Centres of Excellence Programme (CoE)

The Telkom Industry Solutions Lab view latest news, a strategic partnership in collaboration with the University of the Witwatersrand, has resulted in a much-lauded R&D centre. Here, multi-disciplinary teams deliver disruptive innovation and state-of-the-art transformative digital products and services for various industries. Ambitious ideation in the lab translates research-driven innovation into commercially viable solutions to societal issues.

Situated in the Wits Innovation Centre in Johannesburg, the ecosystem also allows innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors in other disciplines to contribute to the acceleration of ICT implementation.

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Innovation

The Telkom Innovation challenge: Our relentless pursuit of innovation starts at home with a staff challenge in which employees are given the opportunity to pitch ideas - and receive seed funding - for business models that could contribute to economic prosperity.


Achievements

The coes combined with the internal Graduate Development Programme have seen 714 PhDs, 1 457 Masters and 1 470 Honours degree students graduating, and a total of 7 307 research papers in Computer Science and Engineering being published.

The graduate pool has proven to be an excellent recruitment ground for Telkom. Over 300 graduates have been offered employment – thereby ensuring first choice of exceptional candidates to ensure a future-ready Telkom.

The Innovation Office works hand in hand with the Telkom Foundation sustainability to enable through-the-line basic and higher education and give students access to end-to-end learning platforms with an emphasis on the inclusion of ICT in the curriculum.

For more information on our investments and research and developments in innovation, please refer to our Integrated Report.

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“The Telkom Innovation challenge is a celebration of the boundless ingenuity of the people of South Africa”

Dr Mmaki, Jantjies, Group Executive: Innovation and Transformation Office

A Thriving Research and Talent Pipeline

Telkom continues to invest in South Africa’s innovation capacity by supporting and developing students in its 15 Centres of Excellence (CoE). These centres focus on deep tech research, and advanced skills development, in critical domains such as AI, IoT, 5G/6G networks, digital health, smart infrastructure and environmental monitoring. Founded in 1998, the programme has produced over 3 200 postgraduate students in computer science and engineering (CS&E).

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Talent development
The programme has played a crucial role in developing a skilled ICT workforce. By providing postgraduate students with specialised training and research opportunities, thereby filling critical skills gaps.Partnerships with leading universities have been essential to the success of the programme.

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Research and Innovation
The coes facilitate valuable research outputs, including publications and conference papers, making a substantial contribution to ICT advancements in Africa. By aligning with national priorities and global trends, the coes play a strategic role in shaping South Africa’s digital future. Many graduates have secured employment within Telkom and other ICT companies.

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Collaboration and Partnerships
"The programme fosters collaboration between academia, industry, and government to strengthen the ICT development ecosystem. A key highlight for FY 24/25 is the Telkom/NRF FutureTech Programme, which targets emerging technologies with scalable applications and builds a pipeline of skilled, industry-ready researchers.

SATNAC

As part of the R&D work in our Centres of Excellence, Telkom organises and hosts SATNAC (the Southern Africa Telecommunication Networks and Applications Conference), a prominent annual ICT event. SATNAC serves as an essential platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange. It brings together industry leaders, academics, and students to discuss and explore the latest advancements and trends in the ICT sector. Notably, SATNAC emphasises applied research and the development of local ICT talent, featuring presentations, discussions, and industry-driven solutions to business challenges. Essentially, it plays a key role in driving ICT innovation and growth within the southern African region.

The SATNAC Industry Solutions Challenge

As part of the R&D work in our Centres of Excellence, Telkom organises and hosts SATNAC (the Southern Africa Telecommunication Networks and Applications Conference), a prominent annual ICT event. SATNAC serves as an essential platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange. It brings together industry leaders, academics, and students to discuss and explore the latest advancements and trends in the ICT sector. Notably, SATNAC emphasises applied research and the development of local ICT talent, featuring presentations, discussions, and industry-driven solutions to business challenges. Essentially, it plays a key role in driving ICT innovation and growth within the
southern African region.