The recent 2025 ATUPA International Conference in Durban brought together continental leaders to reshape Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for Industry 4.0. The conference’s timing was critical – seeking to build resilience and competitiveness in a sector grappling with youth unemployment and skills mismatches in an era of rapid technological change.
Hosted by the University of South Africa (UNISA) in Durban recently, the 2025 ATUPA International Conference focused on empowering African youth with essential skills, resilience and entrepreneurial competencies necessary for leading Africa’s transformation. This was under the theme “Empowering Africa through TVET: Driving sustainable development, youth empowerment and economic integration in the era of industry 4.0’. Fundi was a key sponsor of the event – given the organisation’s close alignment to unlock educational potential across the continent.
“This conference addresses one of the most urgent challenges facing our continent today,” notes Mala Suriah, CEO of Fundi. “With youth unemployment remaining persistently high across Africa, TVET institutions represent our most practical pathway to equipping young people with market-relevant skills. By sponsoring ATUPA, we’re investing in the infrastructure needed to transform lives and economies in communities that need it most.”
Mary Maponya with DHET Minister, Hon Buti Manamela.
The gathering mobilised ministers and senior government officials, vice-chancellors and heads of TVET institutions, development agencies, corporate executives, researchers and civil society representatives from across Africa. Throughout the week, discussions and working groups focused on how to advance critical objectives including promoting innovative TVET practices, empowering African youth with entrepreneurial and digital skillsets, aligning TVET standards for cross-border employment, and preparing institutions for digitisation and green technologies.
“Our sponsorship supported this meaningful engagement with institutional leaders across the continent, while also providing practical support to local students,” Suriah explains. “We were thrilled to be able to host two TVET college students from Durban – making it possible for them to attend and contribute. As Fundi, we are very clear in our belief that students themselves must be central to conversations about their futures. Their perspectives and energy are vital to shaping truly responsive educational approaches.”
As a critical education system partner and enabler, Fundi’s educational solutions (from student loans and bursary administration to digital payment platforms and accommodation services) are already supporting TVET students across South Africa. Suriah notes the need is great however: “TVET institutions face unique challenges when it comes to accessing funding and managing student financial needs. They offer direct proof as to how taking an ecosystem approach can reduce administrative burden while improving student experiences – through the involvement of complementary partners.”
The conference also featured the 7th Pan-African Youth Forum under the theme “Innovate, Lead and Thrive: Empowering Africa’s Youth for Sustainable Development and Digital Transformation”. This included innovation exhibitions, keynote addresses and student-led panel discussions. “Needless to say, this youth-centred component resonated strongly with our own philosophy of putting students at the heart of educational transformation,” says Suriah.
She adds that the timing of Fundi’s ATUPA sponsorship is particularly strategic, as TVET institutions across Africa navigate the transition to Industry 4.0 technologies while addressing persistent skills gaps. “Traditional approaches to vocational training are being disrupted by automation, artificial intelligence and green technology transitions. Local and African institutions need partners who understand both the educational and financial complexities of this transformation.”
With TVET enrolment growing rapidly across the continent as governments recognise its economic potential, the sector represents a significant opportunity for educational finance providers. “TVET students often face unique funding challenges: their programmes may not qualify for traditional student loans, yet the return on investment in practical skills training is demonstrably high,” Suriah explains. “Given our comprehensive experience, we’re best placed to help institutions and students navigating this landscape. TVET represents a crucial piece of Africa’s skills development puzzle – one that can deliver immediate economic impact while building the workforce Africa needs for sustainable development and a prosperous economic future,” she concludes.