Stellenbosch University
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SU launches Africa Week
Author: SU International
Published: 22/05/2019

​Stellenbosch University (SU) is committed to South Africa and the continent, pursuing transformative partnerships to influence and change the world for the better. Those were the words of Prof Hester Klopper, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Strategy and Internationalisation, addressing staff and students at the launch of Africa Week on Monday 20 May.

The event rang in SU's celebrations of Africa Day, which the University will commemorate along with many others across the world on 25 May.  

Prof Klopper told the audience that, true to its vision of becoming Africa's leading research-intensive university, SU wanted to be locally relevant, with a regional impact and a global reach. Mapping SU's engagement on the continent, she said: “We will continue to nurture our 120 collaborative partnerships in 30 countries in Africa. As a university, we are dedicated to building scholarship across the continent."

The event also included the launch of the SU Africa website. This online platform is aimed at prospective and current students and staff, researchers, partner institutions, government, business and members of the public interested in the exciting academic and research opportunities on the continent available through SU. The website, which is coordinated by SU International's Centre for Collaboration in Africa (CCA), will highlight partnerships, networks as well as student and staff mobility opportunities on the continent.

In addition, Dr Nico Elema, manager of the CCA, and Prof Sarah Howie, director of the Africa Centre for Scholarship (ACS), used the opportunity to highlight initiatives their respective centres were involved in. Prof Howie told the audience more about the African Doctoral Academy (ADA), which falls under the ACS, and how it continued to support and strengthen doctoral education at SU and across Africa. Having been introduced in 2009, the ADA proudly celebrates ten years of doctoral excellence this year. Dr Elema, in turn, elaborated on SU's strong involvement on the continent, which had resulted in bilateral agreements with 26 fellow African higher education institutions.

Click on the links below for more on upcoming Africa Day-related activities:

Prof Hester Klopper, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Strategy and Internationalisation (third right) flanked by guests at the launch of Africa Week. 

Photo: Hennie Rudman