The second international conference of the Southern African-Nordic Centre will be hosted by Rhodes University in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa from 7 to 9 December 2009.

The theme of the conference is: "Inclusion and Exclusion in Higher Education".

It will explore how higher education reflects, extends or transcends inequalities of gender, race, class, health and culture. What are the legacies of inclusion and exclusion in the SADC and Nordic regions, what policies and measures did governments, educational institutions or pressure groups adopt to transcend them and with what effects? How are policies changing today as societies are affected by processes of democratization, cultural integration, climate change or economic crisis?

Drawing on Southern African and Nordic experiences, the conference will explore diverse challenges and experiences in both regions in order to develop a comparative perspective.

Rhodes University

Rhodes University is one of the oldest South African universities. It celebrated its centenary in 2004. It is also the smallest university in South Africa with 6 750 students. Rhodes scores highly on three important indicators of quality: student/staff  ratio (15), research output per capita, and percentage of international students (25%). The University is set in a beautiful and safe campus and offers comfortable accommodation and modern facilities. Recent honorary doctorates include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Ex-President Nelson Mandela and Professor Amartya Sen.

For more on the University: www.ru.ac.za

Grahamstown

Grahamstown is a pretty, historic town. It started as a garrison in 1812 on the old Eastern Frontier where the British Empire met the Xhosa people. The old town has a beautiful cathedral, a High Street, and the look is Georgian. Today it is a major educational and legal centre. It hosts the two premier South African Festivals: the Grahamstown National Arts Festival (this year from 2 to 11 July) and the Sasol Science Festival (25 to 31 March). The town offers the visitor a snapshot of South Africa - its history of splendour and misery, human achievement and suffering.

Grahamstown lies in the Eastern Cape, one of the poorest of South Africa's nine provinces. The closest city (and airport) is Port Elizabeth, 125 km to the west. The Eastern Cape has a rich cultural tradition (Xhosa, Afrikaans and British) and a fascinating history of war and struggle. It also boasts incomparable natural beauty: the austere dry Karoo, thickly forested mountain ranges, and pristine beaches. Grahamstown is close to the Addo Elephant National Park (an unrivalled opportunity to see the Big Seven: elephant, rhino, lion, buffalo, leopard, whales and great white sharks) and is surrounded by a range of private  game reserves.

For more information about Grahamstown

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