About

Welcome to our Knowledge Portal, dedicated to showcasing the sustainability work happening in community-university partnerships. This portal features a unique wheel that serves as a roadmap for our efforts towards sustainability. The wheel represents the intersection of themes, goals, and objectives from the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 (SGDs); Africa Agenda 2063 (AA); South African National Development Plan (NDP); Eastern Cape Provincial Development Plan (PDP) and  Rhodes University Institutional Development Plan (IDP). It captures the themes of Sustainability, Collaboration, and Wellbeing across these documents and collates the indicators and goals within each of these critical documents.

Sustainability requires addressing economic, social, and environmental dimensions in a holistic and integrated manner. It involves creating equitable and resilient communities, promoting conservation and sustainable use of natural resources, reducing waste and pollution, and integrating sustainability objectives into planning, design, and management of communities.

Collaboration is essential for creating shared goals and values, building trust and consensus, and creating inclusive communities where everyone feels valued and can participate in decision-making processes. Collaboration is also crucial for promoting justice and equality. 

Wellbeing encompasses quality of life, education, and healthy living, and requires promoting policies and practices that foster wellbeing in all its dimensions. This includes ensuring access to quality education, healthcare services, sanitation facilities, and addressing inequalities in household life. Policies and practices that promote wellbeing require an integrated and participatory approach that involves local communities, stakeholders, and policymakers.

At Rhodes University, we believe that higher education institutions have a particular social responsibility within their communities - as such, they play a crucial role in promoting sustainable development. This portal documents and highlights the sustainability work happening in community-university partnerships across the city of Makhanda (in the Eastern Cape), with a particular focus on the three functions of higher education: teaching and learning, research, and community engagement. The nexus between these three functions emphasises the importance of integrating CE T&L & Research to achieve sustainable development.

Teaching and learning provide the foundation for developing the knowledge and skills required to address sustainability challenges. This function equips students with the necessary competencies and values to create positive change in their communities and beyond. Effective teaching and learning strategies should integrate sustainability concepts into the curriculum, promote critical thinking, and encourage students to apply their learning to real-world problems.

Research provides the evidence base for sustainable development policies and practices. Through research, higher education institutions can contribute to the knowledge base required for informed decision-making, problem-solving, and innovation. Research should be aligned with the sustainability goals of the institution, address local and global sustainability challenges, and involve interdisciplinary collaborations.

Community engagement is the mechanism through which higher education institutions can work collaboratively with communities to address sustainability challenges. This function involves building partnerships with local communities, government agencies, non-governmental organisations, and other stakeholders to co-create solutions that meet the needs of all parties. Community engagement should be participatory, context-specific, and prioritise the needs and perspectives of marginalised communities.

The higher education nexus supports sustainable development by integrating teaching and learning, research, and community engagement - fulfilling its public good responsibility. These functions complement and support each other, creating a synergistic approach that promotes sustainable development. By leveraging the strengths of the higher education sector, institutions can play a pivotal role in advancing sustainable development in a locally responsive and globally relevant way.

On this portal, you can explore success stories, best practices, and challenges faced by communities and universities working towards sustainability. We aim to create a space where individuals and institutions can learn from each other and collaborate towards a common goal.

Whether you are a student, researcher, community member, or simply interested in sustainability, our portal offers informative and inspiring content. Join us in our efforts towards a sustainable future!