The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) is set to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Google with the aim of advancing digital skills development and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in South Africa’s education sector.
The signing ceremony will take place on Monday, 30 March 2026 at Google's Johannesburg office in Bryanston, and will be officiated by Dr Mimmi Gondwe, Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training.
This landmark agreement is expected to advance digital skills, integrate AI into higher education institutions and support workforce development in South Africa.
This marks the fourth successful public-private partnership for student and youth skill development concluded by the Deputy Minister.
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access to training
According to the department, the MOU will prioritize access to training initiatives, including 5,000 Google Career Certificate scholarships in areas such as AI essentials, cybersecurity and data analytics.
The scholarships will target students, teachers and IT staff in selected public universities, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and Community Education and Training (CET) colleges, with a particular focus on rural and township communities.
“Google will offer AI training to teachers through programs such as Generative AI for Educators and collaborate on a train-the-trainer model to enable broader skills dissemination,” the department said.
The partnership will also focus on curriculum development, with Google facilitating access to AI and technology curriculum, co-creating local content and supporting integration at the institutional level.
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technical support
Additionally, the agreement includes technology support measures such as deploying ChromeOS Flex to refurbish existing hardware, providing strategic hardware advisory services and strengthening institutional IT capacity through advanced training.
The MoU provides for collaboration on policy and governance, including sharing expertise on AI policy development and access to relevant Google AI tools for public institutions.
The signing ceremony will be led by the Deputy Minister and will be attended by students, departmental officials and senior Google officials. Google's AI programs will also be showcased at this event.