South Africa - Sweden Leadership Summit

The South Africa – Sweden Leadership Summit took place on the 8-10th of May 2019 in Stellenbosch, bparallel to the Research Seminar. After the Opening Ceremony on Thursday the 9th, the Summit took place at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Studies (STIAS) with representatives from University Management from the 36 partner universities, Funding agencies; STINT1, FORTE2, FORMAS3, NRF4, Young Academy of Sweden, as well as representatives from Government Offices; DHET5, DST6, The Ministry of Education Sweden, and the Embassy of Sweden in Pretoria. There were student unions present from both South Africa and Sweden.

South Africa - Sweden Joint Declaration

At the end of the Leadership Summit on the 10th of May a South Africa – Sweden Joint Declaration was produced and signed by the vice-chancellors of the partner universities. The Joint Declaration served as a call to action for governments in Sweden and South Africa to achieve the following:

To support flexible mobility of academic staff, students encompassing under-graduate, - graduate, and doctoral students as well as post docs and provide for exchange opportunities for administrative officials – by strengthening existing funding structures and creating new ones where gaps exist.

To facilitate the development of early career academics - through the initiation of grant programmes to enhance collaboration and networking between South Africa and Sweden.

To ensure appropriate flexible funding schemes to facilitate partnerships in research and education between South Africa and Sweden.

Satellite Events

The South Africa – Sweden Research and Innovation Week gives opportunity for individuals or groups to organize independently run events or activities under the umbrella of SASUF. These events took place from the 5th – 8th of May 2019 across South Africa and engaged at total of 1,500 participants in 47 different events.