SARUA - Southern African Regional Universities Association

📢 Reminder of our second call for the 1st SARUA Conference taking place in Lusaka, Zambia on 21–23 May 2025. You'll find more information in the booklet on our call for abstracts, pre-conference workshops and themes for the conference. Don't forget - our deadline for abstracts and posters is 28 February 😀 👇 We look forward to seeing you there! Online or in-person, you won't want to miss this event!

📢 Webinar! Research ethics policies and processes #SADC #highereducation institutions urgently need stronger #researchethics policies to protect participants and uphold research integrity. This webinar will provide an overview of global ethical principles, regulatory frameworks and accreditation guidelines that shape fair and transparent ethics review processes. Participants will gain insights into aligning with international best practices to foster trust and ensure compliance with legal standards. 📆 Wednesday 12 February ⏰ 14:00–15.30 📌 Zoom All are welcome to this free webinar!

As generative AI (#GenAI) reshapes the digital landscape, educators and professionals have grappled with how to define and teach the competencies required to use it effectively. Now, researchers have introduced a groundbreaking framework, outlining twelve core competencies that distinguish GenAI literacy from broader AI concepts. This model provides a structured pathway for learning and adapting in a field that continues to evolve rapidly. Read more 👇

As we step into 2025, we’re looking forward to the year ahead with optimism and excitement. It’s a chance to build on what we’ve achieved and explore new possibilities together. Here’s to a year of meaningful progress and shared success. #hello2025

📢 Second announcement for the 1st SARUA Conference taking place in Lusaka, Zambia on 21–23 May 2025. Are you planning your calendar for 2025? Be sure to diarise our conference! You'll find more information in the booklet on our call for abstracts, pre-conference workshops and themes for the conference. 👇 We look forward to seeing you there! Online or in-person, you won't want to miss this event!

As 2024 draws to a close, we reflect on a year of growth, connection and progress. Here's to a joyful holiday season and a new year filled with hope, opportunity and success. #SeasonsGreetings2024 #BringOn2025

In 2025, the SARUA dialogue series for vice-chancellors (VCs) across SADC higher education institutions will aim to foster collaboration, knowledge exchange and alignment on regional priorities. It plans to address challenges, share best practices and explore innovative strategies to enhance the quality and relevance of #highereducation across the region. VCs across HEIs, especially in regions like #SADC, often face a complex set of challenges that require balancing academic priorities with administrative, financial and political pressures. The dialogue series will address these issues, taking place twice in 2025, and will allow VCs or their representatives to engage on these important issues and share experiences towards building a resilient and innovative SADC higher education system.

In 2025, SARUA will continue to lead the project on Exploring the Barriers and Incentives for Societally Impactful Research, which is focused on uniting the SADC region behind an action agenda that will promote #research that is locally impactful and globally relevant. Together with an expansive community of practice, this project researches the factors that accelerate meaningful and impactful research and will culminate in a set of recommendations that promote societally impactful research in the #SADC region.

We're looking forward to an exciting year for digital transformation! SARUA's #digitaltransformation focus aims to integrate #digitaltechnologies across higher education in the #SADC region. Central to this initiative is a webinar series that will engage participants from the 16 SADC countries and provide insights into the role of digital innovation in #highereducation. The webinars will explore digital innovation in areas like pedagogy, technological infrastructure and institutional readiness, aligning with SARUA's vision for future-oriented education. Additionally, SARUA is spearheading the establishment of a community of practice to collaboratively research and develop a digital transformation framework and digital maturity framework, addressing Africa's unique higher education challenges and opportunities and preparing institutions to meet evolving educational demands.

2025 will be a big year for institutional quality management! SARUA's strategic focus area on IQM supports the enhancement of internal quality assurance systems within #SADC HEIs, focusing on training, capacity building and activities related to the HAQAA3 initiative and the #TrainIQA programme. These efforts align with SARUA's overarching commitment to educational excellence in the region. The Community of Practice for #IQM will continue with its webinar programme with plans for two capacity-building webinars to be held in the period January to June 2025. The partnership between SARUA and the University of Potsdam is ongoing and the TrainIQA training programme for the second cohort of trainees will commence next year. Under the HAQAA3 initiative, the establishment of the Pan African Quality Assurance and Accreditation agency (PAQAA) is gaining momentum and the nomination of a team who will develop the statutes for the agency will be finalised in 2025.