By Gofaone Motsamai

Thanks to the interest and mentorship of her lecturers, North-West University (NWU) alumnus Seipelo Kgosiejang is playing a key role today in advancing South Africa’s higher education agenda on the continent and globally.

In her current role in international relations at the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), Seipelo is responsible for developing partnerships with African and Middle Eastern countries and coordinating South Africa’s participation in major international platforms.

In this capacity, she has negotiated bilateral agreements with countries such as Ghana, Namibia, Lesotho and Angola, and hosted numerous delegations on higher education missions.

For Seipelo, the support she received at the Faculty of Humanities, where she completed her honours and master’s degrees in international relations/political studies, placed her career on a solid footing from the start.

“Thanks to the NWU’s strong academic foundation and guidance, I secured my first job immediately after completing my honour’s degree. Later, I was able to complete my master’s while working. That experience gave me confidence and resilience.”

Feels like home

Seipelo, who completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Pretoria, says the NWU “felt like home and aligned perfectly with my values and ambitions, and I was fortunate to have professors like Prof Victor Ojakorotu, who mentored me with genuine passion and guided me toward my goals.”

She recalls how they encouraged her to combine her career interests in international politics, which shaped her master’s thesis and expanded her understanding of Africa’s role in global affairs.

“A highlight was presenting a paper on BRICS and South Africa’s role in Africa at an international research conference in Moscow. This opportunity was introduced to me by my lecturers, and it was a milestone in my career.”

Diplomacy in action

Her career began at the Australian High Commission, followed by work at the New Zealand High Commission in Pretoria. She later joined the South African government, where she managed South Africa’s collaboration with the European Union at the Department of Science and Technology. Today, at the DHET, she negotiates bilateral agreements and hosts visiting delegations on higher education missions.

Concluding with some advice to current NWU students, she says: “International relations is a multidisciplinary field, and there are many ways to contribute to global diplomacy. Diversify your skills, seek out exchanges, internships and research opportunities, and remain open to learning. Diplomacy is about relationships, problem-solving and understanding diverse viewpoints, so cultivate those qualities alongside your formal studies.”

Seipelo Kgosiejang