THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.
IT MEANS EVERYTHING TO US.

First there was the Internet, which connected people with people. Then came the Internet of Things, which connected 4IR technologies with machines. And now there is the Internet of Everything, which connects people with people, people with machines and machines with machines.

As a leading proponent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) in Africa, UJ recognises the potential of the Internet of Everything (IoE) to make universal connectivity more relevant and valuable than ever before, turning information into action that creates new capabilities and unprecedented opportunities for people, communities, businesses and countries.

Already we are applying 4IR to both our teaching and learning, using it to advance not just ideas, but skills, expertise and capacity. We believe in the not-too-distant future, people everywhere will experience real benefits and meaningful change in their lives as a result of 4IR.

Scroll down on this 4IR in Action page to experience real examples of the Fourth Industrial Revolution at work.

  • blockchain-based-certificates

Blockchain-based certificates.

For students who gain their qualifications legitimately – who attend lectures, write assignments and sit for exams, often for several years – the certificates they receive at the end are the whole point. They’re [...]

The Invigilator

Virtual assessments. Credible qualifications. “When Covid first struck, the shift to online teaching and learning wasn’t all that difficult,” says Jurie Wessels. “The university was ready for it – we’d been using online systems [...]

  • learning-in-a-pandemic-for-success

Learning in a Pandemic. Finding Success.

“I was trained as an anthropologist – we tend to anticipate what’s coming – which is why I think I started feeling anxious in January last year. I was watching what was happening in [...]

  • Ideating and innovating. Improving life.

Ideating and innovating. Improving life in Africa.

Eugene is a third-year Business Information Technology student at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and a member of the university’s Technopreneurship Centre. The centre was originally established by the Department of Applied Information Systems [...]

  • A new way to teach. A new way to learn

A new way to teach. A new way to learn

At first, it was a way of combatting the isolation brought on by lockdown. A way for a few lecturers and senior students in the Faculty of Education at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) [...]

  • Technological innovations and rural village

New Interventions. Real Change

As a young man, Godfrey Nefolovhodwe walked a 38km round trip to get to high school every day, a journey that took about three hours each way. He usually left home in the dark, [...]

  • 4IR has made online learning limitless

Augmented Reality. Real Education

We’ve never depended on technology more ( 4IR has made online learning limitless) and that’s saying something. For decades, and increasingly with every passing year, computers and connectivity have been essential to how we learn, [...]

  • Technological advances tackle unemployment

Digital Work. Real Employment

Technological advances to tackle unemployment The edges of his suit are sharp and crisp. Dark and funky spectacles frame eyes that flash with curiosity and zeal. He smiles easily, speaks animatedly, and has perspectives [...]