Conceptualisation of the Virtual Academy (VA) was approved by all the internal committees and by Council in 2023. The governance structure for the Virtual Academy was approved by MANCO in December 2023. The highest governance structure, the Virtual Academy Steering Committee (VASC), held its first meeting in February 2024.
Information about the core purpose, human-centred approach, ways of working and the first phase of the Virtual Academy.
Document outlining the history and conceptualisation of the Virtual Academy
Latest news from the Virtual Academy
Enhancing skills and knowledge in digital technologies to empower individuals and organizations, fostering innovation, efficiency, and growth in the digital age.
Insights and perspectives on effective leadership, inspiring growth, and guiding teams towards success in a dynamic world.
Exploring groundbreaking research and fostering international collaborations to advance knowledge and address global challenges.
Creating cutting-edge digital innovations and technology solutions to drive progress and enhance everyday experiences.
Establishing and implementing national and international guidelines and policies to ensure consistency, quality, and compliance across borders.
Analyzing international surveys and South African trends to provide valuable insights into global and regional developments.
Digital wellness has been included as part of Nelson Mandela University’s holistic health, wellness and wellbeing strategy
Analytics available on your smartphone can help you adopt a healthy approach to the amount of time you spend on it.
A focus on digital wellness in the workplace is essential in the digital era for employees to flourish and to help students prepare for the world of work.
Mandela Uni’s Centre for Community Technologies has developed various digital health solutions and apps
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is when computers or machines are designed to think and act like humans. It means teaching them to do tasks that usually require human intelligence, such as learning from experience, solving problems…
A notable development during this reporting period was the establishment of two essential committees within the Science Centre to enhance governance, collaboration, and strategic alignment.
While AI can be very helpful, organizations (like businesses, schools, or governments) face several challenges when using it. Here’s an easy explanation of the main challenges:
Are a set of principles and best practices designed to ensure the ethical, responsible, and safe development and deployment of artificial intelligence systems. They typically emphasize transparency, fairness, privacy protection, accountability, and respect for human rights to promote trustworthy AI applications.
AI should be used when tasks require automation, data analysis, pattern recognition, or decision-making at scale. It's ideal for improving efficiency, handling large datasets, personalizing experiences, or solving complex problems that benefit from machine learning and intelligent algorithms. Use AI when human effort is limited by time, resources, or the need for consistency.
Using AI typically involves identifying a task or problem, selecting an appropriate AI tool or platform, and inputting data or prompts. For example, you can use AI for generating content, analyzing data, or automating tasks. Once set up, you interact with the AI system through user interfaces, APIs, or prompts, and then interpret and utilize the AI outputs to achieve your goals efficiently.
AI Prompting refers to the process of designing and providing specific inputs or instructions to an AI language model to elicit desired responses or outputs. It involves crafting clear, effective prompts to guide the AI in generating accurate, relevant, and useful content, often used in applications like content creation, coding, and problem-solving.
AI Courses are educational programs designed to teach the fundamentals and advanced concepts of artificial intelligence. They cover topics such as machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, and data analysis, equipping students with skills to develop intelligent systems and solutions. These courses are offered through online platforms, universities, and training institutes for learners of all levels.