Bi-National Student Conference
During 6-7 June 2022, student representatives from different SASUF universities met to exchange ideas, share best practices, and discuss the plans for the upcoming year. A national conference was organized in each country: one in Cape Town and one in Uppsala. Increasing the visibility of SASUF to students and making the opportunities it offers students more accessible were formulated as goals that the Student Network will work towards.
Some examples of the generated ideas on how to achieve the goals:
Connecting researchers and students in a more efficient and inclusive way through a digital page where researchers can share information on their projects and how interested students can engage
Map out strategies to collaborate with institutional structures/student organizations for SASUF inclusion in their projects
Market SASUF by inviting different stakeholders to participate in open events
Develop strategies for inclusive students network (top bottom and bottom top approach) - irrespective of the representative’s level of study
Recruit students at faculty and departmental level as downline representatives
Setup Student Network gadgets to aid dissemination of information. For instance; SASUF branded shirts, Camera, etc.
SASUF Goes Digital in September 2022 was discussed, resulting in a plan for a Student Network session on September 20. A project group consisting of student representatives from both countries, led by the newly elected Chair Andile Mthembu, will finalize the plan and continue the work going forward.
The SASUF Research and Innovation Week in South Africa May 2023 was highlighted as a key event in the upcoming year, and how to best involve students in it was discussed. In relation to this, the funding of the student participation was identified as a key challenge. In Uppsala, an application for funding was drafted for Palmefonden. In Cape Town, available funding opportunities and approaches to tap into them were discussed.
The importance of not limiting the student engagement to only these bigger events was underlined. The plan is to 1) keep meeting every 6 weeks internally in the Student Network, 2) continuously hosting our own activities open to all students, and 3) collaborating with other institutions either through co-hosted events or invitations to participate. There were several topics mentioned to focus the work around; mental health, student empowerment, gender equality, food security, and decolonising education.
The SASUF Student Network looks forward to working closely together with the universities in the upcoming year.