SRC Report on IEASA Conference

Conference held at WITS University from 29-31 August 2010 

Prepared by: Nchimunya Hamukoma 

From the 29th-31st August 2010, the International Education Association of South Africa held their annual conference at Wits University with a focus on the relationship between Higher Education and development in Africa. 

Day 1 – 29th August

Day 1 was the only day with a student specific programme.  The programme was as follows:

Session 1

08:35 – 10:00 Opening and Keynote Address
08:35 – 08:45 Opening/Welcome Remarks, Mr Bafana Nhlapo, Student Representative Council President, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
08:45 – 09:30 Key Note Address (with Q&A)
Title: Developing African Leadership Today For Future Development
Speaker: Professor Yunus Ballim, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
09:30 – 09:40 Closing Remarks, Ms. Prem Coopoo, Dean of Students, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

Session 2

Venue: FNB Room 150
Half-Day Workshop
10:00 – 13:30 Workshop One
Title: Social Cohesion
Facilitator: Mr Moses Pieterse

Session 3

Conference Sessions
14:30 – 15:15 Title: Introduction of the International Students Association of South Africa
Presenter: Ms Runyararo Mutsinze
Venue: FNB Room 150
15:25 – 16:10 Title: Internationalisation in Africa’s Development
Presenter: Mr Desire Nyoni
16:20 – 17:05 Title: Higher Education export service delivery by the University of Stellenbosch
Presenter: Mr Emile Du Plessis 

The main issue of interest was the presentation of the International Student Association (ISASA). Rhodes University had been present at the founding of the organisation and the general idea amongst those who had been in attendance was that this event would merely serve to inform them of the formation of the organisation. However, those universities not in attendance found this to be problematic and the discussion of ISASA was deferred to the following day.  

Day 2 – 30th August

A special students meeting was added to the schedule to discuss the issues of ISASA. The main concerns brought up from the event were the lack of consultation with the universities not in attendance and therefore, the illegitimacy of the organisation as well as its illegitimacy within the structure of IEASA itself. Suggestions were made that the organisation should be disbanded. However, it was decided that the most efficient way to deal with the problem would be to co-opt some of the universities who hadn’t been at the initial conference into the governing structures of ISASA and to hold another conference as soon as possible to ensure that the organisation has the mandate of all the universities and to ensure that it constructs itself successfully within IEASA.

Day 3 – 31st August

Though there were no seminars to specifically deal with the needs of students, I attended the following seminars:

• Internationalisation in South African Universities Post-94: Challenges and Opportunities

Presenter: Professor Thandwa Mthembu (Vice Chancellor - Central University of Technology)

Chair: Dr Loveness Kaunda

• Student’s Social Interactions and Experiences of HE at Wits 

Presenter: Mr Emmanuel Ojo 

Chair: Prof Aldo Stroebel
 

• Indigenisation, Internationalisation and Transculturality: Approaches to transmission

  and transformation in education

Presenter: Dr Kai Horsthemke

Chair: Dr Loveness Kaunda

• Best Practice in Internationalisation, The Changing Face of SA’s HE: Are Refugees in Lecture Halls Contributors to Internationalisation in Africa’s Development,

  Towards a Discourse of Participation and Transformation at International Relations Offices at selected Universities in SA

Presenters: Ms Alice Wamundiya, Ms Elizabeth Mazzocchini, Mr Fred Bidandi

Chair: Mr David Farirai

• Boosting Historically Disadvantaged Univ. in the E.Cape

Presenter: Ms Refi loe Khitsane

Chair: Dr Lavern Samuels


The seminar that was most applicable to Rhodes was that on Best Practice in Internationalisation because it highlighted Rhodes’ current lack of strategy when it comes to the way in which the institution deals with refugee students.  This is definitely an issue that needs further investigation by the International Office and the SRC.

 
* No official minutes have been sent out to conference attendees, but these will be attached to this report as soon as they become available.