A PhD candidate at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) School of Education, Ms Thembeka Myeni, has received an award for best presentation from the University of Mauritius (UoM).
The award was made at UoM’s fifth Doctoral Colloquium, a hybrid event where 160 doctoral candidates from Mauritian and international institutions showcased their research, engaged in interdisciplinary discussions and received feedback on their research from academic experts.
Titled: ‘Doctoral Education for Sustainable Development, Enhanced Resilience, and Societal Impact’, the colloquium was opened by Dr Kaviraj Sharma Sukon, Mauritius’ Minister of Tertiary Education, Science and Research.
UKZN’s participation was co-ordinated by Professor Upasana Singh of Information Systems and Technology, who also moderated a session at the Colloquium.
Over the past four years, UKZN has built a strong and growing partnership with the UoM through the Colloquium, which has evolved into a valuable platform for joint academic engagement, with significant participation by UKZN doctoral candidates and leadership contributions from academic staff.
Presenting at the event was a turning point in Myeni’s PhD journey, enabling her to benefit from multidisciplinary engagement and feedback, and assuring her that her work contributes positively to global issues. She first presented her research at the 2025 South African Society for History Teaching (SASHT) conference.
In her work, Myeni explores the role played by selected history museums in KwaZulu-Natal in creating opportunities for historical literacy. She is investigating how the teaching and learning of history is mediated in museums and researching how selected history museums create opportunities and support historical literacy. Using historical literacy as her analytical framework, she aims to identify educational programmes in museums, enhance existing programmes and establish new ones to foster historical literacy among history students in contemporary South Africa.
Being one of only eight recipients selected out of 160 was an honour for Myeni, who presented virtually during the initial event and again at the awards ceremony.
“This was my epoch-making moment where I realised that I was no longer representing only UKZN, but I was the only doctoral student selected from the South African institutions that participated,” she said.
Myeni completed her Bachelor of Education (honours) and master’s degrees at UKZN, earning a place at the Edgewood campus after a gap year she took following high school.
Describing herself as a lifelong learner who aspires to inspire, Myeni said not even the sky will be her limit. She plans to find her niche within History Education, contribute to knowledge production, and initiate projects to foster and enhance historical literacy, in both Basic and Higher Education.
Myeni credited her mother and siblings, particularly her brother, Mr Mlungisi Hlabisa, who lectures at the Edgewood campus, for inspiring and encouraging her. She thanked her supervisor, Dr Marshall Maposa, for his dedicated supervision, guidance, and the opportunities he provided, including participation in a multidisciplinary research project investigating the proposed hydraulic fracturing in the Drakensberg and participation in a three-month postgraduate exchange with the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences.
Words: Christine Cuénod
Photograph: Supplied