The South African ambassador to the United States, Barbara Masekela, was in Detroit recently searching for ideas and lessons about urban renewal at Wayne State University. She toured the university’s TechTown business park to see, first-hand, how WSU is spinning out cutting edge research to create new companies and new jobs.

Masekela toured the 100,000-square-foot facility that is now home to 28 start-up and early stage companies, and saw a range of technology companies that are busy creating jobs including Sensound, Asterand and Visca. She took a keen interest in the efforts of educational support companies like Gradecheck that are also housed at TechTown. Gradecheck is helping to raise the educational technical skills of the Detroit work force.

“We were honored to receive a visit from such a distinguished member of the South African government,” said Randal Charlton, interim director of TechTown. ”It is part of our mission as a leading research university to foster international relations with universities and countries around the world, and the ambassador made it clear that South Africa and her universities have a strong interest in working with Wayne State University.”

Charlton added, “The ambassador’s visit further reflects Wayne State University’s role as a catalyst for Michigan to participate more aggressively in a global marketplace and facilitate international business relationships.”

Masekela has been a leading member of the South Africa government for several years. She was formerly chief of staff for former South Africa President Nelson Mandela; served as the ambassador to France and UNESCO; and was on the Board of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.

She also has broad international experience in higher education as an assistant professor of literature at City University of New York, and nine years as assistant professor at Rutgers University’s Department of English.

TechTown empowers entrepreneurs to build successful technology businesses that improve the quality of life for people across the country and around the world. At TechTown, we provide the support and access to capital needed to build high tech companies in Detroit.

Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs through 11 schools and colleges to nearly 33,000 students.