The University of Venda (UNIVEN) Distinguished Alumnus and Adjunct Professor, Prof Sylvester Mpandeli, has strengthened South Africa’s international research profile after serving as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, from 1 to 14 July 2026.
Prof Sylvester Mpandeli addressing the Tsinghua University community regarding the partnership
between South Africa and China
A Water Research Commission (WRC) Water-Energy-Food Nexus expert, Prof Mpandeli delivered five public lectures at Tsinghua University’s Department of Hydraulic Engineering during his visit. He also presented as a distinguished speaker at the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research (IWHR), the Chinese National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (CNCID), Wuhan University, and China Agricultural University, where he delivered his final lecture on 13 July.
His visit culminated in a major international recognition after the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research appointed him to its Water Experts Think Tank for the 2026–2030 term. The appointment acknowledges his internationally recognised expertise in the Water-Energy-Food Nexus, agricultural water management and climate change adaptation.
Prof Mpandeli at the Chinese National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, after he gave a public
lecture, Beijing, China
Building on long-standing relationships with Chinese institutions dating back to 2016, Prof Mpandeli also secured a five-year collaboration between himself and five leading Chinese institutions: Tsinghua University, the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, the Chinese National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, Wuhan University and China Agricultural University.
The partnership will focus on joint research projects, technology transfer, capacity building, and the co-authorship of scientific papers, book chapters and books. As part of the agreement, Prof Mpandeli will return annually as a Distinguished Visiting Professor, with Tsinghua University’s Department of Hydraulic Engineering coordinating the programme.
The collaboration will also create opportunities for South African postgraduate students, particularly those from the University of Venda, to undertake academic exchanges and research visits at the participating Chinese institutions.
Prof Mpandeli said the visit had opened new avenues for strengthening research and development collaboration between South Africa and China.
“This partnership creates an important platform to deepen research collaboration, strengthen innovation and expand knowledge exchange between South Africa and China. It also presents valuable opportunities for South African researchers and postgraduate students, particularly those from the University of Venda, to engage with some of the world’s leading institutions in water research and technology,” he said.
He noted that Tsinghua University is ranked among the leading universities globally and is recognised as Asia’s top university for research and innovation.
The visit also reinforced collaboration between the South African National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (SANCID), the Water Research Commission (WRC), the Chinese National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, and the Chinese International Research Programme on Irrigation and Drainage (IRPID) Node.
Tsinghua University academics commended Prof Mpandeli’s distinguished contributions to agricultural water management, climate change adaptation and the Water-Energy-Food Nexus. They also recognised his leadership within the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), where he serves as Honorary Vice President, Chairperson of the Permanent Committee of Technical Activities (PCTA), and Head of the International Research Programme on Irrigation and Drainage (IRPID).
Beyond his academic engagements, Prof Mpandeli visited several of China’s World Heritage irrigation sites, including one of the world’s oldest irrigation systems, built more than 2,300 years ago. He also toured advanced smart irrigation schemes in Beijing to gain further insights into China’s water governance and irrigation technologies.
As part of the visit, he received a copy of Water Governance in China Perspective from the President of the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, as well as a book authored by the President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping.
This latest international engagement further cements Prof Mpandeli’s standing as one of South Africa’s leading scholars in water research while advancing the University of Venda’s global research footprint and fostering international collaboration in addressing water, food and climate challenges.
Prof Mpandeli hosted by the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research
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