Stellenbosch University (SU) made history on Thursday (14 February), when it strengthened its research partnership with the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), an organ of the African Union (AU). An official memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed between SU's Institute for Futures Research (IFR) and the APRM at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS) in Stellenbosch.
The MOA signing solidified the commitment of a five-year partnership between the IFR and the APRM, which will deliver a range of activities, research opportunities and collaborative initiatives that will involve SU academics and experts, as well as students who make up the growing youthful population of the continent and will be the vanguards of Africa's future.
“The great importance of what we did today is actually at the very centre in the advancement of our continent, because none of our aspirations can be achieved if the governance aspect has not been taken care of, which is really the journey we have embarked on today," said Mr Isaac Nkama, board member of the IFR African Futures Council.
The APRM is a body initiated in 2003 by the African Union to act as a monitoring, review and persuasive body, for Africans by Africans, to shape systems of good governance in African countries. The newly formed partnership will position the IFR uniquely within the African continent and thereby drive SU's African Agenda.
According to Dr McBride Nkhalamba, Head of the Division: Research, Methodology and Development at APRM, the partnership will also help to take governance as a futuristic study forward.
“As you know, governance is an issue that occupies the continent. Over the years, it has evolved. We are of course looking at economic governance, political governance, and corporate governance at a very broad scope, which is an exciting moment for me," said Nkhalamba.
The newly formed partnership also promises to deliver unique strategic futures research, publishing of relevant and impactful reports and articles, create various expert forums, futures thinking short courses and training workshops, monitoring and assessment of national strategic plans, programmes, outreach, and building an African-focused futures knowledge-community at SU.
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More on the IFR
The IFR was established in 1974 at Stellenbosch University, and was restructured and rebranded in 2016, with a refocus of its research environments and service offerings. The IFR is the first and only Futures Institute of its kind on the African continent.
The IFR equips and assists individuals and organisations with the tools of good judgement and strategic foresight rather than accurate predictions. Good judgement emanates from an awareness and appreciation of early warning signs and systems through environmental scanning and intelligence. Through environmental scanning the IFR assists organisations to scope, understand and connect current and emerging trends and issues, in order to evade or conquer challenges, and maximise opportunities. Applying strategic foresight, the IFR facilitates individuals and organisations to define and create the future they want. The IFR's primary objective is to support the leaders of Africa to develop innovative, long-range decision-making competencies for competitive risk mitigation and opportunity sensing.
In the photo above from the front left: Prof Eddy Maloka (CEO APRM), Dr Morne Mostert (Director of IFR), at the back from left, Dr. McBride Nkhalamba (Head of Division, Research, Methodology and Development at APRM) and Mr Isaac Nkama (Africa Futures Council Board Member).
Photo: Stefan Els
