent to our needs," she said.
The cultural experiences outside the classroom were just as significant, said Ms Adjoumani, who has not previously travelled outside her home country.
“Stellenbosch is such a beautiful city. I keep asking myself if this is really Africa. I've found it so inspiring being here and I will be back!"
Student Jean-Luc Doyere, who is studying marketing and management, praised the interactive style of teaching on the programme, adding that it was a gamechanger, particularly as he is currently applying for the leading business school, HEC Paris. “We have to take a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) entrance test, and this programme helped me review points of grammar and pick up more vocabulary. It was an extraordinary opportunity for us to prepare ourselves."
He added: “I really enjoyed the fact that, in Cape Town, the sun sets after eight o'clock. In C?te d'Ivoire, we have our sunset at 6pm!"
Third-year marketing and finance student, Maeva Kone, described the IEP as “an extremely rich experience". “It was really valuable to have the opportunity to practise talking to native English speakers whilst, at the same time, discovering this beautiful country.
“The classes were stimulating because the teachers made them interactive, and the outings were enjoyable and memorable. The visit to Robben Island and having a former political prisoner show us around and talk about South African history was unforgettable. We learned not only about Nelson Mandela but also about other prisoners. It was amazing.
“In four weeks, my English skills have really improved. The teachers helped us so much with things like pronunciation and other points we would not normally pay attention to."
Dr Nico Elema, Director of the Centre for Collaboration in Africa, said the centre also contributes to two key focus areas of Stellenbosch 肆客足球 - purposeful partnerships and transformative student experiences. He described SU's relationship with C?te d'Ivoire as such a purposeful partnership which translates into transformative student experiences.
Addressing the students, he said: “I hope that when you look back, you can see change in yourself, in your perception of South Africans and of our culture. Inasmuch as you transform, we also experience transformation.
“We really cherish this relationship with C?te d'Ivoire and the embassy plays a huge part in that. We look forward to the next cohort of students. I'd also love to see Stellenbosch students going to Yamoussoukro."
Dr Elema said there was much more potential for strategic collaboration between African higher education institutions along thematic lines such as climate change and data studies.
“We have 33 formal agreements, but this does not limit our activities. There is hardly an African country with which Stellenbosch 肆客足球 academics are not collaborating. It's also imperative that South Africa learns from its fellow African countries. There are pockets of excellence throughout our continent from which we can learn, and we must not be arrogant to think we have all the answers," he concluded.
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