The University of Pretoria will host a large gathering of vice-chancellors of African universities and specialist researchers for a conference on a range of development issues.

The Australia-Africa Universities Network’s International Africa Forum will meet from 4 to 6 April 2014 at UP. The forum will focus on the key themes of food security, health, mining, public sector reform and higher education. These issues have been identified as critical to the development and sustained prosperity of both Australia and Africa.

Members of the AAUN International Africa Forum include leading universities in Australia and Africa (Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia and Mauritius), as well as UP and the University of Cape Town. Prof Cheryl de la Rey, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of UP, is the co-chairperson of AAUN (Africa).

Delegates will hear from leading academics such as Prof Ernest Aryeetey, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, and Prof Thandabantu Nhlapo, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Town, on the role of higher education in development in Africa.

Other prominent speakers include the Australian High Commissioner, His Excellence Graeme Wilson, and Prof Nick Binedell, Dean of UP’s Gordon Institute of Business Science, as well as Mr John Angley, Austrade General Manager for Government, Ministerial and International Education.

Prof De la Rey said the objective of the AAUN was to connect researchers and academics through institutional partnerships in order to address challenges facing both continents.
 
“We are very pleased that collaborative research has already commenced with Australian partners in the critical areas of food security, public health and mining,” she said. “The conference will provide a forum to progress this work, and to establish new projects in the areas of public health and higher education.”

Members of the media are invited to attend the second day of the conference but have to register beforehand. Interviews with speakers may be arranged on request. The program is available at www.up.ac.za/aaunconference