Unisa PhD student selected for prestigious UN programme

Kamogelo Mmereke, a PhD student at the Unisa College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET), has been selected to participate in the prestigious United Nations (UN) International Project Programme from 11 to 17 April in Geneva, Switzerland.

The programme offers students and young leaders from across the world a rare opportunity to blend remote real-world experience with immersive learning while focusing on international diplomacy and innovation. Over the course of two weeks, selected students will collaborate on a live project aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), engage with leading international organisations, explore global policy and innovation, and expand their global network.

They will also have an opportunity to visit the UN headquarters and the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). The programme is designed to broaden participants’ global outlook, leadership potential, and understanding of international systems and challenges.

According to the Ureka Education Group, a training and capacity development partner of the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Mmereke’s participation in this prestigious programme will offer her a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to not only work on a UN-affiliated project aligned with the SDGs, but also to engage with senior UN experts and international organisations such as World Trade Organization (WTO), International Labour Organization (ILO), and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

She will gain hands-on experience in global diplomacy and expand her network among young leaders, diplomats, and industry professionals from around the world. The programme's activities will allow participants to gain an understanding of how multilateral diplomacy works and to engage with institutions that shape international trade, labour standards, and intellectual property. These are deemed to be critical areas for business and policy leaders.

Research endeavours at Unisa

Mmereke’s PhD research at Unisa focuses on the discovery of active herbal compounds with cancer-healing properties. In her research, she employs a multifaceted approach, beginning with the identification of active compounds using advanced spectrometry techniques available at the state-of-the-art Unisa Science Campus laboratories.

Thereafter, she determines the biological activities of these compounds to establish their precise mechanisms of action in cancer therapy. Her research is further supplemented by computational work, in which she integrates bioinformatics and machine learning to enhance understanding and prediction of these compounds' therapeutic potential.

Reflecting on her selection for the programme, Mmereke says: “As a researcher and aspiring innovator, this opportunity offers me the training that I need to translate my scientific expertise for global impact. This means that my research will not end in research journal publications, but with the science diplomacy skills that I will acquire through the programme, I can establish its relevance in such a way that policymakers can see and understand its potential to drive implementation at a global scale.”

In his message to Mmereke, Sarfraz Hasan, President and CEO of the Ureka Education Group in the United Kingdom, said: “We warmly congratulate you on this achievement and look forward to welcoming you to Geneva for this transformational programme.”

The selection of Unisa students such as Mmereke for high-profile international initiatives demonstrates the institution’s capacity to produce graduates and scholars who can compete and contribute at the highest global levels.

* By Dr Nozipho N Madzivha, Communication and Marketing Specialist (acting), College of Science, Engineering and Technology