The Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Venda continues to strengthen innovative teaching and student development through the BIO 5111 Conservation Biology Honours module, coordinated by Dr Tshililo Mphephu and Prof Lourens Swanepoel, Interim NRF SARCHI Research Chair in Biodiversity Value and Change.
In the picture: Conservation honours students attending a guest lecture at the SARCHI Museum Hall in the Department of Biological Sciences, Life Science Building
To expose students to practical, career-driven, and globally relevant conservation perspectives, Dr Mphephu introduced an interactive teaching approach by inviting local, national, and international conservation experts to engage students through guest lectures on Microsoft Teams.
Dr Tshililo Mphephu, Conservation Biology Module coordinator
Dr Mphephu said the initiative aims to make honours students globally competitive by connecting them with experienced professionals across various conservation fields. He encouraged other academics to adopt collaborative teaching approaches that bridge classroom learning with real-world expertise and international opportunities. Although only three experts participated this academic year, he described the initiative as a valuable step towards expanding students’ professional networks and global exposure.
The first guest lecture focused on conserving native biodiversity to support natural enemies used in suppressing agricultural pests. The session highlighted the ecological importance of biodiversity conservation in promoting sustainable agriculture and biological control programmes. It was presented by Mr Jufter Musedeli, a researcher from the Insect Ecology division at the Agricultural Research Council Plant Health and Protection in Pretoria, with more than a decade of experience in the field.
The second lecture explored entrepreneurship within the environmental and conservation sectors. Students were encouraged to view their academic training as a foundation for becoming independent ecologists and conservation practitioners capable of serving both private companies and government institutions. The session was delivered by Mr Jerry Molepo, founding director of Mora Consulting (Pty) Ltd, a biodiversity impact assessment company operating across South Africa. Significantly, Molepo is a University of Venda alumnus and former BIO 5111 student, reflecting the long-term impact of the programme in developing conservation professionals.
Mr Edwin Tambara lecturing students on current global conservation issues via Microsoft Teams
The final lecture broadened students’ understanding of biodiversity conservation beyond South Africa by focusing on global conservation challenges and international wildlife conservation practices. The session was presented by Mr Edwin Tambara, Director of Global Leadership at the African Wildlife Foundation in the United States of America. Students gained valuable insight into the intersection of conservation science, international policy, leadership, and global cooperation in addressing biodiversity loss and wildlife protection.
Reflecting on the session, Dr Mphephu acknowledged that the lecture highlighted the need to further strengthen and expand the current teaching scope of BIO 5111. Students actively engaged with the presentations and expressed appreciation for the module’s relevance to both local and international conservation priorities. “This teaching collaboration has had a substantial positive impact on student performance in the module. Since the programme’s implementation in 2025, student failures have been eliminated, resulting in a 100% pass rate. This success was sustained in the 2026 examinations, during which all students passed and several achieved distinctions. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the intervention and suggest that future cohorts are likely to maintain a 100% pass rate while achieving an even greater number of distinctions, according to Dr Mphephu.”
In the picture: Conservation honours students on an early morning game drive while conducting wild
animal population assessments at the Maremane Nature Reserve.
To complement their theoretical and professional engagements, students also participated in practical conservation activities at Maremani Nature Reserve, gaining hands-on field experience within a local conservation landscape. This kind of fieldwork exposure are facilitated by a research assistant, Mr Nkhumeleni Nembudani (assistant to the Interim NRF SARCHI Research Chair in Biodiversity Value and Change).
As part of the initiative, students reflected on their learning experiences. One student, Mr Ronald Molebela, noted that the programme helped students identify whether their interests lie in fieldwork, laboratory research, or academia, while also highlighting entrepreneurship opportunities within conservation biology.
All guest lecturers expressed interest in continuing to contribute towards the academic and professional development of students enrolled in the BIO 5111 module. In addition, an assistant professor from the Life Science Department at Louisiana State University has commended the initiative and committed to joining the programme as a guest lecturer from 2027, focusing on global conservation of aquatic systems.
This collaborative teaching initiative reflects the University of Venda’s commitment to providing transformative learning experiences that connect academic training with real-world conservation challenges and global opportunities.
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