The Australia Africa Universities Network (AAUN) Africa Forum will be held at the University of Mpumalanga, Mbombela, South Africa during 15–16 April 2024.

The Theme of this year’s Africa Forum is: Sustainable Development in Action – The 2030 Horizon and the Role of Higher Education. The AAUN Africa Forum will examine how African and Australian Higher Education systems are transitioning and contributing towards achieving sustainability. Their pioneering work of new practices, and their education of future generations, are giving sustainable universities a special ability to create and influence change. The effective implementation of sustainability policies in universities is highly dependent on various policy and practice approaches, but there is a lack of systematic effort in how best to map this interaction. The Forum will consider progress and success, and determine potential levers of change for knowledge networks, especially the AAUN, to position and direct for transformative change and impact in the remaining six years of the SDGs.

Program

The AAUN Africa Forum Program (final)

 

Registration 

Please register via this link for the AAUN Africa Forum 15-16 April 2024. 

 

Host

We are grateful to University of Mpumalanga for co-hosting the AAUN Forum, and for sponsoring part of the program.

 

The date of the Africa Forum is aligned with the prominent Time Higher Education (THE) Pan-Africa University Summit which will be held during 17–18 April 2024 at the University of Pretoria, allowing AAUN members to participate in the THE Summit. In addition, the University of Mpumalanga borders the famous Kruger National Park, conveniently located for participants to consider exploration and a unique tourist experience.

Participants could consider the following proposed timeframe for the visit:

The Week:

11/12 April:               Arrive in South Africa – easy connections are  possible from OR Tambo International Airport,
                                     Johannesburg to Mpumalanga Kruger International Airport (KMIA) in Mbombela (Nelspruit)

12–14 April:               Sight-seeing and exploration

15–16 April:               AAUN Africa Forum at the University of Mpumalanga

Africa Forum:

14 April PM:              AAUN Africa Forum Steering Committee Meeting, and opening cocktail

15 April:                      Full day conference and gala dinner

16 April:                      The formal programme ends at 13:30, with an Early Career and Postdoc Workshop in the
                                      afternoon – travel to Johannesburg/ Pretoria thereafter

17–18 April:               THE Pan-Africa Summit, hosted at Future Africa, University of Pretoria. The event programme will
                                      be available shortly.

Geographical Orientation:

• Mbombela is 3 hour’s drive from Johannesburg/ Pretoria, or a 40-min flight
• There are numerous flights between Mbombela, Johannesburg and Cape Town on SA Airlink
• A four-star hotel is available on the campus of the University of Mpumalanga, with various other accommodation options in the city, close to the University.

Contacts

We sincerely trust that you will be able to join us for the AAUN Africa Forum, and look forward to welcome you. Should any additional information be required, please contact Jonathan Tager, the AAUN Africa Secretariat, at jonathan.tager@up.ac.za.